Ellen,
As you noticed not everyone had one -there are a few of us who didn't (or any other kind of feeding tube). I for one - Mark also. I lost over 60 lbs, have made a fine recovery and am 3 1/2 years cancer free today. I left 30 lbs "at the door" which I didn't need anyway. There are better ways to lose weight and during the healing and rebuilding phase is NOT one of them. It can slow down and extend the recovery process.

It's a shame that your doctors gave you so much BS. Recovery in the early stages in measured, in the slightest improvements, in 3 week increments - it is incredulous to me that they would even use "2 weeks" and "feeling better" in the same sentence. You must not have gone to a comprehensive cancer center.

Most SHOULD have a PEG tube. Did you ever meet with a nutritionist during all of this? She/he might have set you straight. The PEG would have given more feeding options I am sure.

I was disabled pretty much for almost 2 years before I was back to about 98% of my regular routine. Some recover faster and some slower.

The good news is, by now, he should be turning the corner and you start seeing improvements. It is a game of great patience - nothing happens quickly in the this kind of recovery.