You may be given a PET scan. If so, make sure the day before to avoid sugars and carbs, to rest and drink plenty of water (minimum 48 oz). This will ensure a more accurate reading.

Hi there - I had a similar size tumor - similar location - my dr. One of the best in his field. Removed 40 lymphnodes from my neck, and 1/3 of my tongue - then he and a plastics guy took the skin, and a blood vessel from my arm and built me part of a new tongue. Then he sent me for rads and chemo, this is standard treatment for this type of cancer. Good luck!

Max,

Yes, my treatment is in Canada. I live in Edmonton, Alberta. My family is in Winnipeg, which is a 13 hour drive in good weather.

My tumour is left side too, same deal, stick out the tongue and you can see it, although mine is 3.5-4 cm. It's normal coloured (not black or white or some other weird colours I found during my research), and it kind of looks like what your lip looks likes if you bit it.

My tests were a parade of various doctors, blood work, biopsy and a PET and CT scan, along with what feels like a hundred scopes up the nose and down the throat. The only one that hurt was the biopsy, and that was just for a couple of minutes.

I was supposed to find out today my surgery date, but no call, so still waiting.

Be careful what sites you go to for research (the ones that end in .org are generally the better ones). I made the mistake of general google searches and scared the crap out of myself unnecessarily. When you do tell your family, warn them about that too. My dad did the same search and got very upset.

Remarkably, life has not changed much - I get up, go to work, meet up with friends, do laundry, etc. I'm flying to Toronto tomorrow to go see the Blues Jays play the Yankees.

This is a bump in the road, and I have found that humour is a pretty good coping mechanism for me. I'm a lawyer and I tell people that all my collegues let out a collective sigh of relief that finally something is going to shut me up for a while, LOL. That, and it's like having a new wardrobe, because I can fit into clothes that I had put away into the "someday when I don't like ice cream anymore" closet. Of course, now I eat the ice cream, guilt free, and get to wear the clothes!

I know it's hard Max, and it seems unfair, but remember that this is a fixable problem, and everyone here, and everyone who cares about you will be rooting for you!

Max, we've come to the right place for accurate, up-to-date information and support from those who have traveled this road already and those of us who are just getting started on this journey.

Tina, I admire your attitude. Humour works well for us, too, although some of it remains between my husband and me - a lot of people don't appreciate our warped sense of what's funny :-).

We learned the first time around how surprisingly quickly the bizarre becomes ordinary and day to day life moves onward.

I'm hoping to get my surgery date when I meet with my surgeon Friday.

We're all rooting for each other.

Yep, Karen, I have noticed that people can be taken aback at the jokes - I have gotten some odd looks and had to clarify that it's a joke...ah well it's worth it to combat what I call "cancer face" (the head cocked to one side followed by the softly spoken "how are you?"), lol.

Fingers crossed for you and I to get our dates by the end of the week!

Cheryld, sounds very scary 1/3 tongue gone, 40 lymph nodes gone. Very sad.
How is your speech and taste? Can you taste foods now and can you pronounce all sounds?

Tina, it is very good that you remain to be a person with the same habits as nothing has happened. I think the best attitude is even start feeling better than before:) and feel like nothing has happened.)

I told my parents today. They wanted to come to me and to support me. I said i was fine. My mom told me 'don't worry, it will go away'. How likely is that my tumour will disappear before the next appointment?:) I think nothing is impossible.
Anyway, I think I need a good rest before the next appointment as they are going to talk with me about the treatment.

Mausmish, in general I am very grateful to the creators of this website. I believe it is a very good job for the benefit of all these people who had to sign up.

So glad you have talked with your parents! I bet you feel alot better after sharing this news with them.

Boy how I wish cancer would just disappear!!! You have a long road ahead of you, its not always easy but you can get thru this and move on. Your age will greatly help make this so much easier for you.

Keep up that positive thinking, it really does help. At least I think it makes you feel a little better when you look on the bright side of things.

Hi Max,

I am a young'n too diagnosed at 24! I had over half my tongue removed, plus reconstruction, radiation and chemo (finished in January), and I am doing great now . My tumor was about 4cm with nerve invasion, so you will probably be better off than me. I am able to eat just about everything other than spicy foods, and do the same things I did prior to treatment. Good luck, feel free to send me a message if you need someone to talk to!

Thanks Christine, it is definitely good that I talked to my parents. They want to come to me now and to support me)

Emily, Thanks for your post which is kind of relief for me. I will be fine too. I will message you again

Hi there - speech is about 85%-95 % still working on some letters - but for the most part I'm good - somedays it's perfect depending on how swollen I am. Also I tend to I tnd to have a small lisp at night when I'm tired. Taste is mostly back except for most sweets which isn't a bad thing -

The surgery was nothing - I still have a numb neck area but other than that I'm great - and very blessed.

Good luck! You'll be okay