I thank you all for your posts. It helps to hear that other people have gone through all this and know how I feel. I am scheduled for surgery the day after Christmas,,, Ho Ho Ho. I believe they called it squamous cell carcinoma. As I said, they will remove as much of the tongue as necessary and remove the lymph nodes and send them off. I will feel much better when they say they are clear. If not, then the dr says I will have to have radiation. He wants me to concentrate on the surgery and not worry about radiation for now. We'll cross that bridge if it comes. I have heard that most people have to have their teeth pulled before radiation? Was that the case for most of you? Sure hate to think of that. But if necessary I'll just have to do it. I am trying to think postive and I have faced many surgeries in the past, spleen removal, gallbladder removal, carpel tunnel on both hands and knee reconstruction and total knee replacement due to an accident when I was a teenager.... Gee, sounds like I could write a book. Really I lead a very active life on our farm and I believe I will get through this too, just dread it. But then who looks forward to any surgery? I would like any advice from you folks who went through this surgery so I will know what to expect after surgery. Can you talk and swallow right if they remove quite a bit of the tongue etc... Thanks again.