Advice

Placement of the tube
There are several types of tubes, and various means of placement. I can tell you my specific experience.

I had a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastronomy tube (known as a PEG tube). It was done by a Gastrointerologist (same one that did my Colonoscopy).

He had me sitting up with a plastic guide in my mouth just before knocking me out. He then ran a scope with a bright light down my throat into my stomach. They turned out the lights in the room to see where the light pressed up to my abdomen and made a small incision there. He then tied a cord to the scope and brought it back through my abdomen/stomach and out my mouth. He then connected the actual PEG tube to that cord and pulled it back down my throat and through the opening in the stomach and abdomen. The PEG tube is a soft, plastic tubing with a "bulb" of sorts that keeps the tube from pulling through the small incision in the stomach and abdomen.

Then, later when it was time to remove the tube once I no longer needed it, he had me lay flat on my back, he placed two fingers on either side of the tube opening, and told me to take a deep breath and hold it. He literally snatched it in one smooth move, very quickly. Slight sting, similar to a bee sting at most, no big deal. Put a gauze bandage on it. Said to keep it dry overnight. By the next day it had already healed shut and it was business as usual. Other than having a second belly button (great conversation starter on the beach), nothing to it.

Some time back I posted "PEG Tube Use and Care 101". I'll try to find it and post it here for you. The main message though is a feeding tube is essential for maintaining nutrition and hydration, both of which will make huge differences in treatment response and recovery.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask questions. There are a lot of experienced caring folks out here waiting to help.

JK