Laura,

I did not have the Peg and it was tough but I'm not sure I would get it if I had to do it over again. I have read many posts of people with the Peg that had a lot of problems both during and after Tx. Also my RO didn't want me to have the Peg.

As far as side effects, listen to everyone above. You have about 2 weeks before it can get rough. You will loose your taste in stages and you will start to feel sore in the throat area. As you get more rad your side effects will increase. It's extremely important, whether or not you get the tube, to drink your recommended water and consume your daily calories. Easier said than done as you will find out but it's the most important thing you can do for yourself.

Most of us had trouble keeping up and wound up in the ER a few times to get hydrated.

You will soon be on a liquid diet and you will want to swallow the least amount of nutrients to meet your caloric goal. I found Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC which has 560 calories in a 8 oz can. I could only tolerate room temp and without taste it didn't matter to me. You can order it from your pharmacy like Walgrens or CVS cheaper than getting it online. It's actually cheaper than Ensure or Boost Plus and you won't have to drink near as many cans which, as I said, will become very important.

We will be with you throughout your TX so as you experience any side effects don't hesitate to ask any questions.

As to whether or not you will be able to help your daughter will depend upon how you feel. It was all I could do to survive but I didn't have a child that depended on me so it may make a difference. It would be much better if you only had to worry about yourself so hopefully that is an option.