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Remembering
At this time of year as we give thanks for our blessings, I want to remember the brave patients and family members dealing with EC. there are so many we have lost this year. I also want to remember our survivors who still fight on everyday. I miss the contributors who have been removed from this group. Such a loss to…
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Saying goodbye
I am saying goodbye to esophageal cancer sites...I hope I will never have a need to use one of these sites again. Thank you to all of you for following the story of my brother,and for your prayers and thoughts and support. My prayers will continue to be with you as you fight this ugly disease. rose
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Greeeaaat News! Renewed Hope for Stage IV
After my skull met this spring and the tumor recurring in my remnant esoph and in lymph nodes in my neck Fox Chase has given me the impression that they feel nothing more can be done for me. They said "The Cat's Out of the Bag" and let's just see how you do on the chemo. So I have been feeling that my luck had run out and…
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Colonoscopy after Esophagectomy
Has anyone had to have a colonoscopy after having an esophagectomy? Any suggestions on how to get through the gallon of liquid prep would be greatly appreciated. JoAnn
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Good scan results
Hi folks, I don't post on here very often anymore, but I wanted to share good news. My husband Jeff was diagnosed with T2N1M0 in May of 2011, he had chemo concurrent radiation thru July of 2011 and an esophagectomy on September 6 2011. He just had his 14 month scan and all is clear. We hope and pray for many more clean…
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Anniversary
Five years ago today I was told I had Ec. That day I thought I had been given a death sentence. I was beyond shocked.I thought it was a routine Endiscopy because my food had stuck twice. The waiting for all the test and staging was awful. It was stage three with three lymph nodes in the stomach. I didn't know how fortunate…
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Update on Dave and post op complications
It's been quite a while since I've posted on this site about Dave. It will be 6 weeks on Monday since his THE, using the colon as the stomach could not be used, and then the subsequent sepsis he developed necessitating that the whole thing needed to come down. We are left with no esophagus, no stomach! and the knowledge…
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Its a beautiful Day - life one day at a time
Hi All, I usually post on bereavement but my gut just told me to post this one here for Stage IV. Somewhere in the pain, its been a beautiful day. Sharing to you all, keep trying , keep moving forward there are good days. 13 Months ago, 100 years ago, yesterday, I lost my soul mate to EC. One of our to dos was to re-take…
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Au Revoir, Port-a-Catheter
Melinda posted this news on FB, but we’re not sure everyone here is in that group, so we wanted to share. Melinda had a port-a-catheter installed in October 2009, shortly after her dx (T3N1M0). We found out after her last CT scan a few weeks ago, which was clear, that her port will be removed December 26th. It will feel…
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Dental Care
Just a reminder for all those who are undergoing treatment or have completed treatment for Esophageal Cancer: Your teeth sometimes take a beating from the side effects of the treatment. Please see your dentist when you start treatment and follow-up with dental care even if active treatment has been completed. Our dentist…
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PATHOLOGY REPORT AFTER SURGERY
I just received my husband's medical records from the hospital. Unfortunately, he did not survive, but I am hoping to help others and I will not give up until I get my answers from this hospital. My husband was diagnosed with esophageal cancer early this year. We were told T3 and N1+. He got through radiation, chemo, major…
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He's Home
To all you special people whom I have never met face to face, to those of you who were there to help carry me through, to those who responded to my posts, who prayed with me and cried with me, my dear brother went Home to be with his Lord around 1:40 this morning. Yesterday morning in his weakened condition he spoke these…
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Eating in general
Ok while not an old pro I’ve been dealing with eating conundrums. Ive had the esophgetcomy Can someone give me an idea how much I should be able to eat at a sitting after 4 months? For example to night I was able to get down maybe an oz of meat, a few tablespoons of mashed potatoes and a few bites of fresh fruit. (I’m in…
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Severe Abdominal Pain Post Surgery
My dad had surgery beginning of August. He had a total gastrectomy and partial esophagectomy. He had one really good week where he was feeling pretty good. Then this last week he has been suffering from horrible abdominal pain. He says he can't take it anymore. He has been taking Oxycodone for the pain but it isn't doing…
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scans
Just had follow up ct, sx 6/22/2012. Found enlarged node and fluid in lung. Going to get pet scan tomorrow,and see dr about ndraining fluid wed. wish me luck,real scared about recurance. Phil W
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Always hope....
