HELL OF A WEEK

billnvfoa
billnvfoa Member Posts: 7
edited December 2011 in Esophageal Cancer #1
I just learned on Tuesday that I have cancer. Really has crushed me for the holidays. Don't know if this is my last one and the unknown is really scary to me and my wife. Thanks for listening. Bill

Comments

  • ritawaite13
    ritawaite13 Member Posts: 236
    Hi Bill
    Well you've come to the right place for support and answers to any questions you will have. The people on this site are absolutely amazing! They will ask you questions too, so they can give you guidance as you take on this beast of a cancer. First off, they'll need to know what stage your cancer is. That is key to knowing your treatment options. I know there will be many others signing on here soon to welcome you to the place no one actually wants to be. Some folks have been on here for several years and many, like myself, were new in 2011. Check out lots of the threads on this site and you will learn alot just by reading.
    My advice for now is, enjoy every day to the fullest! You are alive! You are in for the fight of your life, but you are alive - give thanks for that.
    Hugs to you
    Rita
  • JReed
    JReed Member Posts: 428
    Welcome Bill
    You have certainly come to right location for information, support, questions, advice, note comparison, etc. We have only been on this site since mid-late November. My husband found out he had esophageal cancer on November 21. Everyone here knows exactly how you feel. You will be glad you found us!

    Our personal experience with all the tests that are necessary to stage the cancer and so forth is that it has taken longer than we thought but in checking with everyone on here - we're pretty much on the same timeline as everyone else.

    Actually since you are just in front of the Christmas Holiday, you should do better than we have. We have had to deal with Thanksgiving holiday and the Christmas and New Year holiday so I think you will do better with a shorter length of time than we did.

    We have found so much advice and support from the 'pioneers' on this site and I know you will too. The "C" word is always scary - but be assured you will become a very well informed patient from being here. Our doctors have praised us over and over for the questions we have asked, the organized zipper folder complete with a calendar pocket on the front of it, our knowledge of EC and it's all thanks to the EC pioneers who have held our hand throughout the past few weeks.

    So welcome aboard, fasten your seatbelts - keep your arms and legs inside this ride at all times - it's gonna get bumpy in spots and smooth sailing in other spots - but we're all here for you and will support you 100% all the way!

    How did you find out you had EC? Do you know where it is located? Do you know the stage yet? Is there anything you would like to know?

    Again, we are happy to see you found us and sorry that you had to.

    Regards,
    Judy wife of Don T3N1M0 - portcath put in 12/23 - begin Jan. 4, 2012 = 28 days of radiation and a chemo cocktail of carboplatin and taxol once a week for 5-1/2 weeks
  • This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Ginny_B
    Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
    So sorry, Bill
    I'm so sorry you've found your way to this wonderful place. All of us here were like you once - first post. Scared. Wanting answers. This is the BEST place to be! It's full of warm, caring, knowledgeable, experience, friends. Come back every day and read. Ask questions, vent, laugh, and cry. We all do!

    Welcome.
  • rmitchell
    rmitchell Member Posts: 94
    Bill, I will keep you in my
    Bill, I will keep you in my prayers. I just buried my husband yesterday. It has been a long difficult journey. I hate Cancer.
    Reba
  • jss2011
    jss2011 Member Posts: 132
    Hi Bill
    Yes the unknown is very scary, my hubby was dx in jun.
    Get your staging and treatment plan in place, go over all your options and ask lots of questions. We are all here for you both.

    Julie
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    Bill, The testing seems so
    Bill, The testing seems so long, but it is all neccessary to get the correct staging. We're so scared and we just want the cancer gone. I was diagnosed on Nov.13,2007 and my testing was finished a few days before Christmas. My oncologist suggested I wait until after the new year to start chemo. No way! It had been a long few weeks and I was ready to begin. I had my port put in the day before christmas and started chemo the day after.
    Let us know what your testing will show.We are here for you and understand the fear.
    I'll be praying for you,
    Sandra
  • Wpturner05
    Wpturner05 Member Posts: 114
    Glad you are here
    Bill,

    I am glad you found this site early on. I did not come upon it until 10 months into my husbands journey. You will receive a ton of great info here. It seems William has started you off. Write down the questions, bring a notebook to appointments - go to a major cancer for at least ONE of your opinions - as you probable already know - You should be getting more than one.

    We look forward to hearing from you and supporting you through your journey.

