Hi all, it was last week that I first joined the forum, and told you about my father and his condition. Well he went to the chemo doctor today and he took one look at him and said he was going into the hospital. Its been since friday he has not had any liquids so therefore they are going to put him on an IV.
I just spoke with the doctor and asked about a feeding tube and he said because dad is at the end of his treatments he doesn't think its necessary. Why? From what I understand just because he is done with treatments I thought the side effects would still linger on for a while right? Anyways he is weighting about 123 lbs, now this is a 51 year old man he only weighed 145 to begin with. Although the doc said he would make a decision on Friday after the iv and the medications hes putting him on for the sores in his mouth, he will look at him agian on Friday and possibly do the tube.
Any insight would be appriciated. I worry about my father so much. He is still home right now waiting for them to call when a bed is ready at the hospital.

Thanks For the support

Kelly

Kelly,

My 28 yr old daughter, Heather, has base of tongue cancer and is currently undergoing radiation treatment. I recently started a post about the PEG tube. If you read it, you will know that my daughter just had one placed and she did have some trouble with it. But, just today, she told the dr. that despite the pain, she is still glad that she got it.

In your father's case, it sounds like he desperately needs one. With the pain he already has from the mouth sores and sore throat, I would think that the pain of getting the PEG tube would seem very minor in comparison. And, yes, many people have said it took quite awhile after RAD ended before they had healed enough to start eating regularly. So the fact that his treatment is almost done is not a good reason to not get one.

Also, Heather's pain was caused by the fact that younger people have more muscle in their abdomen. And it is not muscle tone that counts, just muscle (she does not have flat abs by any means. she was actually overweight with a flabby stomach). With your father's age, the PEG tube should not be that difficult.

I would ask the dr. why he feels it isn't necessary. Also, could the fact that your Dad doesn't have insurance be a factor in the drs decision? I would press the issue until you feel comfortable with the result.

Good luck,

Rosemary

Rosemary,

Thanks for your response. If could be the fact that he does not have insurance, but maybe not, these are all the same doctors I went to in the beginning because he had no insurance and no one wanted to help. It was an ENT doctor I first went to and told him about my father and thank goodness he was close friends of my fathers ex girlfriend that he said he didn't care about the money that he would help me get my father the care he needed and he did, he got the Radiation doctor and chemo and they all new there was no insurance but eventually my father finally got his medicaid and everyone is getting paid. It was my fathers chemo doctor that admitted him today and he sees him only once a week I just don't understand how his radiation doctor who sees him 2 times a day could let him go this long to were he weighs only 120 lbs.

Rosemary I wish you and your daughter the best, I read your post the other day and she is so young. That really hit me because I myself am only 29. Please give her my best and good luck with everything.