-
A great comment from Dad yesterday
As everyone was finished eating yesterday I was sitting next to my Dad and he said something striking to me. We have been with the doctors, or an imaging appt for the past ten days straight with each appt seemingly accompanying worse and worse news. So Dad was just taking in the company and said "isn't it amazing how happy…
-
Super good doctor appt today
So Tom and I drove up the the U of Chicago to meet with Dr. Villifor. All is fine, she said. All that can be seen is a teeny 3-4 mm spot. I asked do they know if there is cancer in the spot? She said, no not for sure but the statistics say yes there will be. Of course the only way to know is a ultrasound endoscope and…
-
Husband just diagnosed with esophageal cancer but don't know stage yet
Hubby has been having trouble with solid food getting stuck in esophagus - went to doc and had barium xray, ct scan, biopsy, etc. So far diagnosis is adenocarcinoma, but the gastro doc did not know the stage. They are sending him to U of M hospital in Ann Arbor, MI but don't know when yet. Why wouldn't the doc know the…
-
New to this - how long does it usuallt take before treatment starts?
Hi My husband was just diagnosed. It was found 2 weeks ago when he went for a colonoscopy and Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (he had previously been diagnosed with barret's). Had a CT scan the same day which showed it seemed to be localized. The doc who found it seemed to think the treatment would be chemo and radiation and…
-
Dumb things people say to you.....
Admist all the sadness and grief lately I wanted to share a few anecdotes of my life as a stage iv survivor since July 5th of this year. I have a good friend who is also stage iv with sarcoma--we have been talking and sharing walks and how people unintentially say dumb things to you. Or have no gravity of what stage iv…
-
Update on Bill's post-op chemo
It's been a scramble but after seeing FIVE oncologists in four states, we finally found one who recommended post-op chemo for Bill. (T3N1M0 at diagnosis, but 5/22 positive nodes after surgery.) After a lot of pestering, we were able to get in with Dr. Joseph Rubin at Mayo (thanks, mruble)and we are having a local…
-
Radiation Boost anyone?
Mom will be finishing her rads and chemo around Dec 12 (a day after I get back from Israel). They will start Radiation Boost when the current Rads cease. She will swallow a lead and they will radiate from inside the esophagus to "get" the nodes that are surrounding the original tumor. It is unconfirmed if those nodes are…
-
Chemosmoker?
How are you feeling lately?
-
Surgery. It's been 7 months and he's still sick.
My husband Rod had his surgery back in April. I don't recall the name of the procedure. They removed the dead cancer along with most of his esophagus, and used his stomach to make an esophagus. He had prior heart surgery so they had to go through his back on his right side just under his shoulder blade and also in the…
-
HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND PAIN MANAGEMENT IDEALS. Love to you ALL today on T day....
Good Morning friends......
-
Cheryl and Rickie
I just wanted to let you know you and your family have been so much in my thoughts and prayers today and this past week. Angie
-
New to board, father in bad shape, looking for info
Hi everyone, My father was diagnosed with stage 3 Esophageal cancer just a couple of months ago it seems like. He was very quickly put into a 7 week treatment of both chemo and radiation. Week 5 of 7 came and the treatment was so brutal on him, he became "dangerously malnourished" and was rushed to the hospital where he…
-
Plz Help .....
