I am struck by how many guys like myself have major PEGAPHOBIA. None of the female cancer patients and certainly very few of the female caregivers express any concern about getting a PEG. Yet, I know that I was insanely opposed to getting a PEG. And yes, I believe that every male poster on OCF who got through TX without a PEG has swarded himself a mental medal.
This observation is based on reading hundreds of posts on the PEG here at the OCF forum. I know that when I failed my first MBS after surgery which meant that I needed a PEG, it was only the fourth time in 62 years that I ever cried in public (the other three were the funerals of my little brother, father & mother). I know all the psychological pain a PEG has cost me and why I rejoiced the first year in avoiding it. What I don't know is if this is somehow testosterone based. So were there any female die hard objectors to a PEG?

Charm,

When I had the dreaded first discussion with the RO concerning my treatment he left it up to his female nurse to very sternly impress upon me the importance of the PEG and how much it would be needed if things did not go exactly right. She gave me quite a talking to.

On my way out the male nurse that accompanied her and had held his tongue during the whole encounter approached me and said very matter of factley that if it were him he would also reject the PEG but it would be the wrong decision. Then he tried to tell me I should get it.

Seems this male Pegaphobia extends to the nursing staff as well.

Kelly

Charm, Steve didn't want the peg, hated it when he got it and still hates it to this day. Must be a male thing.

Actually the main reason I did not get teh PEG was that my wife absolutly freaked out when the MO suggested it. I think it was too much an outward sign that something was wrong with me.

I actually didn't think a thing about it. ALL of the doctors I talked to said definitely get it, so it was a non-issue....

Just not a big deal....

I certainly awarded myself a medal for getting through without a peg! My oncologist advised against getting one because he didn't want me to become reliant on it, my radiologist felt passionately that I get one. My rad and I made a deal that if I lost 10% of my body weight I would get one. I lost more than 10% but I would load down my pockets and took to even wearing boots to boost my weight! After treatment was finished, and I didn't care what my weight was, I hopped on the scale and my rad almost fainted because I had lost so much weight. He wanted to put a peg in after all my treatments and I had to break it to him that there was no way in hell that was happening.

Kevin, I'm a Memphian also. Had my rad at Baptist east and chemo at West Clinic. Curious if we share any Doctors. Lawson is my oncologist and Marks was rad.

George

George

Great to hear that our strategies were so similar. I also wore my Danner Telson Scorpion class boots and put weights in my vest pockets and clipped on my Blackberry and cell phones for the scales to hide my weight loss of over 20%. Wear your medal proudly. You earned it.

I'm so glad to hear I was not the only one to wear heavy boots to the Dr's office.

Charm, I absolutely hate the PEG tube. Even though I understand I must have it, just like when I first got it, I still hate it. The pegophobia isnt just a male thing.

The only reason I did not get a PEG was that that was the only control I had over what was happening to me!! No medals were rewarded as I have enough from Uncle Sam. Semper-Fi Bob