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Esophageal Cancer

Jthomas233-live and in person.
Friends and classmates- Well, I updated the day after my MIE and thought things were great. Right after that, I had every complication in the book. I had a leak, pneumonia, A-fib, a failed temporary stent, and eventually had to get re-operated on to straighten things out. I was in the hospital a month. That's all I'm going…
Blessed To Have Found You All
I may be in somewhat of a unique position here in that I am not only the EC victim, but my primary care giver as well. I do have a strong support system thru long time friends but as all of you know, it's not the same. I don't mean for this to sound like a pitty party because I do not feel that way at all. It just hit me…
Mom's Oncology Appt
We finally met with our new Oncologist. My brother and I liked him. He concurred with Dr. Nagourney's assessment and will begin chemo. I think it will be low dose 5FU and Carbo via picc line. We can proceed with both chemo and rads. He said she is Stage 3. I asked for the TNM numbers and he wrote it for me on a post-it:…
Post op dining out
My wife and I were traveling today and I had a good experience I thought I'd share. Usually when I eat out, I just order the smallest meal I can find on the menu and either pack out the leftovers or let them pitch them. Today we stopped at a Cracker barrel and I noticed the kids menu said for kids of all ages. I asked the…
Update on Hutch....not a tumor!
Thanks everyone for you concern, thoughts, and prayers for Hutch...someone was listening! I took Hutch for his tumor surgery removal today at 7:30. Around 8:45 I got a call from the vet's office. Atfer further review of the affected area by the original vet she deemed that the swollen look was from the lidocaine she had…
Jax568
Just checking it to see how yesterday went for your husband. . . thoughts and prayers your way. Whitney
Mom's Assessment
Here is what is being recommended to mom's oncologist. (Any words of wisdom???) Patient with locally advanced esophageal carcinoma with evidence of mediastinal adenopathy is being prepared and simulated for external beam radiation. There has also been discussion of intracavitary radiation following the initial course. I…
Endoscopic Ultrasound Before Surgery
Does anyone know when the endoscopic ultrasound should be done prior to surgery? My mom's last day of Chemo is Oct. 26th and last day of radiation is Oct. 28th. Pet scan is ordered for Nov. 25th (4 weeks later). Oncologist this morning stated she'll do an endoscopic ultrasound right before surgery (if she's a…
Eric aka Chemosmoker and LilChemoSmoker away for two days....
Dear ALL members, We are going to visit family for the next two days. We will miss you, and miss responding, but fear not, we are okay and will return Wednesday! Love and God's blessings to each and every one here. Hang in there and keep up the good fight until we are with you yet again! Love and admiration, -Eric and…
Vacation before surgery
My mom wants to go to Hawaii before surgery (if she's a candidate). She's scared she'll die from complications. She really afraid of surgery. Does anyone have any thoughts if this is a bad idea? We would need to do it 2 weeks after her last radiation session or go the 2 weeks right before surgery. Just concerned about any…
Another stroke and mets to bones, liver and stomach
For the last couple of days my husband has been very sleepy - almost coma-like. He's been having a hard time getting the right words out and he would fall asleep mid-sentence. I suspected either he'd had another stroke (though not as significant as the first) or else he may have mets to the brain. We were told last week by…
Question post surgery and pallative chemo and radiation
My Father had his surgery last Thursday. He had MIE surgery. Recovery is going very well. Only complication so far has been fluid in the lungs which is improving. I have a question about spasms. Is it the stomach that spasms? My dad has been having these and he says that it is involuntary. Will this go away in time? He…
Update on Rickie
It has been a week and a half since Rickie's stretch and that seems to be going well. His has been able to eat fairly well again, however the weight gain is up and down. He should have gone in for chemo this past week, but it was canceled due to the fact that the tumor has grown. No sense going through all that when it…
when should doctor order new pet scan?
My husband, in stage four with lots of mets, is starting up his third session soon, when should the oncologis get another new pet scan done to see if these two chemo drugs are working? I was thinking maybe end of third session which would be half way since six sessions is ordered? am I correct and am I hoping too much that…
Question about CT scans
Hi all, Jeff started chemo today and we were given the results of his CT scan from October 5th, and when I say given I mean handed to me on paper. The oncologist said Jeff looks great everything is perfect, any concerns? I said so the CT looks good, and he shook his head and said yes it is good. Fantastic! I then read the…
