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blog on EC
Thought I'd share http://cancervivor.blogspot.com/
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Still here
Hello Everyone. It has been a while since I have posted. Don is doing ok but getting a little weaker every day. He is surviving on pain meds. We see the oncologist tomorrow. The tumor on his chest is growing and we are afraid it may be pushing on his new esophagus. So far he is still able to eat small amounts. He is having…
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Jim's thread prompted this ? The "What If ?"
It is really sad to me when someone so bright and young and like Jim has to face a diagnosis again that involves intense treatment, so soon. I know JIm was so happy to put cancer behind him a bit and get back to life which for him, much of it means work and meaningful work. I bring this up too to ask others what they or…
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We're off to Vegas tomorrow morning
This is our usual time to go right around our anniversary which was Friday. We're both packed and ready to fly away. Our youngest son lives with us and will take care of our shelties. They are not happy to see the suitcases. We're both looking forward to a relaxing break. We'll be sitting in front of our favorite penny…
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We are back!
We arrived home on Nov. 30, we spent 9 days in Colorado with our sons and their families. Gerald, our youngest son, 37 years old, cooked the bird, his wife and our other daughter-in-law made the other dishes. Everything was very good. A few days before Thanksgiving, I had to be taken to ER, I couldn't breathe well. It was…
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A postive update on Dad (Hayden)
Hi Friends, It’s been a few weeks or a month since I’ve written about my dad (Hayden). They made the trip back to Chicago beginning of November, stopping on the hour due to the blood clots (so a typical 8 hr drive turned into 12 hrs). How wonderful that he is home! When dad saw Dr. Luketich before leaving, Dr. Luketich…
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Pathology results
My friends. We've been through a heck of a journey together. I just got the results of my biopsy back today and sad to say, it is cancer. UPMC is suggesting chemo and possibly surgery. I meet with my oncologist tomorrow to discuss. Any treatment I do from here forward can't interfere with my work. Unfortunately, I am out…
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DEXAMETHASONE
Hi everyone! Wondering if anyone out there who has taken Dexamethasone (4mg) got "antsy" while on this drug - I just can't sit still for more than a few moments and it is literally driving me crazy! I do know that the drug contains a steroid and it is highly likely that is what is causing my "antsiness". Anyone else have…
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Hello to Everyone- "I'm back"
To all my old friends and to all the new members on here: It has been a little over a year ago that I lost my dear husband, Eddie, age 56, to this horrible cancer. As some of you know, the old members, how difficut that ordeal was for me but also for my 22 year old daughter back then. I signed off this "forum" last…
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Update on Jeff
Hi again friends, Thanks so much for your prayers, kind words, and thoughts. Jeff is doing much better today. It has been 24 hours without a fever, seems that we did do the right thing by getting to the hospital when we did. The blood and urine cultures came back clean!! Which means he might of had some viral or small…
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Just Diagnosed with stage 4 E.C.
I was seeing a very slight flicker in my left eye and went to an opthamologist who discovered a tumor inside of the eye. I went to the Cleveland Clinic the next day and visited an eye oncologist who confirmed,after several tests,the tumor and stated it was met cancer. The next day they did a complete ct scan they and could…
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EC haiku
I love to write and I was reading some cancer haiku on a general cancer site. Lo and behold I came across this one written by a woman. I would guess she had EC. Just had to share. Cora stapes in a row keep my stomach in my chest mmm, oxycodone cancer surgery now chest tube site is weeping need a new body year off from work…
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My mom has a surgery date!!!
After months of torture, vomitting, insomnia, lethargy, and everything else my mom went through with chemo/radiation, we got the PET results back and she's a candidate for surgery!!! She's scheduled for Dec. 15th here in Omaha, NE with Dr. Dittrich. MIE through the abdomen and traditional through the back/side (can't…
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Things Are Going Well
I had my 4th treatment with Taxotere yesterday and of course had labs before hand as well as a visit with the onc. I am excited to report that my tumor count is coming down steadily. It is now 5.2 just above the tresh hold. Though in the beginning I had some trouble with this drug, we have gotten things under control and…
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Dad went out for breakfast! Good Day!
So Dad, just a few days shy of 2 months post-op, went out with a buddy (or two) for breakfast. Had a cup of coffee AND a cup of sausage gravy. Text from him: "Now I know what it feels like to overindulge." Just lethargic and heavy until it passes. (Hmmm, like eating too much for a holiday dinner? It is just a different…
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One year ago today
One year ago today, my husband had his surgery to become cancer free. It's been a long year with lots of changes but we made it!
