Jamie,
I had half of my lower jaw removed in June of 2006, and I know intimately what you're feeling.

Some of the things you describe (speech, eating, lack of teeth) can and do improve in a variety of ways. Other things (the numbness, dry mouth) often don't.

You adjust. It's the new normal, and you learn to cope with that, adjust how you do things a bit, but you cope. I know it seems right now that you'll never get used to it; you do though. We humans are very adaptable...much more than we give ourselves credit for. We adapt, and you will too.

Don't EVER question whether you made the right decision...you did. The Beast is cruel, and if left to do it's business, it kills...every single time. It's not anything short of horrible the way it kills, either.

You're here, you can enjoy the simple pleasures of life that we all take for granted. That in itself is priceless. For me, the love of my wife and kids, along with some councilling when things were really bad emotionally, got me through. You WILL adapt, and you WILL be thankful for have the chance to beat back the Beast. Hang in there...it does get better
Wayne