I was diagnosed with same cancer on the base of my tongue as well as in a lymph node on my neck. The good news is I am cancer free after almost 2 years. The Doctors told me. that this is a highly treatable and curable cancer. They were right.
What to expect?
I was given 35 doses of radiation over a 7 week period along with weekly chemo to work along side radiation. The 1st 3-4 weeks were not too bad. The last 3 weeks got progressively more painful to swallow as the radiation was doing its work.. I lost 43 pounds and lived off of Boost Hi Cal. vanilla. Drank as much water as I could but still needed daily hydration infusions.
When my treatment was completed I thought I would heal quickly and be back to normal quickly. It took me another 6 months beyond treatment to feel normalish. The radiation keeps doing its job weeks after the last treatment. I was tired a lot, still in pain, and nothing tasted good. I went back to work and somehow got through those days.
Ok so it is may seem like a long road, but I am stronger and healthier now than pre-cancer. I eat right, exercise, and have kept the weight off. My advice is take it a day at a time and even when you have been cured, still take everyday as a gift. It is. Best wishes and prayer for your recovery.