Sherry,

I think the majority of people who get the PEG have no problems with it and would readily recommend it to others. Some of them do have some swallowing difficulties, but most are able to overcome that and can swallow on their own after a certain amount of time is allowed for healing.

Then you have those in the minority, like my daughter, Heather. I think she must have had every problem possible with her PEG. She went through 3 different tubes, ending up with a J-tube, which has a double lumen and actually bypasses the stomach and goes directly into the jejunem. Eventually, even this didn't work and she ended up on IV feedings. Because of this, I am not a fan of the PEG. For many people though, they are a proven lifesaver.

Heather did have a naso-gastric tube after her initial surgery. It was in for about 2 weeks and she had no problems with it. Heather's case was extreme, though, and I would not suggest choosing one tube over another based on her experience alone. I do know however, that several people on this forum have had swallowing difficulties that were not resolved simply with time. The problems were due at least in part to the fact that they had PEGs. Many of them have had to have their esophagus stretched. I believe that some people have had to have this procedure done mainly because of radiation damage, but a PEG can definitely contribute to it.

While it is true that a tube hanging from one's nose is not a pretty picture, PEGs aren't pretty either when they don't work properly. A naso-gastric tube is very easy to use and is not nearly as invasive as a stomach tube.
What it all boils down to is that everyone is different. Unfortunately, there is no way to know in advance into which camp Ken will fall. It's not unreasonable for him to start without any feeding tubes and get one only if needed. You should ask his doctor how long it would take to get a tube once he decides he wants it. If he can be assured of getting one ASAP, Ken could try to go it alone in the beginning. If he may have to wait a week or more to get one, though, that may not be such a good idea. When he decides ne needs one, he will not want to be waiting. He will be needing it YESTERDAY! So make sure the doc is very clear on how long the wait will be.

Personally, if he was able to gain 10 lbs after his tonsillectomy, I would say he has at least a fair chance of getting through most of RAD without a tube. As Kirk said, tonsillectomy pain is nothing compared to radiation pain, BUT it's not exactly a walk in the park either. I just had a tonsillectomy a week ago and cannot even begin to imagine gaining any weight. I have already lost about 8 lbs and fully expect to lose more. The pain is darned near unbearable! If he could eat enough to actually GAIN weight, he should be able to get through the first part of RAD without too much trouble. If he doesn't need a tube until later, he may not mind the naso-gastric one because he may not need it for more than a few weeks.

Make sure that you ask his doctor everything about all the options. Only then will you be armed with the information you need to make a good decision. Good luck!

Rainbows & hugs,
Rosie