Hopper52
Just a short note to thank everyone for their prayers and support. I was released from the hospital last night after my 2nd small intestine surgery within the past month. I have started catching up reading posts.......ERICA AN JOHN.......CONGRATULATIONS ON JOHNS FOLLOWUP. I REJOICE WITH YOU. I thought my ordeal was winding…
Should we use local surgeon or Dr. Luketich.
My mother is currently going through chemo/radiation and we just interviewed a surgeon in Omaha. Apparently, I went to high school with him so that would put him at 35 years old. He seems very confident, smart, assertive but I got a bit concerned when he said, "I've already done 10 esophagectomies this year." I asked how…
Mom's "x-ray"
We went to the radiology place for a port x-ray. Of course we had no idea what that was. I thought it was a simple x-ray. Not. They had mom on a table for 45 minutes with arms up and not being able to move. She came out of that procedure with a bunch of crosses, which she cannot wash off else she has to redo that x-ray.…
Thankful
I am a little late for the Canadian thanksgiving and a little early for the USA one but I am having a thankful day and I wanted to share with my friends here. Tomorrow will be 5 months to the day that John & I found out that he had esophageal cancer. This past Friday was 5 weeks to the day that John had surgery to remove…
CT, more chemo, no radiation??? Need info please
What a week! Hubby had his first CT on Wed since starting chemo 6 wks ago. We meet with the oc on Thurs and he said chemo is working. We were sent out of the office as the surgeon was also there ( we didn't see him) going over the scan results. Obviously alot of mixed emotions while we waited. Haven't even prepared…
Really hoping this is not about to happen
Hi friends, I know that with what everyone is facing these days that this will sound trivial, but I also know we have some pet friendly folks on here so I am posting anyway. On Friday I stayed home from work because I wasn't feeling well, around noon I noticed blood on the floor, the throw on our couch, and all over my dog…
Our photo
I hope I did this right, if so, there should be a photo of me and mom. Taken today while opening presents at my 61st b-day party. I didn't get to celebrate 60th because I was recovering from left rotator cuff surgery, so I celebrated my 60th right before my 61st. Makes sense to me! ha ha This shot was taken just after I…
First CT Scan since diagnosis
My husband had his first CT Scan since diagnosis and 4th cycle of chemo complete. We are going to doctor on Monday to receive results and start 5th cycle of chemo. Usually at this time I looked through my notes that I have made since last seeing the doctor and rewrite them for the next appointment. Problem is I don't have…
Stage 4 caregiver
Hello everybody, I am the caregiver for my father. I am 20, he is 60. He was diagnosed on Friday the thirteenth in May, a few days after his birthday. Our lives have been completely flipped over. He is stage iv. Every day gets tougher. He has lost about 45 pounds and now weighs as much as me which is less than 100 lbs.…
Last day of chemo!
I just had to post a happy note... This completes my last complete day of chemo. Since February 28th, I have completed some 6 rounds of ECF chemo amounting to 18 weeks. I am very happy to have my 5FU pump removed. I will most likely be up there at 7:45am when they open the doors to have it taken off. Then home for the…
What a glorious day...
Today my darling husband (stage IVb) took me to the golf course so I could play a game. We don’t belong to a club; we just play together whenever we can. But because of his PICC line and chemo, it has been at least 3 months since we played a proper round together. Despite feeling incredibly tired, he bravely drove the cart…
Father's esphogeal surgey
My father had his surgery today. They were able to do the MIE procedure and the surgery went well. The surgery was done at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. They believed before the surgery that the tumor was a localized T2 at the GE junction with the majority in the stomach. The pet scan and ct scan did not indicate any nodal…
Has anyone heard from Hopper52?
I was sitting here thinking about our friend Michael and was wondering if anyone had heard from him? I looked back and I think the last we heard from him was back on the second.
Hi... Sal here.. I'm back
I would like to thank each and every one of you for your support. Your kind words + the good the bad and ugly are appreciated. The night before last I lost it. I decided that I did not need an appointment with my husband to discuss his life or death situation. I went in guns blazing, no tip toeing around the subject. The…
Confused!
Hi again everyone, First thank you all for the support, time, care and prayers, during the most frightening period of my life. There is a wealth of knowledge here and you also get to hear both sides of the story. A must when trying to make sense of this horrible diagnosis. One more question, if I may: If a surgeon offered…

Esophageal Cancer

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