I totally identify with what your husband is feeling. What motivated me, was when I was admitted to the hospital because I wasn't getting enough nutrition. My husband kept after me, but I gave him the same arguments that your husband is giving you. When I went for blood work after I had finished my treatments, my oncologist took one look and insisted that I be hospitalized. I cried and asked if I couldn't just take a pill, but I was hospitalized for three days to build up my nutrition. That did it for me. I hadn't been using my PEG, but I did then. I also started eating yogurt and ice cream and making milk shakes out of Ensure, a banana, and a scoop of ice cream. I hated the PEG, and I even hated trying to eat, but I didn't want to have to go back to the hospital.


Female, nonsmoker, 70, diag. 5/09 after tongue biopsy: stage IV. Left hemi-gloss. and left selec. neck disec. 30 lymph nodes removed May 20. Over 7 weeks daily rads. with three chemo. PEG removed 12/4/09 Am eating mostly soft foods. Back to work 11/09 Retired 4/1/11. 7 clear scans! Port out 9/11. 2/13. It's back: base of tongue, very invasive
surgery involving lifestyle changes. 2/14: Now speaking w/Passey-Muir valve. Considering a swallow study. Grateful to be alive.