Herson,

I also had a Stage II tumor in my tongue -- had a little less than 20% of the tongue removed (no graft) and many nodes removed from my neck. My doctors and nurses saw to it that I had enough pain medication, so for a couple of weeks beyond the surgery it was just a matter of dealing with some swelling and discomfort until things started to go back to normal. Like Joanna, I looked more scary than I felt. Many people here (myself included) will tell you that this surgery is usually a piece of cake compared with radiation.

I'm guessing that your mother's team will make a recommendation on the radiation issue based on what they find after surgery -- the margins around the tumor and the pathology report on the nodes they remove.

In the meantime, try to be sure your mother is getting plenty of good nutrition before her treatment starts. It helps to go into this with as much strength and stamina as possible.

Cathy