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Question for WilliamWMarshall

steffer68
Posts: 2
Joined: Apr 2009
May 13, 2009 - 2:04 pm

Good afternoon... my dad had esophagectomy at UPMC with Dr. Luketich. He is not recovering as well as we had hoped... The procedure was April 15, he was in ICU for a week, stepdown for 3 days and a regular room for 3 days. He came home on the 29th. Dad owns his own company and has not been interested in returning to work... he has fallen into what I would call a major depression. He has to go back soon for a procedure that will stretch his new esophagus due to scar tissue build up. Dad is 67 years old and had never been sick a day in his life before and now it is like he has given up. We live on the Peninsula and I was hoping that maybe you would be willing to meet with us so that my dad could talk to a SURVIVOR. Dad had read your story when he was doing research about the surgery and was so inspired he contacted Dr. Luketich immediately for an appointment. I couldn't figure out how to send a private email to you, so please excuse the public posting. I look forward to hearing from you... Stephanie
judyloo's picture
judyloo
Posts: 39
 Joined: Jun 2008
May 15, 2009 - 7:08 pm
Stents and Dilatation

Hi, I just had my one year anniversary at age 61, and while my doc and I discussed both procedures, we opted to not go with the Stents unless dilatation proved completely ineffective as a suitable workaround.

I also was in the ICU for about 3 days and out on the oncology surgical unit for another 10.

It 'sounds' (I absolutely know nothing other than what I have been told or experienced, so this is what happened with me - not to be construed as advice - PLEASE) as though in the same fashion I was eventually treated, that your Dad is suffering from depression.

The medical folks and a friend of the family who is a counsellor, agreed that was part of the problem I was having about 2 months out from the surgery. I was placed on a low level anti-depressant to try to treat my sad, weepy, feelings about life around me.

Last month, my Clinical Oncologist wanted me to come off them for a while, and possibly switch to another medicine, to see if the Zoloft had started the loose BMs and flatulence I have been experienc