Markus

I respectfully disagree with both you and Kevin. Giving in and getting a PEG is indeed a BIG DEAL. Brian already schooled me when I first posted that a PEG is indeed the way to go for those who are not willing to endure massive pain just to keep control. As Marine Bob spelled it out, the issue is CONTROL.
I could not control the radiation nor my body's reaction to it. I could not control the chemotherapy nor my body's reaction to it. I could and did control whether or not to get a PEG. The reality is that the doctors are all driven by malpractice concerns to insist that you get a PEG when you lose a certain amount of weight. I concede that for the majority of OCF posters, the PEG is indeed the way to go. However, to steal shamelessly from the Marine Corps, the FEW and the PROUD tough it out. I was quite comfortable in losing over 20% of my body weight as I just went from 177 lbs down to 130 lbs which was more than my Marine Corp Marathon trim fighting/running weight of 126 lbs. I never had dehydration nor malnutrition just massive pain in forcing swallowing. This turned out to be quite good preparation for my current swallowing struggle. Again, I have no intention of restarting the PEG wars as I did before, but I am unrepentant that if you can deal with it, then surviving TX without a PEG is indeed the way to go. My sister does not understand this but my wife does.
There is not a wrong or right here, but to assert that getting a PEG is not a big deal will always trigger an opposing response from me. Way back in law school we learned a basic Tort principle, you have to take the Plaintiff as you find them. For many of the OCF male posters that means that giving into this Cancer and getting a PEG is indeed a very big deal. To say otherwise is to sacrifice our very real feelings and emotions on the altar of medical correctness.
Yes, now that I have a PEG, it is easy, but some of us still thrive on doing things the hard way.