Nov 18 update for Jerry

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jgwright
jgwright Member Posts: 242
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Well, I dunno... As you may remember, folks, originally I was diagnosed Stage IV. Then, after stating I was getting a second opinion, the Oncologist scheduled a series of MRIs. Oh. Guess there AREN'T any mets to the brain and spine. "Yes, we examined your brain, and found there was nothing there..." --HA.

So, met with the New Oncologist, Dr. Edward Lin at the UofW in Seattle (previously at MA Anderson in Texas) who said, "Hmmm, I don't see anything on all these scans except your tumor, which is getting bigger... Let's schedule you for an endoscopic ultrasound." Which happened on Thursday, the 17th NOV. And now I'm scheduled to meet with the surgeon, Dr. Oelschlager, and Dr. Lin December 1st. And at this time, still no treatment, and I haven't heard the results of the EU. So, at this point, no chemo, nothing. It's panicking my wife. But as far as I can tell, I'm going in for chemo to shrink the tumor, and then surgery of some sort. (MIE, please, please...) and then rads and chemo and all the other fun stuff you get when you have an esophagectomy.

--Jerry

Comments

  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,391 Member
    #2
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    Great News!!!
    Jerry,

    It sounds kind of strange to say "Great News!!! You get to have chemo and surgery" but given the alternative that is good news. Hopefully the results of the ultrasound will show no lymph node involvement and the chemo and radiation will be tolerable. Good to hear you are back on the right track again!!!

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!
  • jss2011
    jss2011 Member Posts: 132
    #3
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    paul61 said:

    Great News!!!
    Jerry,

    It sounds kind of strange to say "Great News!!! You get to have chemo and surgery" but given the alternative that is good news. Hopefully the results of the ultrasound will show no lymph node involvement and the chemo and radiation will be tolerable. Good to hear you are back on the right track again!!!

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

    Chemo
    Hi Jerry, I know it's difficult not to panic but please tell your wife to relax (a bit anyway). I'm sure you will discuss chemo with the surgeon and push for it to start asap! And Dec 1st is just around the corner.
    My Hubby was diagnosed mid june and didn't start chemo till beginning of Sept, so I was panicky for sure!
    Just stay on top of everything now, you seem to be on the right track.

    Julie
  • tb7
    tb7 Member Posts: 52
    #4
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    Same timing delays with my husband . . .
    My husband started having swallowing problems in July 2007, maybe even a little earlier. I was off the deep end worried after he was diagnosed in October 2007. He did not start any type of treatment until January 2008. It just took a long time to get through the series of appointments with doctors and the diagnostic tests before we could start on anything.

    Good luck in this time period! Keep your spirits up! Glad you went for the other opinion and are now in good hands!

    Trisha
  • Wife of patient 50378
    Wife of patient 50378 Member Posts: 124
    #5
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    Hi Jerry,
    Good news, no mets, no stage IV. My husband was diagnosed the end of August, chemo/radiation treatments began in October. I agree, the hurry up and wait can certainly cause alot of anxiety. But Jerry, its sounds like you are on the right track. Try to have a nice Thanksgiving.
    Sal
  • jgwright
    jgwright Member Posts: 242
    #6
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    Wife of patient 50378 said:

    Hi Jerry,
    Good news, no mets, no stage IV. My husband was diagnosed the end of August, chemo/radiation treatments began in October. I agree, the hurry up and wait can certainly cause alot of anxiety. But Jerry, its sounds like you are on the right track. Try to have a nice Thanksgiving.
    Sal

    Visiting the Kids
    My wife and I will be at the kid's place on Thursday. Four grandchildren, and lotsa family. And today, I got actual staging. T3N1M0. Not good, but way better than Stage IVb!

    --Jerry
  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #7
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    jgwright said:

    Visiting the Kids
    My wife and I will be at the kid's place on Thursday. Four grandchildren, and lotsa family. And today, I got actual staging. T3N1M0. Not good, but way better than Stage IVb!

    --Jerry

    And surgery is very "do-able"
    Glad to see that staging, Jerry. It's the same as Nick's and he is feeling WONDERFUL just 10 weeks past surgery. There are challenges but they are minor compared to what you would have faced as a StageIV.

    Hope you are able to eat well and enjoy the family time!

    Terry
  • Ginny_B
    Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
    #8
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    Gosh Jerry, not much fun
    Gosh Jerry, not much fun finding out they looked in your brain and found nothing! Duh! (kudos on the nothingness though)

    I had about a month to wait from initial diagnosis of EC before something was actually started on mom.

    Let's hope things move smoothly for you. Enjoy the holidays!
  • Cora11
    Cora11 Member Posts: 173
    #9
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    Ginny_B said:

    Gosh Jerry, not much fun
    Gosh Jerry, not much fun finding out they looked in your brain and found nothing! Duh! (kudos on the nothingness though)

    I had about a month to wait from initial diagnosis of EC before something was actually started on mom.

    Let's hope things move smoothly for you. Enjoy the holidays!

    Jerry, Enjoy Thanksgiving
    Jerry, Enjoy Thanksgiving and the time with all the family. And I'd say that is certainly good news about the staging.
    Cora
  • Ericalynn
    Ericalynn Member Posts: 200
    #10
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    jgwright said:

    Visiting the Kids
    My wife and I will be at the kid's place on Thursday. Four grandchildren, and lotsa family. And today, I got actual staging. T3N1M0. Not good, but way better than Stage IVb!

    --Jerry

    Good News
    Jerry,
    I know that EC is not good but if you have it Stage-3 is curable so you are now on your way to recovery. My husband had the same diagnosis. He is now 10 weeks post-op and feeling very good. Like Terry said there are hurdles to get over but doable. He is back to his normal routine and his fatigue is lessening.
    Have a very Happy Thanksgiving with your family.
    We will all be here cheering you on in your fight against this terrible disease.
    Great News
    Happy T-Day
    Erica
  • jgwright
    jgwright Member Posts: 242
    #11
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    Cora11 said:

    Jerry, Enjoy Thanksgiving
    Jerry, Enjoy Thanksgiving and the time with all the family. And I'd say that is certainly good news about the staging.
    Cora

    I Will
    Visitng with my son, daughter-in-law, their four kids, my daughter and her husband and my lovely 2 year-old granddaughter... Busy, busy...

    --Jerry

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