Stephany,
Dan has had a PEG tube since the 2nd day of beginning chemo/rad treatments. He couldn't take anything by mouth after three weeks of treatment. He is now one month post 8 weeks of treatments, and still cannot take anything by mouth. Everyone is different, but the PEG was vital to him because they radiated his tongue, throat and both sides of neck. He is feeling a bit better, but cannot swallow anything yet, not even water. He does make sure he swallows saliva or whatever is in there many times a day, so he doesn't lose the mechanism.
Take care, prayers are with you and your family!
Debbie

Debbie - Caregiver for husband, Dan, diagnosed with tongue cancer 7/03. Partial gloss., mod. neck dissections, graft. Recurrence neck tumor 12/03. Radical left neck dissection 12/24/03-unable to get all the tumor. 8 weeks chemo/rad beginning 1/12/04.