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New to board
Hi: I'm new to the board and I have a couple of questions that I hope can be answered here. First a little history. My husband Jim was diagnosed in Feb.2010 with esophageal cancer at the junction of the stomach and esophagus. He underwent 9 weeks of chemo (cisplatin, epirubicin, and 5Fu) Tolerated the chemo well, gained 15…
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Don't know what to believe
I've been reading and reading and reading some more. A couple hours ago I came across some information on something called DCA (Dichloroacetate) a drug that has been around for some time. It seems because it has been around, the big drug companies aren't interested because they can't make money on. It is a relativly cheap…
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? about chemo treatment
I have kind of a strange question about my dad getting chemo. When I went to visit yesterday, they live 1 1/2 hours aways so I can only go once a week, I noticed this strange smell in the house. My mom is very clean. My dad is still well enough that he takes a shower everyday. When I asked about it my mom said it is coming…
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Stage Four Esophageal Cancer
In September 2009, at the age of 46, I was diagnosed with Stage four esophageal cancer with Mets to my lymph nodes, lungs and spine. I had 3 rounds of chemo before stopping and sought alternative treatments. Even though I can swallow fine, I am about to get a Peg tube, so I can juice better and also will start on folfox…
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Ready to jump out the window!!!!
Well I am ready to jump out of the window, Hospice provided me with a volunteer yesterday for three hours so Diana and I went out to lunch and then to my sisters for a swim. Ed was pissed off to say the least,he has not spoken to either one of us since we got home yesterday at 3PM. I am not staying in the house like a…
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My dad had stent last monday-having a lot of pain. Need advice.
I read everyday but don't post much. My 65 year old dad has stage 4 EC with Mets to liver and nodes. Dx on July 16 from bx and Pet scan. He started chemo 2 days later, which he has tolorated very well, but the swallowing has gotten worse. Many of you gave great advise about a J-tube but my stubborn dad won't do it as he…
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vocal cord cancer
My Twin brother has cancer on left-side of his vocal cords. He has gone thru several laser procedures in removing the cancer polyps. Now his doctor wants to remove his left side vocal cords. Is there any New procedures in the medical field that someone has experienced without going thru vocal cord removal? Thanks,…
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Dad in ICU at Sloan due to lung complications
My father was moved to ICU at Sloan because his lungs are not cooperating. He is on 40% oxygen now (not intubated) and they are trying to wean him off. Apparently he is a shallow breather (diagnosed COPD). It is sad/scary to see him in the ICU and I am just asking for prayers for "Ralph" at the moment. Thanks and will be…
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Doea anyone know of this surgeon?
William, I don't know if maybe you can find the answer to this but if anyone can, I suspect you can. You have mentioned many times that the surgeon that did your MIE surgery was in Pittsburg, and he is one of the best. You also have mentioned some other doctors that he had trained in this proceedure. One of the surgeons…
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Q's about Medical marijuana use
I have been researching this for a couple days now and I am not sure what to believe. I have heard that Marijuana helps chemo patients with nausea, weight loss and according to some of the studies I've found just today, even eliminating tumors. Of course, I'm not speaking of smoking pot to cure cancer. The studies were…
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Question about hair loss
Forgive me if this sounds trivial in light of what many of our members are faced with, but I need some thoughts on hair loss. I am 4 weeks into chemo for stage IVb EC and just noticed a few more hairs on my towel than usual when I got out of the shower. I have a full thick head of hair and this is somewhat traumatic for…
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Q's about chemo
I've been reading about 2 chemo drugs, Cisplatin and 5-FU. I've also read about some of the many other chemo drugs and I have a question maybe someone can answer. With all the drugs, I have noticed that they are using the above two drugs for many different cancers. My question is, how do they determine what drugs will work…
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an update on Ed
Well Hospice has been in for a week today, not too impressed!!! They are very short staffed, two social workers, one going out this week for about a month due to medical leave, that leaves one social worker for 67 familities currently in hospice. We see our male doctor every other day, approx 30 minutes, talks to Ed,…
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YOU MUST READ THIS....
Everyone should read this http://www.cancerisdead.com/ I am furious that this information is not given out the first time someone finds out they have cancer. It is absolutely IMMORAL for any oncologist to say , "Eat whatever you want" My husband has his second cat scan this Friday and right now he is looking very good..he…
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WHAT IF--WHAT IF---WHAT IF?????