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I LOVE being alive.....seems to go without saying.....but.....I need to say it!!!! : )
Grateful to be here another day......Grateful to be alive and pain-free after taking my meds now and with coffee. I am having a good Friday AM. How about you? Be honest!! Complain, B*#@ch. Smile, whatever....tell it like it is-- I love to hear. From YOU... Eric
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What to do about other health conerns??
Hi New Familia...hope everyone is holding strong. Just wondering if anyone had any insight into chemotherapy/radiation issues or concerns that I may need to know about...My Dad only has "one kidney that is not working so well"? My father 74 was diagnosed with EC on 11/7/11...staging not complete. So far from testing and…
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Some of the positives....
Hi folks, i thought i would write a quick update (from work!) about some of the positive things happening in our lives right now as a result of EC. For those of you who aren't familiar, my partner James has stage 4 and was diagnosed about 3 months ago. Whilst we have a great medicare system here in Australia and also a…
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Jeff in hospital
Hi friends, Asking for some prayers and positive thoughts tonight for Jeff. Yesterday we went to the ER because he had the chills. By the time he got to the hospital his fever was 102. They took blood and he is neutropenic, so he was admitted and now we are basically in quarantine to prevent infections. We are still…
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Proton Therapy
Hi I'm trying to understand all the different possible options out there so that when we go to M D Anderson I can ask the right questions and understand (as far as possible) the responses. Has anyone here had proton therapy rather than regular radiation? I have been reading about it and it sounds like a good option for…
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Live from the Holy Land
I made it to Israel and am in the Holy Land. I am praying for everyone on this forum everywhere I go! I am putting special prayers for the EC family in the Wailing Wall too. Love and hugs to everyone! Ginny
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We have M D Anderson appt, plus have questions about some things (SUV in PET scan)
We now have appointment scheduled for M D Anderson next week, Tuesday is the first one we know for sure about. They say he may have between 3-5 days of tests. They have scheduled another CT scan. He had one done here 4 weeks ago. Is it normal to do another one at a new hospital? Will insurance pay for it (Bill is retired…
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EOX chemo treatment?
I’m curious to know if anyone has had experience with the chemo EOX? I had a recurrence nine months post MIE in the right paratracheal lymph node (near the clavicle). After much debate over what was the best way to treat the recurrence we settled on surgically removing the node and following up with six rounds of EOX. The…
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Surgery First?
Good afternoon everyone. The medical oncologist from UofM looked at Don's information today and called to say that Don could go right to the thoracic surgeon. We are thinking this is good news - that perhaps he won't need radiation or chemo prior to surgery. Is this possible? Bracing for our first big snow here in…
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Have Hiatial Hernia/Gerd/Poor Esophageal Motility
Hey Everyone, I have followed this website for a while now as I have been struggling with some horrible symptoms for a while now. I will sum it all up, and ask for your opinions please! I am a 33 year old Fireman, so that in itself poses some cancer risk. I have been diagnosed with GERD and struggle even with my…
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GRATEFFUL to be awake and alive another day AND that is allot...
Never been SO grateful that it's November 29th (FYI-there is Nothing special about today's date, it's the fact of being alive. Could be Dec 4th!). It's cool outside, sun is coming up behind a cloudy looking morning. I built a fire, in Florida! Silly but great fun. I am so damn grateful to be alive and every day I wake…
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WE made it to December. Like thinking will I see 30 as a kid......
Happy December. The birth month of our Lord and Savior. Regardless of WHAT we believe (if anything), We are HERE. Back in June, I REALLY started the 'will we see Christmas, Brithdays, Spring, etc, etc..... YOU? We are ALL here together and by God may get a Christmas together.....deep breath...hold...
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Update to Brian's fluid aspiration from the liver capsule
Hello everyone, Firstly let me thank you all for prayers, kind thoughts and well wishes. I am so pleased and humbled to have found such lovely new, but unknown friends. As you know we have been dealing with this accumulation of fluid in the liver capsule for some time now. It was first noticed in a CT scan on Oct 17 and…
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Coughing - and now open incision
I am back in NH and not with my dad anymore. :( Thankfully my very capable mom is doing great at all she can do. A little background: Dad's Ivor Lewis Surgery was done robotically in the Moffit Center - Tampa on 10/07/11. The feeding tube was removed about 10 days after surgery but the incision took FOREVER, well maybe…