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Pain Management
It has been two weeks since my son passed away at the VA hospice in Palo Alto, California. Approaching the end, when he was still able to talk, he said his pain level was "0" when asked by staff. I am so grateful that medications were able to relieve his pain. Thought I would pass this on since it has been asked on several…
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Week 1 of Combined Chemo / Proton Radiation Complete
I've completed week 1 of planned 5 1/2 weeks of combined Chemo / Proton Radiation Treatment. Treatment plan is 1000 mg Xeloda Morning and Evening Monday thru Friday with Proton Radiation Each day. I also have an IV Drip of Benadryl / Steroid and Docetaxol each Monday. No noticeable effects yet and I wonder if this is just…
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Why isn't surgery offered to Stage4 patients
I've been reading a lot of the older posts and it seems that I should request surgery to have the tumor removed from my esophagus. This is considered pallative care. I was wondering if anyone with stage 4 had the tumor removed and what the ramifications were. I think it would be better if I was able to eat a full meal.…
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MIE vs Open
I was scheduled to have MIE surgery next Friday. Low and behold I get a phone call from my surgeon today informing me that he would rather perform an "open" procedure. His rationale for this was that because of a previous stomach surgery I had years ago, he feels he will be able to create a better and bigger stomach tube…
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My mother condition is getting worse, please pray!
Just like the dr. said her condition is going to get worse before she gets better. Today my mother condition is getting worse. Please pray that 1. My mother's kidney starts working properly and her upper body will not collect fluid. 2. Blood platelet will increase in number, 3. Blood clot will dissolve . 4. The current…
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Don and Judy this is all of our biggest fears
We are so -so sorry to hear this news. We pray this is resoved with a simple and beign result. FEC Phil & Dianne
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For Caregivers that have faced loss....
I found a most amazing letter online tonight while searching for something to heal my heart. Perhaps you will also find some comfort in this physician's words to the wife of a patient that lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/2009/02/15/letter-to-a-widow/ Letter To A Widow Posted by…
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Need input...16 days post Ivor-Lewis surgery
I handled everything really well, but this pain seems to be hanging on longer than I want it to. I've weaned myself down on Percocet now it's one tablet every six hours or so. It hurts like heck to do almost anything. I'm wondering if it's the ribs broke that's causing this pain. I'm trying to regain my strength but it's…
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Jazzman back
Here is results from PET scan. There is no evidence of abnormal activity within the esophagus and there is no evidence of metabolically active adenopathy or distant metastatic disease.
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Recovery milestone
I want to preface my post by saying, as I have before, that I’m sensitive to the pain and anguish so many on this board are going through, and I’m fully aware of how incredibly lucky I am to have been diagnosed early and treated successfully…so far, at least. But I wanted today to share a very positive experience I had…
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Very Worried! First Post Op Scan Showed one cancerous paratrachial Lymph Node
Hi all. I am so thankful to have all of you "out there" who know what I am going through. I am hoping some of you have a situation similar to mine and can some advice and maybe peace of mind. I was diagnosed with EC last Sept., underwent 5 rounds of chemo and 5 weeks of radiation in Nov., and had a MIE in January. My…
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Trying not to panic
Rocky was DX 10 months ago stage IV. Everything to date has been going pretty well considering. The PET scan three weeks ago was NED! Rocky NEVER had a swallowing problem, even in the begining. From the start he had no issues with food, ate what he wanted, spicy food, whatever, and did not lose much weight throughout…
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Stage IV in MO, what are others doing
This is an opening post for "rettaschu". She is coming over from another website. Boyfriend of 10 years was dx'd with Metastatic Esophageal cancer in January of 2012. The cancer had spread to his liver (several spots). He has been getting chemo every 3 weeks and is still doing wonderful with it. Spots on liver had shrunk…
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Help needed asap for one of the young ones on CC website , need a survivor
Hi Survivors, It is wonderful all the work you do on this discussion board. I shouldn't even ask but could one of the veteran survivors jump over the cancer compass.com on the discussion topic "Just need to chat" There are 2 EC patients, 1 stage IV being told Chemo only. I can only tell about the flip side of what did not…
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Good scan
Hi everyone, I wanted to post some good news. Jeff just had his latest ct scan, he is 10 months out from surgery. He is NED!!! He has a nodule in his lung that they are monitoring. It has had no change in 6 months, and they are now fairly sure it is a burst airway, probably from a bout of pneumonia. We know Jeff is very…
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Jenny32's last post??