    Sincerely,
    Whitney
  • nickgunboat
    nickgunboat Member Posts: 35
    Hi Bill
    Welcome to the club. I have only started posting here recently, though joined a while ago. This site is a wealth of information and positive mojo! Not much I can add at this point, other than to say that I am a two + year survivor. I look forward to hearing the same from you.

    Kirk
  • billnvfoa
    billnvfoa Member Posts: 7

    Hi Bill
    Welcome to the club. I have only started posting here recently, though joined a while ago. This site is a wealth of information and positive mojo! Not much I can add at this point, other than to say that I am a two + year survivor. I look forward to hearing the same from you.

    Kirk

    thanks Kirk for the support
    thanks Kirk for the support at this point my wife and I ar just plain scared of the future.

    Bill
  • Freida
    Freida Member Posts: 182
    billnvfoa said:

    thanks Kirk for the support
    thanks Kirk for the support at this point my wife and I ar just plain scared of the future.

    Bill

    Hi Bill
    My husband is a Bill

    Hi Bill
    My husband is a Bill as well, and we are new to this also (he was diagnosed November 8th). It is understandable to be scared, we sure are. Some days we deal with it ok, others we feel as if emotionally we are teetering on the edge of a cliff and it will only take a puff of wind to blow us over.

    Look for a good doctor you feel confident in. And if you are near a major cancer center that has a department dedicated to this type of cancer, please consider going there. We were very underwhelmed by the first oncologist we went to and ended up going to M D Anderson in Houston. The traveling is a little tiring but having confidence in the team taking care of us is priceless.

    There are many people on this board that have experience and wisdom to share. You have come to the right place. Best wishes to you and to your wife.
    Best wishes
    Freida
  • Freida said:

    Hi Bill
    My husband is a Bill

    Hi Bill
    My husband is a Bill as well, and we are new to this also (he was diagnosed November 8th). It is understandable to be scared, we sure are. Some days we deal with it ok, others we feel as if emotionally we are teetering on the edge of a cliff and it will only take a puff of wind to blow us over.

    Look for a good doctor you feel confident in. And if you are near a major cancer center that has a department dedicated to this type of cancer, please consider going there. We were very underwhelmed by the first oncologist we went to and ended up going to M D Anderson in Houston. The traveling is a little tiring but having confidence in the team taking care of us is priceless.

    There are many people on this board that have experience and wisdom to share. You have come to the right place. Best wishes to you and to your wife.
    Best wishes
    Freida

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • billnvfoa
    billnvfoa Member Posts: 7
    Freida said:

    Hi Bill
    My husband is a Bill

    Hi Bill
    My husband is a Bill as well, and we are new to this also (he was diagnosed November 8th). It is understandable to be scared, we sure are. Some days we deal with it ok, others we feel as if emotionally we are teetering on the edge of a cliff and it will only take a puff of wind to blow us over.

    Look for a good doctor you feel confident in. And if you are near a major cancer center that has a department dedicated to this type of cancer, please consider going there. We were very underwhelmed by the first oncologist we went to and ended up going to M D Anderson in Houston. The traveling is a little tiring but having confidence in the team taking care of us is priceless.

    There are many people on this board that have experience and wisdom to share. You have come to the right place. Best wishes to you and to your wife.
    Best wishes
    Freida

    Thank you Freida for the
    Thank you Freida for the support. My wife and I just back from the Doctors and he read he pet scan to us. He said it came back as a TI with a possible N1 and he again said a POSSIBLE N1. this has been the only up since hearing about the cancer last tuesday. My wife is a surgical nurse and has been very aggressive in lining up doctors and scans. I fill so lucky to have found this site and be able to talk to other people in the same journey. I hope all the best for you abd your Bill. I know there will be ups and downs in this journey but with support from people like you I know WE all will WIN.

    Bill H.
  • billnvfoa
    billnvfoa Member Posts: 7
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    thanks for calling and the support
    Thank you william for the support. I really appreciated your phone call and sorry I missed your call. My wife and I just back from the Doctors and he read he pet scan to us. He said it came back as a TI with a possible N1 and he again said a POSSIBLE N1. this has been the only up since hearing about the cancer last tuesday. My wife is a surgical nurse and has been very aggressive in lining up doctors and scans. I fill so lucky to have found this site and be able to talk to other people in the same journey. I hope all the best for you and your family. I know there will be ups and downs in this journey but with support from people like you I know WE all will WIN.

    Bill H.