HI, My dad was diagnosed with esophageal cancer almost 2 months back. After pet scan the finding were tht cancer hasnt spread to any other organ or lymp nodes , but they found a mildy fdg avid rounded enhancing lesion on left adernal gland , but the doctor said its a unlikely site for cancer to spread. The Pet SCan opinion…
-
Update on Rickie Prayers please
Dear EC friends, I haven't posted lately as we had been busy with going to radiation for 10 days. We finished that a week ago Wednesday, and Rickie was regaining the use of his right leg. He has been getting stronger and was actually able to eat a little better than usual. we were also running the feeding tube during the…
-
I hate EC
If I could punch EC in the face I would. I would spit on it, stomp on it, curse at it, and set it on fire. I hate what it's done to my mom and all of the worries it's caused. I know people say, "it's life" Bull crap, how does a person who is so wonderful, so sweet, so taking care of everyone else be cursed with this awful…
-
Nov 18 update for Jerry
Well, I dunno... As you may remember, folks, originally I was diagnosed Stage IV. Then, after stating I was getting a second opinion, the Oncologist scheduled a series of MRIs. Oh. Guess there AREN'T any mets to the brain and spine. "Yes, we examined your brain, and found there was nothing there..." --HA. So, met with the…
-
Removed more stomach than esophagus during surgery
Hi friends, I write this sitting In the waiting rom at UC irvine. My mom had a successful surgery with dr. Nguyen. However he says they removed more stomach than esophagus. Has anyone encountered or heard of this before? Is she on the border or classified as having stomach cancer? I will ask her oncologist when we get back…
-
Thank you all for your responses
My name is Peggy. I am the one with husband Tim stage 4 b, we decided no more chemo had 1 hospice visit so far. I got the pain patch for Tim because I figured with mets to liver the patch would be better than all those pills. 2nd opinion doc said about two months. We are taking one day at a time. Had family here from out…
-
Exciting progress in Esophageal Cancer research
All, Each year Kim Priest has helped coordinate through ECAN - the declaration of April as Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month. She introduced me to ECAN and this is a group that has been fighting to bring awareness to EC. Today I received an email below about exciting news I wanted to share with everyone. Kim will probably…
-
Husband just diagnosed with esophageal cancer but don't know stage yet
Hubby has been having trouble with solid food getting stuck in esophagus - went to doc and had barium xray, ct scan, biopsy, etc. So far diagnosis is adenocarcinoma, but the gastro doc did not know the stage. They are sending him to U of M hospital in Ann Arbor, MI but don't know when yet. Why wouldn't the doc know the…
-
Does anyone have information on adrenal gland involvment?
Has anyone had drenal gland issues or mets? Can you tell me your story. What was the issue? How was it discovered? What are they doing about it? I would really appreciate any input.
-
Thanksgiving..
To all of you who will be spending Thanksgiving this year without your loved one, may God grant you peace and may you feel your loved one near you in some way. Thinking of you all.
-
Heeran ???
How are you and your mom doing? You sounded very down your last post. I'm just wondering how you are. Mom and I had a rough rough Monday (it's the chemo and rads day - always rough). She got mad at me; I got mad at her. I feel so frustrated. Struggling to do the best I can and make the right decisions. She's still fighting…
-
PET results today
Good news today!!! Bill's pet scan of one week ago is free from any evidence of disease!! WooHoo. His blood work is great as well!. His anemia is essentially gone and all the other tests were great. Will see him again in 3 months. Have a CT scan in 6 months at which time the doctor is going to start decreasing the number…
-
HOPPER 52 UPDATE
Hi Friends. Sorry I haven't been able to update but I'm in pretty bad shape. Just trying to hang on. My daughters have lent me so I'll post more in the wee hours of the morn. Thanks for the birthday wishes and all the concerns. Michael Daniels Brandon, FL
-
Treatment Plan
I just called my dad's radiation and chemo oncologist because he was confused by the treatment plan. He showed up today for radiation and chemo and they wanted to hook up the infusion bag to stay for 4 days. He was not aware of that (or didn't hear that part) and asked to push it back a week because his mother was just…
-
Road to Recovery
Good morning! Had to share htat my husbands j-tube was removed on thursday. We are beginning to believe we will survive this thing! He has eaten better since tube came out. he had to chose between getting new tube (old one malfunctioning) or getting it out. I don't think it was even a tough call. He was taking 1200…
-
MRI - Really GOOD News
Just got an email from the oncologist about my MRIs: Jerry- call me tomorrow in Moses Lake. The scans of the spine and brain do NOT show any metastases. TT WAHOOO!!!!
-
Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of Esophagus
Hi, I just joined this group in the hopes of finding out some statistics that will help me understand what my family is about to endure. On October 10 my 66 yr old mother in law had an endoscopy becuase of a gastro pain...they thought she had reflux. (She has a terrible pain in her chest that she felt starting in the…
-
What happened to optimism and support from doctors???
My 59 yr old father was diagnosed last week with Stage IV EC with affected lymph nodes in his stomach. His first and 2nd opinion doctors both basically told him they can't do anything for him. Other than having difficulty swallowing, he feels fine. They are doing 6 weeks radiation and 11 weeks chemo but said after that,…