Hello Michael!
So sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I am VERY new to all this as well but I agree with ChristineB on trying to seek out a cancer center to make sure that your care is coming from the very best in the business. I attached the link below. I just had a fourth of my tongue removed and a partial neck dissection and it was done at a cancer center with the best of the best in treating head and neck cancer and that knowledge went a long way to make me feel at ease.

https://www.cancer.gov/research/nci-role/cancer-centers/find

Laura Age 40
Tongue lesion on left side grew and was hurting in mid-August
Dx as squamous cell carcinoma on 9.18.18
Left Neck Dissection and tongue surgery, lost a fourth of my tongue on 10.1.18, tumor had grown to a T3
Margins were clear except front section of tongue margin had three stray cancer cells that were not in the tumor
Additional surgery 10.18.18 to remove another cm near where the stray cells were found
33 radiation treatments from Nov 2018 through Jan 2019