Speech-Language Pathologist With Tongue Cancer: Hemiglossectomy, Free Flap, Radiation, and Recovery

PURPOSE: In November 2024, 33-year-old speech-language pathologist (SLP) and private practice owner, Kevin Dorman, was blindsided by a diagnosis of tongue cancer. The development completely altered the focus of Kevin's life for the coming months, as the future of their speech, swallowing, and ability to work hung in the balance, disrupting their family's primary source of income. In treatment, Kevin received a hemiglossectomy, free flap surgery (a type of reconstructive surgery to provide bulk following the removal of a section of tongue), lymphadenectomy (removal of lymph nodes on the side of the neck), tracheostomy to allow for an airway, nasal feeding tube, 6 weeks of radiation, and months of oral rehabilitation. Now, more than a year after this journey began, Kevin is ready to share the events of their diagnosis, surgery, rehabilitation, and radiation as they navigated dysphagia, articulation and resonance changes, and impacts to their cognition. CONCLUSIONS: This SLP emerged from this experience with a deeper understanding of the interplay between motivation and capacity to keep up with a plan of care as a client, as well as ways to modify a treatment regimen based on capacity and cognitive side effects. This SLP would like to acknowledge the frustration of being caught between these powerful opposing forces and the instrumental role their health care team and loved ones have filled in navigating these feelings of inadequacy, modifying care, and reinforcing that they truly were doing the best job they could given this terrible ordeal.