Another 5 year survivor

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EGBAR12
EGBAR12 Member Posts: 2
in Esophageal Cancer #1

Hi people! First off , a huge thank you to all who post regularly and with so much knowledge, you are all angels.

i was diagnosed 02/23/12, had a scan mon 2/20/17 and all was good. I am now in the 5 year survivor club.

i was 48 when diagnosed, chemo n radiation, esoughajectomy 6/18/12 and an insurance round of chemo to make it a trifecta. I tolerated all the treatments well. I worked everyday except for the three months for surgery and my last round of chemo I got on xmas eve. My only blip was a blood clot in my leg during my hospital stay ( it is very minor ) and I get the sweats and light headed feeling occasionally, mostly from to much sugar. ( recently read this is a dumping symptom, who knew ). I eat very well, when I started eating and was on half feeds from the jtube, I gained wait within two weeks. Dr. Betty was impressed. There was a gentleman ( now friend ) a week ahead of me in treatments and surgery, he had some issues for awhile but he got through it also and is with us today so he's in the club also. He was in his mid 60' s during it. I get a lot of exercise ( I am not an athlete ) walking mostly with a one year old dog to keep me honest. I rode bicycle a lot after surgery. Just wanted to share that sometimes it goes  without to much complication. My heart does go out to the people that do have complications because it is rough enough when things go right.

chemo and radiation at Moses cone cancer center and surgery at duke hospital. Wonderful experience with both places.

EGBAR   Everythings Gonna Be Alright.   I was given a button during early chemos, on the way to surgery heard a song on the radio everything's gonna be alright by Paul Thorn, ( you can hear it on YouTube if your intrested ) talk about a message. Egbar has been with me ever since .

 Thank you all Bobby

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  • LorettaMarshall
    LorettaMarshall Member Posts: 662 Member
    #2
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    Bobby~Welcome 2 our "Club"~We need all the mbrs we can get!

    Well Bobby – SO GOOD to hear from you!  Smile

    When we first “join” the club, we are anything but happy.  We never know how things will turn out when we’re “wheeled into the OR.”  And, you like, my husband William and others felt like you’d been run over by a truck the first day, I’m certain.  At least my husband did.  He tolerates a lot of pain, but he said he never felt so much pain.  Thank God for a morphine pump!  But he was only in ICU one day and nurses had him up walking on second day.  He was out in 5 days total time, and downtown shopping with me by Day 8.  But we could never have imagined that when the Gastroenterologist first called me to discuss my husband’s endoscopy. 

    The call went like this:   My phone rang the day after the test.  I answered it.  The voice on the other end said, “Mrs. Marshall, this is Dr. Ryan.  I do wish you had stayed around yesterday.  I needed to talk with you.  Your husband has cancer.” 

    My husband was seated beside me, and was listening to my end of the conversation.  He soon got the gist of what the conversation was about when I asked how to spell “ESOPHAGEAL” and SQUAMOUS.  Wow what a shock.  We only went in with a “hiccup” and came out with Esophageal Cancer, Stage III (T3N1M0) when all the testing was complete.  Now I naturally think “death” when I hear the word cancer.  Some may not, but we have so many cancers that are not cured.  And only God would know how ours would turn out. 

    So, fast forward, past chemotherapy, which we at first thought was so awful, we would just “skip” it.  Little did we know how important it was.  I doubt that the surgeon would even have agreed to perform the surgery had we not first finally said, “OK we’ll talk to the oncologist about chemotherapy.”  We didn’t associate chemo with anything positive either. 

    So when we came to our senses, the plan was chemotherapy, radiation and then an Ivor Lewis Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy.  So today, we’re now into our 14th year of remission with no evidence of disease.  Who knew?  And so it pleases us and lifts our spirits every time we hear from another survivor that has made it to the 5-year mark.  You know so many do not make it that far without a recurrence.  This EC is such an evil cancer.  And we have “DeathorGlory” who had a recurrence and still managed to join the 5-year club.  And we also have “Paul61” who is faithful to share all that he has learned with anyone who wants to know what to expect. 

    So no one has to describe the devastation when we’re first diagnosed, but neither do they have to describe the “elation” when we’ve emerged victorious and cancer free at the end of 5-years.  And today, we want to welcome you to life on the other side.  Things are pretty much the same for the first year after the Esophagectomy, no matter what kind one has.  There is the new way of eating and sleeping, and yes the “dumping syndrome” is something most go through.  But with time, you learn what and what not to eat, how much and when, etc.  And considering the alternative, all that we’ve been through is worth it to still be alive.

    We like your acronym “EGBAR”.  Good doctors and a good attitude make for a more positive experience, as rough as it is.  But we want all who visit here to “not throw in the towel” with the first diagnosis.  They, too, just might be just like you and writing to share your joy with us 5 years out.  So HIP-HIP-HOORAY and may it ever be.  Thanks for sharing your success with us.  You’re the “best news” we’ve heard today.  Smile Smile

     Loretta

    (William’s wife) (His diagnosis EC T3N1M0- Adenocarcinoma at the GastroEsophageal Junction) MIE @ University of Pittsburgh Med. Ctr. On May 17, 2003 by Dr. James D. Luketich- Pioneer of the Ivor Lewis Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy (Totally laparoscopic).   

     

  • Deathorglory
    Deathorglory Member Posts: 364 Member
    edited February 2017 #3
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    CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

    Bobby,

    Congratulations on making it to the five year mark.  I just hit five years since my Stage IV recurrence.  The more the merrier in this club.  

    Thank you for sharing your success story.  A lot of folks just starting out on this road are scared of the unkown and really appreciate hearing stories like yours.

    Congratulations again,

    Ed

  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,391 Member
    edited February 2017 #4
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    Congratulations

    Bobby,

    Congratulations on reaching your five year anniversary, and Thank You so much for posting your good news. It is very helpful for people who have been recently diagnosed or people who are early in their treatment journey to read that someone else has successfully completed treatment and is recovered.

    May there be MANY more anniversaries.

    Best Regards.

     

    Paul

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