What if after the six weeks of chemo/rad, the tumor is gone, no more hot spots, the appetite returns, and I don't have the MIE. Has anyone done this and if so, how long before the tumor comes back. The horror stories I am reading about (post surgery) are not conducive to wanting the surgery. Even with the surgery, the 5…
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FEEDING TUBES
HAS ANYBODY HAD A FEEDING TUBE DURING RADIATION-DOES ANYONE WEAR A FEEDING TUBE THANKS GOOD LUCK
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My day today
I spent most of the day today reading posts on this site. I happened to find one from someone I wish I would have known. Her story seems so short and yet she apparently was much wiser than her years. While reading her posts and the many replies I began to wonder how many stories are just like hers. I wondered if in her…
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Update on my status
My brother (jimsbrother) posted some information about me on 8/23. I was diagnosed with stage III adenocarcinoma. There is a 2 inch long tumor where my esophagus meets my stomach that is 2/3 obstruction my lumen (entrance to stomach). At Boston Medical Center I had a CT/PET scan and a Thoracic surgeon said that we need an…
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My mom has esophageal cancer and has spread to her lungs
I am a Mexican woman with a very sick mother. She got diagnosed a month ago with esophageal cancer and metstasis to her lungs. She can hardly take liquids and has difficulty with breathing. She coughs a lot and has a lot of nausea. She is in the hospital in Mexicali Baja California. Her right lung is not working. The…
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Esophagectomy - How will it feel after recovery?
I will be having an esophagectomy in September. I've been wondering about the physical sensations after recovery. Are swallowing and eating the same? Do you feel like something is missing? Any problems speaking?
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Delayed Nausea reaction
The folfox got reduced by 25% last round (round #3) and for the first five or six days, we thought we had it made. Dale had no nausea and felt much stronger. Then the nausea hit, and it has been intractable. We are going back to Tulsa for round #4 today. Is there anything that I can ask for that would help the terrible…
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thank you so much
I wanted to thank all of you who have written to me under my post this week. It has been a difficult week since hospice has entered our home, our privacy is now lost, we are trying to get a schedule in our life, Ed has been in bed since the weekend because he fell, so things are very very different for all of us. I have…
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So worried. Dad's surgery tomorrow AM.
I am so nerrvous for my Dad's espophagectomy being performed tomorrow at Sloan Kettering by Dr. Sarkaria. He is supposed to do the minimally invasive, but he has a very large hiatal hernia and they may need to do a colon interposition. He was stage t3n1 before chemo and radiation. Follow up staging showed cancer was gone…
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Who I am
Hello everyone, My name is Rob, I'm 52 and just learned that my brother Jim, age 63 has been diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma with circumferential esophageal mass measuring approximately 43 x 58 x 71 mm (AP, TRV, CC) of the distal esophageal junction with 2 enlarged perigastric lymph nodes. He has had a PET, CT, and endoscope…
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Xeloda? Another round of new chemo-- what to expect?
hello again to everyone. I have been reading the boards, but been busy trying to care for hubby and keep up FT job, too. After all his rounds with EC mets to brain, he finished whole brain radiation end of July. Now he is starting his second bout with chemo for the "spots" that showed up in the previous scan. This time…
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I lost my boyfriend.
I posted on this board back in mid July after finding out my boyfriend's EC had spread during the first round of chemo and radiation. We had such hope that was more that could be done. He started Folfox chemo and unfortunately it did nothing. His blood stopped clotting, he got an infection, his cancer spread to his liver…
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Update, waiting on our spheres
We will hopefully be getting spheres in Colorado. Insurance has of course, AGAIN, turned us down. We are gathering everything we own to sell to pay for the spheres. (sir spheres) and Layne is on Folfox. Love you all Betty Johnson
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Susie-I would love to talk to you
thanks Susie for posting and yes, I really do need to talk to someone who has been through this. How would you like to get in touch with me? I know you have been down this road and for sure, it is a difficult one to say the least. Please let me know how to reach you. thanks for your kindness. Linda
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Dad's chemo woes
Hello all, just looking for some advice/opinions. My dad Bill, was operated on by Dr. Luketich in Pittsburgh 6/14. He had the MIE surgery. They removed his entire esophogeous and constructed a new one out of his stomach. He recovered from his surgery w/ flying colors. He was staged as T2N1M0. After the op, Dr. L pronounced…
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Where are you William?
William, I have noticed that you stopped posting on my posts for a while now, is there some sort of problem? I appreciated your total honestly with me for a long time now and I am sure you have seen my most recent post about hospice now into our home. I am hoping that you were not offended in anyway by me so I will await…