The peg tube isn't the worst thing if it's needed to get through anything, at least temporarily. I kept mine, my 2nd, for 5 years, and used it through several tteatments, and surgeries. I inquired about a peg, which I had removed 2 years ago, before this surgery, as opposed to a nasal tube, but was told I would be eating after a few days, and did, and wouldn't need it.

As far as weight gain, I haven't fully gained back all of my weight lost, over 110lbs, from my initial chemo only in 2009, and has taken since to gain back 50lbs or so to 170lbs, and maintain it, although I went through several more treatments through the years with the usual losing and gaining. In. 2013 I was able to get up yo 200lbs, but lost it with another treatment, and besides, my nephrologist didn't want me to gain more anyway since it effected the kidneys, so I really haven't pushed myself to gain the weight back since 2014 when I finished Chemorafiation.

The weight loss from this surgery was sort of self imposed too since I didn't want to eat much while being bed ridden, and not be able to use the restroom, I guess a good reason lol, then I was reluctant to eat the pureed food just on its appearance lol, but you get used to anything over time, and kind of prefer a pureed diet at this time for several reasons. I was upgraded to a mechanical soft food diet, which I basically followed at home, but this isn't home, and choosing, and cooking my own food to my likeness, was choking, not eating as much, so I went back to a pureed diet.

I mow the feeling when your doctor says or gives a look that it's not good. My oral surgeon who has been treating me since 2012 from debridment, extractions, sequestromy, finally gave the look, said he doesn'l like the panoramic scan, then sent me for a CT, and apologized that he couldn't do more for me, and debt me to see his associate, Chief Oral Surgron, who his well known for his treating ORN. Even still, we all agreed to have the surgery done by my ENT, at another hospital , who is just as experienced, and did several of my other surgeries anyway, and didn't want to change teams at this point.

I hope all will be well, and the fibula is like the workhorse for this type surgery that is pretty much the standard now to do in one surgery....resection/reconstruction. They were considering using the scapular, due to difficulty walking/balance, but was told that it may be more bulky to work with, and they could even do surgery without reconstruction, but such would leave an indentation on my face/jaw, and getting dentures may be difficult through misaligned, so I settled in choosing the segmental mandiblectomy with fibula free flap.

If you have any questions, ask, and besides me, you have plenty others here with similar experiences too, which has really helped me, although I never made any inquiries myself, I read all the posts, and replies.