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Esophageal Cancer

Archives for March 2011

New info on Linda's Jim
I have been doing some research and have found a clinical trial for aortic valve replacement without open heart surgery. There is a trial in Seattle which is about five hours away from us. I had an immediate response to my inquiry, and a telephone call the next morning from the nurse in charge. They want to wait until Jim…
Dry Heaves
We are on vacation in Florida. Last night we went out to eat with family. Don ate way too much. Mexican food to boot. About 3 this morning he started having dry heaves and shaking all over. Really scared me. Our granddaughter is a nurse and she came down and took his vitals. His blood pressure was okay, heart rate up a…
Here we come Pittsburgh Penn!!!
Not sure of an exact date yet, but looking at Mid-May when Brendon and I head to Pittsburgh to have the MIE with Dr. Luketich. I was soooo happy he made this choice! It was his choice to make and I would support any choice he made... BUT YEAH!!! I'm glad he decided on the MIE surgery!!! He only has 6 radiation treatments…
Would love extra prayers this week - dad finds out if operable or not
If you have extra prayers to give we would appreciate them this week. My dad finished his chemo/radiation a couple of weeks ago and has a CT scan this afternoon. We will meet with the surgeon on Friday and will find out of he will be able to perform surgery on him. Please pray the answer is yes! An update on him otherwise…
informal survey Sleep Apnea
Thought I would take my own survey for a question that I have wondered about since my husband was diagnosed in October. How many people with EC also had been diagnosed with sleep apnea prior to the EC diagnoses? My husband was diagnosed with sleep apnea 17 years ago. Before that time he always had indigestion and acid…
Stats
Why are the "stats" out dated. When will the National Cancer Institute post new stats on EC? I keep hearing that the survival rate is getting better and that what you find on the internet is dated. Why? Is there a time table we can expect to see updated information?
Question about post op chemo
For those of you who had postive nodes from surgery path report. How long after surgery did you have post op chemo? Thanks Nancy
Overly optimistic parents/recovery time
Hi all- My 80 year old mother was recently diagnosed with stage 1T at a hospital in Alabama. She had a PET scan and a biopsy, and was told it would be a simple procedure to endoscopically remove the lesion. It was 4 cm. The PET scan showed no additional cancer. My parents called my sister and I to tell us it "was no big…
Back from trip to Florida and I met Sherri
Hi Well My mom and I went down to Ft. lauderdale for a few days of rest. I am still grieving terribly for Vince but tring to get some sort of a handle on it. As everyone says we all do things in our own time. The one thing I have to remember is,is that I had 27 years of marriage with a man who was my best friend, my…
thanks
I want to say thank you for all the information I have received from going to this site, Everyone is so friendly and upbeat. My surgery is Monday. I am really dreading the recovery process, sounds like that is the worst of it. Thanks again, I will be checking on this site when I can.
Continuing Saga of the feeding tube
Hi Friends, I decided to back off on "guiding" Jim regarding getting off the feeding tube and eating. I suggested he call his surgeon's nurse who is monitoring his recovery. She advised him to immediately remove two of the six cans of formula and substitute with food. We planned a trip to visit my mother in Colorado last…
nice article about EC daughter...
Here is a nice article about an EC daughter that got Oregon to declare EC Month & why she did it.(you can cut paste into browser) http://www.canbyherald.com/news/2011/March/25/Local.News/letter.moves.governor.to.create.designation/news.aspx Kim
Happy Birthday John
This has been a very busy month for our family. John decided to stop the chemo treatment last month and we invited the personal trainers also called Hospice into our home. We are very happy that we did. John has gotten stronger and is eating , eating, eating. He is also keeping himself hydrated on his own as well. He is…
spread EC info with "reach out EC info packs!!!!
I do not work or get paid by ECAN.org but through my spearheading state EC Awareness months--I want to share this with you all--you can share this info with Dr's family friends, etc Free Awareness Kits kit You Can Reach Out with a Life-Saving Message --- As part of our Awareness Month campaign, ECAN will provide Esophageal…
Back from Boston and hoping for good results
Good evening to all. I have been reading but not posting lately I am exhausted by the end of the day and can't think very clearly. My daughter has been unable to keep fluid or food in her stomach for very long before she starts vomiting. This is with a pain patch and a nausea patch . She has lost 15 # since December now…
Pain managment after surgery
I am scheduled for surgery monday morning and i have been given the option of the IV drip button or the epidural for pain. Does anybody have any advice on which one to use. I will be having the MIE surgery.
