Keith,
Oh did that bring back some memories! Especially the music - I burned my own CD and listened to it every single day in RT. Must have driven them nuts. I knew exactly how much time I had left on the table by what part of what song was playing. I would crank it so loud they could hear it through the lead lined doors ha ha!

I had nightmares about puking in the mask (and subsequently choking on my own vomit - but hey I'd have some great company, Janis, Jimi, Keith Richards, Jim Morrison, etc.) but it never happened. I was pretty sick from the chemo for a long time however. You're right on about the RT techs they were great. I still stop in to visit them from time to time to let them know that some people actually live through this (My tech confided in me that they felt terrible about how beat up people got from the radiation).

I never got the PEG - went AMA and lost 60 lbs (screw the PEG). Put 30 back on and stopped there - perfect weight (BMI). It forced me to eat and drink orally and I think that helped me transition to real food much faster - but I had to take huge amounts of narcotics to pull it off - not for the weak or faint of heart ;-)

I had to be rehydrated too but after one trip to the ER figured out I can have it done faster and far more comfortable in the infusion unit (with real oncology nurses (they're the best).

Great post! Tells it like it is.

It'll get better - I promise.