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Ed passed away
With a very heavy heart I lost Ed yesterday at the hospital, he passed away at 12:15 PM. He had been in the hospital for two days. Diana and I had just visited him, went upstairs to the caardiac floor to visit with my Mom and the nurse called me and said he just passed away. Services will be held this Saturday. Although it…
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Experience with Taxol??
My father is starting Taxol next week. Just wondering what the common side effects are. I know everyone is different, but would like some info. on how others responded and what their side effects were. This is the only other chemo drug my dad is able to try according to his oncologist. Everything else will be too…
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upsetting news about Ed
Ed has a full blown psychosis over the weekend, doctors believe due to the brain cancer spreading, in the hospital very very sick. We are losing our Ed and we are with heavy hearts tonight after visiting him. He cannot speak nor can he do much of anything else. They are trying heavy duty psych meds trying to calm him down,…
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Anxious to Hear About My Father...
Today he gets the results of a bone scan and meets with his "alternative" M.D. doctor to discuss where they go from here and where/who he should see for a second opinion. His current doctor is just not all that aggressive and so they're going to talk about other options and things they can do to keep him going. Backround…
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An amazing story (EC stage 4)
I'm not sure if this has been spoken of before, but I would like to tell you about Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos. He was a redemptorist priest who Pope John Paul II beatified in the year 2000. He is one miracle away from sainthood. There is an interview on his website (www.seelos.org) of a woman who was cured of stage 4…
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What now
I should have said Greg Dx t4n2mo . He did the 7 weeks Radaition and Chemo Cisplatin, Then year later it was Metastic to both lungs, He is doing Carbosplatin, The first two rounds the tumors, one gone the other three shrink 30-40% this next two rounds nothing not bigger but not smaller. I am scared he is scared. We are in…
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Okay I have a couple questions
I am, along with my family putting together a walk for EC on behalf of my father. It will be held in April. Not only is April EC awareness month but its also will be my dad's 1yr anniv. since passing. Now my questions Has any of you put together a walk? Bracelets. I wanna sell bracelets and I rember a post here on them but…
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Update on my husband Tom
I have to apologize for my absence from this site. A lot has happened since June 2010/dx EC4b. Tom started his chemo on 6/22 and had the lifeport insertion on 6/25. I am happy to report that he has not had to take any pain medication since 6/24/10. That in itself is a miracle. Prior to that, he had been taking dilaudid or…
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The power of prayer
Hi, Some of you may remember a post I did where I spoke about the power of prayer. I told something that happened in our family that made me a true believer. One of my nieces was living with a not so good guy. We were worried and we were all talking bad about him. Then I sent an email and said lets not talk lets just pray…
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Mother needing help and support post OP
Hello everyone, My mother in law, underwent EC surgery in May of this year (2010). She did wonderfully. She is currently taking post OP chemo, and here is where she is having trouble. Her weight is becoming alarmingly low. The nutritionist and hospital have told her that if she gets down to 118 lbs that she is goign to…
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CT results NEC
My husband had his CT scan yesterday. His first since his IL esophagectomy. The report said, "No evidence of cancer." Yay!! His oncologist said he looked a thousand times better than when we last saw him. That is not to say everything is smooth. We still are learning what and how to eat. Regularity issues. Shortness of…
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MMS ~
Has anyone heard of MMS? Jim Humble came up with this to cure people in Africa with Malaria. However, he has found that it can cure many other ailments, including cancer. It is worth researching and checking out. http://jimhumble.biz/ P.S. My hubby is still recovering from his esophagectomy last Dec. '09. He is back to…
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My dad gets his PET scan result Monday.
My dad, Ec 4 mets to the liver, was diagnosed in mid July. This was his first scan since starting chemo. He will get the results on Monday at his oncology appt and is scheduled for chemo. I'm having a little "scanxiety" but not too much. When he had his stent put in 3 weeks ago the surgeon told him the tumor was larger…
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throwing up
Hi again, I have a question. My surgery was in Feb 2010 (MIE). I have been getting along well except I still throw up almost every night. Some weeks its only 3-4 time a week. Sometimes I know it is because maybe I over ate, but is this normal? Other than that I am doing good. I know I have had problems with my stomach not…
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Tear in the windpipe or airway
Hi everyone, Has anyone had this problem? My brother had his surgery (IL) In April 2010. They had to go in and stretch his esophagus 6 times since then. The problem is after the last one he got real sick and went back in the hospital and they found his food was going in his lungs. After two weeks in the hospital he is home…
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How Long before reality hits you?
