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Loretta you are right always go with your gut
Hi, Remember my post about Al's back pain well I was right. He has a compression fracture and a buldging disc in his lumbar spine. Will have to biopsy to double check about mets. In my previous post about being upset that the test wasn't done when it was suppposed to be, and I was anxious about his back pain. You said go…
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Dad had a great week, and I just had to share it with you!
Hello Everyone, I am just so happy for my dad. For months, maybe even a year, my dad has been unhappy and depressed because of his EC. Of course, who isn't? He would sit around all day, napping, eating small things here and there, get in his pjs early, and be in bed by 7 pm. I would come to see him and there he would be…
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Surgery is getting closer. Yikes, I am scared
Hi Everybody, My surgery is getting closer by the minute. I am as nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof. I have had lots of encouragement from BettyinVegas and William and many others. This board has really helped me a lot. Reading what others are saying and trying to stay positive, I know that it will be a good thing. It is…
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Can you believe Kim's dad walked a mile today?
I am so thankful for God watching out over my dad at Duke. He is on the cardiothoracic surgery step down unit and will be there for his stay. He has alot of tubes: IVs, heart monitor, feeding tube, catheter, chest drain tube, epidural pain control (have I forgotten any?). he doesn't have oxygen any more though. They…
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Lindsay Brown, here is another stage iv story
Lindsay, First I want to tell you how sorry I am that you had to seek out this site. It is not a club you want to belong to. I know things look the darkest to you now. My husband Charlie was dx in Mar 2009 with stage iv EC. (Mets to lung, liver, lymph nodes and peritoneal cavity.) Radiation and surgery are not options.…
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Have to vent!!!
Hi Everyone. Well it seems that last week when Al was supposed to have the ct & mri they only did the ct. They were supposed to do the Mri to see why he is having back pain. I call no report. So we go tomarrow at 12:00 for the mri and then to have our meeting with the team an Hillman Cancer center at 2:00 or so. I am just…
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Prayer for us anxious folks!!
A friend sent me this a few minutes ago, so I thought I would post it. Prayers for all on here!! Erika Prayer for Anxious People Father, I pray for (name one or more) and others in my circle of family and friends who are carrying heavy loads... Your Word says an anxious heart weighs a person down, and this is how I think…
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Severe burn - cannot eat
My mother finished her rounds of radiation and chemo two weeks ago. All seemed to be going great the last session of chemo really did her in. She says the pain in her esophagus if she tries to swallow is on a scale of 1-10 a 14. This is from a woman who has a real high tolerance for pain. Her doctor has given her liquid…
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Dad's surgery Completed 12/7
First off thank you for all the support during this time and prayers as well. Dad went off for surgery at 730 am. They started at or around 830 am. We were told that in two hours they would know weather or not they were able to complete the surgery, or just put a port in and call it quits. At 1130 we got our first update,…
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My Roy has passed away.....
My dear friends, Just a quick note to let all my caring friends here know that Roy passed away Saturday night at the hospital. From what, we don't know (it wasn't the cancer or the esophageal surgery). The doctors don't know, they told us that. An autopsy might help, they said. When we came in to see him this morning, the…
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Met Oriontj and her hubby today!
Wow, they both look great! We had a nice soup lunch (onion is my absolute favorite) and chatted. What nice folks. And she is an ARTIST--something I am so NOT. I write, but I can't draw a THING. I'm glad they let me steal them from the slot machines for a hug. I was definitely buoyed up by seeing them. Betty
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My dad
Well, things are changing for my dad. He was in the ER on Sunday morning. He had his stent put it in on 11/25 and he hasn't been right since. He's had pain and no appetite. So Sunday he was having chest pains. At the hospital all his labs came back fine. They did many xrays to see if the stent was ok. All is ok there too.…
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Totally amazed!
It so amazes me that when you don't have insurance, these Dr.s wont see you. You have a disease which can kill you if left untreated and they turn you away! I thought these people took some kind of moral oath. How is that moral? I realize nothing is free, but come on. I will work with a pymt plan, they just need to…
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Kim's dad's surgery went well
very long day--just got back from hospital. The surgeon said my dad, Kenny did very well--had 6-7 hour surgery---mostly laproscopically. He did do a larger incision (few inches) in the abdomen to better see the insertion of the feeding tube. HE is going to a step down room right now and my mom is staying with him tonight.…
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Kim's dad surgery now 12/7
Thanks for all the support on this site. we all are in a tough spot, from different parts of the country, different perspectives, different roles (caregiver, family member, etc). My dad's surgery is now Monday 12/7 at Duke. I will be there with my mom and my brother and sister will be there at least by the evening. We are…
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My dad's balloon dilation went well!