Hi all, Strangely, I found much comfort in Jenny32's last post about her dad's final days. I want to refer to it now because my Mom is just about there....hospice called and they will be there tomorrow or weds at the latest. As sad as I am, it's nice to read others words and experiences. I can't seem to find it.
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Long overdue update on my dad- Hospice called in
It's been a rocky year with many ups and downs. My dad was diagnosed in April 2011 with stage III EC. He received six weeks of chemo/radiation, and in August 2011, had a complete removal of his esophagus at Beth Israel in NYC (which is about an 8 hour trip from where he lives, by the way). Six or seven of the nodes removed…
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Back from Mayo yesterday after Ivor-Lewis
I'm feeling amazingly good after surgery. Dr. Deschamps in Rochestor MN is an awesome doctor. They found one lymph node positive, and removed all of them, so I will be getting one more round of chemo in a month. Hopefully I will survive this. It's been a hurting ordeal, but I wasn't put in ICU afterwards, just recovery for…
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"Sunburned" Tongue
Well, getting this run of radiation for the tumor in my mouth has caused "tongue sunburn". Kinda unpleasant, but if it works... Monday is the last day for radiation, and sometime the middle of August, I'm going to finish this run of chemo and get a scan. MRI? CT? PET? Don't know yet. --Jerry
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Spreading the word about esophageal cancer
This is just kind of a fun post, but thought I'd share. I was sent some tee shirts and other "swag" from the Esophageal cancer network. The t-shirts are really nice, a pretty lime green color with periwinkle blue (EC color like pink for breast cancer)as the logo color. Now I'm not a t-shirt kind of girl, I'll wear them to…
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Help with Xeloda
Hi Gang, Coming from another message board, looking for help for FLA. Family having a hard time finding a way to pay for Xeloda. Started the appeal process with Genetech. Anyone using Xeloda ? How is it going, how did you pay for it ? Thanks
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Eating and air pockets in the gastric tube?
I'm still trying to figure out my new normal. I'm 8 weeks out from my surgery and 2 weeks of eating soft foods moving into expanding what I am eating. I've started eating a sandwich on toasted bread for lunch. I've noticed the last couple days when i was eating that sandwich I start feeling pressure in the upper chest like…
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Aug 18, 2012 - EC Memorial Benefit in Georgia
Wish I could attend, hopefully someone from Georgia is able to go. Sounds like a good time and definitely a cause near and dear to my heart, and yours since you are here at CSN. http://bizwire.net/rememberearl/ Tickets are on sale NOW for the Let’s Remember Earl Concert ! Click Here to Purchase Online at: WWW.TICKET…
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Eating and air pockets in the gastric tube?
I'm still trying to figure out my new normal. I'm 8 weeks out from my surgery and 2 weeks of eating soft foods moving into expanding what I am eating. I've started eating a sandwich on toasted bread for lunch. I've noticed the last couple days when i was eating that sandwich I start feeling pressure in the upper chest like…
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Jr. is back in hospital, not good!
This is from Kathy: Pray for ray, today is not a good day, we learned that his tumor has completely blocked his esophagus...he can't even swallow his own salava they are going to do test tomorrow, to best give him palliative care ...they say that is all that can be done for him.... I went to see my brother today and he…
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husband could eat and now can't
My husband with Stage III EC finished with six weeks of radiation and chemo on June 15 of this year. He does have the feeding tube, but was able to eat, and now again, can't eat by mouth. He has pain and lots of stomach acid. What would cause him to be able to eat, and then not? He had a PET scan today, and has the doc on…
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Just Diagnosed
Hello, I am sure there are other posts similar to mine. I am so happy to have found this site. When the tumor was found in my husband (July 11) he was having problems swallowing. He has been diagnosed with T3N(0,1)M0...I think that is right. Thankfully, he can still eat but it has been challenging. They say that will…
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Could PET Scan show False Positives?
Hello, I wanted to ask for help again. My mother is 87 years old and has stage 4 esophageal cancer (the cancer has spread near her lungs and tranchea). She received chemotherapy for over a year. Over the past year and a half, she was given a few PET Scans. Each of the PET Scans showed that the cancer was not spreading, and…
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In urgent need of prayer for my mother!
Hi All, I am new here, I posted my first post yesterday asking about the leak in thoracic duct, and I did get informative info from William! And he asked me to give more information regarding my mother surgery. So I am writing this post. My mother had a transthoracic esophagectomy on 7/19, everything went well initially…
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how is Don doing
Where are you Judy? I miss seeing you post Barb