We met Rod, his wife, Cindy, and their daughter in Rod's hospital room in Southern California the day after Rod got his feeding tube inserted. What a wonderful family and support system Rod has!
We are so proud of Rod because he did his homework and found a surgeon who was willing to insert his PEG tube, using a local anesthetic and a mild sedative of a small amount propofol for the insertion
through the nose and mouth to prevent the gagging reflex. It was difficult for him to find a surgeon in Los Angeles, who was willing to place the PEG without general anesthesia. General anesthesia can be dangerous for ALS patients and congrats Rod for being persistent and finding a surgeon who was willing to do it with a local.
Rod says he wished he had got the feeding tube six months prior and is very glad he has it now. He said he would have avoided a hospitalization with aspiration pneumonia if he had gotten his PEG tube
earlier.