Hi all, Seven weeks ago I was dx with EG Stage 4 with mets to liver and rib cage. Have had two rounds of chemo and feeling better. I've noticed that as I've lost some of my hair, and the regimine of chemo 4X a month goes on reality seems to be hitting me more and more. Life will never be the same. Is it unusual for someone…
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New diagnosis questions - my mom
Hello, this is my 1at time on one of these but looking for some guidance. My mom had epiglotis cancer in 1983. Cured and in the last year her voice has been going. ENT doc did exploratory surgery yesterday and found lesions that are cancerous on her vocal chord. She's stage 2. What concerns Me and where I need help is…
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Newsweek article on curing cancer
All, Below is a link to a Newsweek article titled --- Curing Cancer What treatable tumors can teach us about improving the odds in the deadliest cases. An interesting article that talks about genetic testing of tumors to treat cancer --- (for instance I believe that EC patients should get their tumors tested for the HER2…
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News to Share
When last I posted, my husband Kevin's cancer had recurred only 4 months after his esophagectomy. After spending the summer undergoing aggressive radiation and chemotherapy, I am so happy to report that he is once again cancer free. It is my hope that we can offer encouragement to those who are in the thick of the fight.…
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Hernia repair
Even though it's not recommended for cancer patients, Jim had hernia repair surgery yesterday and came through with flying colors. No pain, very little swelling, not even discomfort today. It was a good thing we had it scheduled because it was beginning to strangulate and we would have had an emergency situation to deal…
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Update on My Father
Hello All, It's been awhile since I've posted about my father. And I guess that's a good thing, since few things have changed. My father was diagnosed with stage 4 EC with liver mets back in March. He went through about 4 rounds of chemo (don't remember which ones) that shrunk his liver mets and effected lymph nodes. He…
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Tumor did not shrink!
Hi, My BIL finished his 28 rounds of radiation and chemo. Since all of this started in June he has lost 17 lbs. He is 6'2" and was already under weight before treatment began. He has not been able to eat anything solid, food wise. He takes boost, ensure and protein with whey made into milkshake with ice cream (yogurt). He…
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An update on Ed
It has been three weeks yesterday that Ed went into Hospice Care. Today a hospital bed is being delivered to our home, watching our bed be broken down last night made me think how the end is coming and it brought tears to my eyes once again. We are getting closer and closer and it is getting scarier and scarier. I saw…
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My mom, my best friend, my hero, my rock
***NOT EC but I have posted a few times over here...just wanted to share....much love*** Every day since August 9th, I have sat by her side. Caressed her face, talked with her, laughed with her, cried alone.... I have done her nails, helped bath her, change her, feed her, given her every minute of every day, much like she…
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Grateful
When my father was diagnosed with Stage IV EC last December, I didn't know how to act or feel. Riding the wave of hopefulness and realism has been challenging, but with every new turn whether good or bad I have discovered there is always a reason to be grateful. I am grateful to my mother who has provided 24/7 care to my…
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cancer treatment centers of america
anyone have experience with these hospitals
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In memory of my father
Hello. My name is Melissa and my father was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer - Squamous Cells on August 9, 2010. Unfortunately, he passed on Sunday, August 29th at 54 years old. I found this forum when he was first diagnosed but was always at the hospital or making calls to get him second opinions. On Friday, August 23rd,…
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URGENT HELP WITH POST ESOPHAGECTOMY DIET
Happy Labor Day Weekend! Hope everyone is well. My Dad is home now and he is having his nightly tube feedings (8 to 8). I know that he is supposed to eat 6-8 small meals per day after surgery. Is this as of NOW or after the tube feedings have stopped? I know the types of food he should eat but am wondering about the amount…
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Dilation
Hi all- I know I have read many times about dilation here and that it is a common procedure. Lou is scheduled to have it done next Tues. He was having difficulty swallowing again the end of June. Had an EGD. Dr found a fungal infection, a narrowing and ulcerations. Dr said he gently pushed the scope through the narrowing…
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Airplane travel after Ivor Lewis esophagecgtomy
Husband continues to recover from his April surgery. He still has shortness of breath on sudden exertion and cannot walk very fast or he becomes winded. He feels he can't get enough air in. I heard on a radio program that the pressurized cabin of an airplane can cause difficulty for someone with breathing problems. I have…