Since you seemed confused as to what is the right decision regarding the "PEG" I will put my two cents in. I try to stay out of these "discussions" because people try to defend their position and it sometimes gets heated.

When my husband's RO first mentioned the PEG, my husband said "no way, I am determined to make it through being in control and won't need one". My husband's RO said he has only had a couple of people make it through treatment without the PEG and they all were eventually hospitalized due to malnutrition or dehydration. He said once we get treatments started we do not want to stop mid-stream to have to put a PEG in. My husband agreed to the PEG but said he would just flush it and not use it. That lasted about three weeks and then he could not eat or swallow enough to keep up with what his body needed. Even with the PEG in he lost 30 lbs.

He only had the PEG in for a total of 4 months and did continue to make himself swallow water and other liquids throughout the day. He never had any problems after treatments with eating again by mouth. All three of his doctors - ENT, RO and MO all insisted that he get the PEG. They said that the treatments were brutal and that your body needs all it's strength to fight.

There are no heros only survivors. Making it through treatments without a PEG doesn't make you stronger or more of a man. My husband NEVER took any prescription pain killers during or after treatments. I don't remember him getting a medal for that either. I just felt you should hear both sides of the story. Good luck with the decision.