Hello Everyone here, Thanks to all of you for your many many prayers!! We had a great day yesterday. The sun was shining, we got a great parking spot at the hospital, dad got called back right away, the nurses were great, dad's iv went in easily without any problems, and his procedure went well!! Dr who did scope did say…
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how do I get husband to drink when he is so tired after chemo?
My husband has his first chemo last thursday and he has been sleeping almost all the time since then, how do I get him to drink fluids as recommended when all he does is sleep?
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It is back.
11-08 diagnosed with ec cancer. Went to cancer inststute. Had all new test,started chemo radiation. June 15 had MIE surgery. In hospital for 5 days , 45 days recovery, back to work. 3 weeks ago noticed lump under ribs. Had a ct scan. 3 nodules around abdomen cancer.Started chemo again.Doctors do not seem to be worried. My…
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Continuing treatment
Hi, I'm new to this site and have had this cancer since diagnosed in Feb. of 2007 Because I also suffer from severe COPD the decision was to do Radiation and Chemo not surgery. Since finishing the Radiation I have had to go back several times for dialation because apparently the scar tissue continues to expand. Now they…
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L-glutamine to help with Oxaliplatin side effects?
I too am new to this site. My father-in-law is going for his first round of chemo today. He is 72, in good health other than stage? advanced tumor in lower esophagus. I am the only source of advice/research he has other than the Dr., so I'm trying to get as much info as possible. Meeting today with the oncologist prior to…
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GOOD LUCK KIM ON YOUR DAD'S SURGERY
Kim, I know by now he is on his way to surgery, and it will be a long day for you, but I know he will do well, and with your BIG GIRL PANTIES on it will go fine. I know you are nervous and I was too, but just take one day at a time. Remember this from our beloved Kitten: Life isn't about waiting for a strom to pass its…
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Have surgery date!
Hi all. I just wanted to let you know that my hubby will be having surgery on Dec. 16th. at UCLA with Dr. Maish. We have every confidence it will go well and do not foresee any complications, but as with any surgery, you never know. So, we are leaving it all up to the good Lord to guide the surgeon's hands and for my hubby…
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first chemo session yesterday
just wanted to post and say that my husband did his first chemo yesterday, went way better than we expected, we were all so nervous. Going back this morning for two hours of fluids. Is this common procedure? Doctor said about 50% of patients respond to chemo, 50% do not. Is this true?
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Please someone...
My mom was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer when I was 13. I am now 16 and absolutely petrified. I don't want to lose my mom. She had surgery and they thought they got it all, but just to make sure, they did Chemotherapy. Apprently, that didn't work. It spread to her Lumbar Spine and penetrated the bone and came back in…
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Hi Lindsay
Hi Lindsay, I am sorry to here about you dads diagnosis. My husband Al was diagnosed in May with stage IV so believe me I know what you are going through. My husband since then has had many rounds of chemo and few trips to the hospital the chemo beat him up a bit. Everyone reacts differently to chemo so don't get scared…
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Its back here too, don't think it ever left
My husband had a CT scan on Thursday, first one since he quit chemo Oct. 5. He hasn't been feeling good lost 25 lbs since Nov. 3 and still has no appetite. His scan revealed cancer again in the lymph nodes and something different around the adrenal glands. He starts chemo Monday 5-FU and Irinotecan once every 2 weeks. His…
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Esophogeal/gastric CA and Herceptin
Does anyone know what information would help in convincing an insurance company to approve payment to use Herceptin for esophogeal CA? It is too expensive for anyone but the ultra wealthy to afford w/o insurance. I have the marker and would like to give it a try. Thanks.
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Losing weight
It's been a while since I've posted. My husband was taken off chemo (EOX) Oct 5 after enduring 6 rounds. He did very well on chemo but once off he began to feel very sick. He has lost 25 lbs this month. He has no problem swallowing in fact his endoscopy picture showed no visible sign of cancer. Biopsy showed cancer still…
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I'm here! Update on hubby!
Hi everyone, I just read your posts. How sweet of you all to be thinking of me! Sorry I haven't kept in touch the last fews days. Been spending morning, noon and night at the hospital with Roy and I don't have a laptop.... Well, the other day we were given some bad news: Roy was in a self-induced coma, his kidneys were…
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Super good news this morning
All my husband's tests came back negative for any cancer....the tumor is gone...biopsies are negative...Pet scan only showed returns from inflamation and he said she doesn't like them because of too many false positives but since he is in an arm of a clinical trial it is required..he sees the radiologist Feb 18th..CT end…