Hi all, I just thought i would post this link to an article that appeared in a local paper here in Australia. It just reminds me that there's so much research happening around the world to crack the cancer code....i can envisage a day when, like HIV, cancer becomes a disease that is contollable and people can live long and…
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esophegus cancer survivors
I am posting this to ask if anyone has ever heard about the University of Michigan for treatments. We were told on Monday they can't help my husband anymore in the small town we live in. It has spread more in his liver. any help for us?
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esophegus cancer survivors
I am writing this to ask if anyone knows about long term survival rates with stage 4 esophegus cancer. My husband was diagnosed in Aug. 2010 with this disease. They cannot explain why he is still here and he has responded very well to treatment. Are their any new options we don't know about? Surgery was never an option…
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So quiet here now...
If you're new here and need help... please PM me. If you're lurking... don't be afraid. We can't help you if we don't know you're here. Time is of the essence with EC! I know... my Dad was diagnosed Stage IV.
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Positive outcome after surgery
My dad is stage III , already seeing improvement (easier swallowing) after first round of chemo. After next round of chemo will go through chemo/radiation followed by surgery at Sloan in January. Would love to hear from others who have gone through these steps and come out on the other side with good results. Specifically…
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esophegus cancer survivors
I am posting this to ask if anyone has ever heard about the University of Michigan for treatments. We were told on Monday they can't help my husband anymore in the small town we live in. It has spread more in his liver. any help for us?
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Any hope for a recurrent?
If you have recurrent cancer that is localized, can it go into remission. Has anyone had this?
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mets in the bones
hello to all does any body here know if cold weather can make bone mets start to hurt? i have been doing ok until the last week or so. i am stage 4 now with mets to my bones. they were going to do surgery until the last min. scan and found the mets. chemo has for the last 6 months kept the cancer in check. last pet scan 3…
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Bill's 2nd 3 month check p is good
Hi all. Haven't been here in a while, but just wanted to share a little good news as I know I always needed to hear some hopeful stories. Bill's 2nd 3 month check up came out good with no evidence of disease or metastasis. The CT scan shows "residual thickening" in the esophagus and damage to the lungs from radiation, but…
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Dad passed away October 21st
Hi everybody. I've only posted on this forum a couple times but I just want to thank everybody for their support. My father passed away from EC on October 21st and he will be missed. I plan on starting a foundation under his name to support families and patients who are experiencing this horrible beast of a disease. I'm…
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Update on my Dad, Roy
My dad was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer in 2011, stage III. He had the Ivor Lewis surgery a year ago October. Up until a few months ago, he was doing well. My mom was able to retire, they sold the house and have been traveling the country (after spending the summer with us kids in NH). Dad was in Maine and started…
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Chat
I noticed there is a chat room available. Is there a weekly scheduled chat? If yes, when and what time? JoAnn
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ER trip with blood transfusion.
Well, it's 5:am and the transfusion my dad just had in the ER at MD Anderson is over but the CAT scan showed thickening of the esophagus, a stricture, hardening of the gallbladder and fluid in the pelvis leaking from his blood. WHAT IS THIS?
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Fever spiked to 102.5
Just spoke to my mother and dad feels horrid, no sleep, coughing fits to bleeding, vomiting, pain in side and shoulders, but dr says it isn't gallstones. He spiked 102.5 and they're on the way to ER at MD Anderson. Please pray they find gallstones and not cancer that has progressed through two types of chemo and herceptin.…
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Dad has gall stones during chemo...Dr's won't entertain it at all
My dad was diagnosed with stage 2 EC at 54 yrs. old in April of 2011. We went through chemo and radiation for 28 weeks and it was gone; not a trace. Then we opted for an esophendectomy(I don't know if I spelled that correctly)in October of 2011. They found nothing when they went in and although it was a lifestyle change,…