Nelie, give that tube a nickname and look at it as an intregral part of your body right now. It is helping to keep you alive-quit hating it! I occurs to me that if you were fighting this disease 20 years ago, without the advances in treatment today, you could very well be on the other side of the grass as Brian likes to say. By your own admission, the tube is allowing you to get on with life and recovery.

Erik. no offense, but I will not print your posts for John to read because his Doc has told him not to put anything down his throat until given permission because of the danger of aspiration. He is as hardheaded as you and I don't want him to get any ideas that he hasn't dreamed up already about taking charge of his treatment. Stay well, Erik. Amy