Not much time - need help
Hi My name is Linda - my husband was diagnosed with EC back in October 2010. He has had all the treatments - chemo and radiation. He is up for surgery on April 14th. He is having the surgery done at Mass General/Boston. Esophogus Removed. Over the past few weeks we are hearing about "the scope" surgery "camera" etc. Even…
EC TREATMENT CHOICES - TRIALS OR CONVENTIONAL CHEMO - CAN ANYONE ADVISE?
Hello Everyone - Greetings from Scotland (UK) Since my younger brother (aged 50 last Dec) was diagnosed with EC last June, I have increasingly turned to the internet like most of you have in the hope that we could find some answers which could help us in any way. I must say that although this may be of little comfort to…
esophageal and stomach cancer
Has anyone had this and was able to be operated on? My father just found out he has cancer. They did a gastroscope, thinking he had GERD or reflux and they found a large tumor in the esophagus and some smaller in his stomach and the CAT scan showed one lymph node enlarged. We are waiting to go the oncologist on Monday. The…
My dad has a Heimlich valve for collapsing lung--has anyone heard of this?
My dad diagnosed 8/09, chemo rad & then surgery at Duke 12/09 followed with chemo. NED since... Well, he finally got home last week after 2 weeks in Duke hospital after a 1cm nodule was removed from his lung.(It had shown up on PET scan). It was only supposed to be a 2-3 day stay, but his lung wasn't healing. They said it…
Erbitux listed on NCNN Guidelines for treatment of EC
THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION AND INFORMATION I HAVE ACCUMULATED IN HELPING MY 79 YEAR OLD FATHER FIGHT STAGE IV b EC. Please consult you physician for any information related to your specific care. Each individual is different. **************************************************************************************** All,…
HELP. I need energy.
MY PROBLEM IN A NUTSHELL: Three weeks ago I completed a 6-week treatment program of daily radiation and weekly chemo for adenocarcinomal esophageal cancer. As a result I have spent the past three weeks exhausted. My oncologist will not give me anything to boost my energy. He gave me a 4-day Decadron prescription but said…
Stomach problems
Hello all, I seldom post but try to get on-line as often as possible to keep up with your discussions. I am 8 months post-op Ivor-Lewis procedure and from what I have been reading here I have pretty much gone through the same problems and maladies as most of you. I am currently having problems keeping food down and seldom…
Just wanting to say hi and hoping for a little advice
Hi all my name is Ann, I have been coming on this site for the last couple of months, it has been so helpful to me, I found it whilst looking for something that would help my husband the bark cure, orange juice cure and ginger cure just felt like someone was trying to make a quick buck out of others heartache(the internet…
List of states declaring EC Awareness Month
We are steadily making progress in the state Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month Proclamations! Thank you to all that are joining in trying to make a few phone calls and or 1-2 emails to make a difference in esophageal cancer awareness. This is just the first step---WE CAN & WILL make a difference in the future in the…
Irinotecan side effects
Anybody have any suggestions on what to eat when severe diarrhea sets in? Rickie has had 2 weeks of erbitux and Irinotecan and this past week the diarrhea started. He has lost almost 20lbs this week. We are at the doctors now getting fluids and the erbitux only. His swallowing has improved and he is able to eat more foods…
April EC Awareness-Nebraska
Nebraska will be announcing April as Esophageal Cancer Awareness month. They approved the request just 3 days after submitted. Thank you Kim for emailing how to get this done. Linda
Got to get away.
Don went to Oncologist yesterday. She was pleased with his progress and does not want to see him for a year. Monday we see the Kidney Dr to see what plan of attack will be done on the kidney. We are not doing anything until late April. We are going on a much needed vacation next week. No more doctors, hospitals, etc. We…
Grrr...if it weren't giving him nutrition...I would cut that darn feeding tube!!!!!!!
GRRRR....darn feeding tube clogged again... More coke, nothing... Another night without nutrition and a loss of another 3 lbs... A trip to the ER this morning... And a HUGE THANKS to Nurse Scott!!! who was able to unclog Brendon's feeding tube... WITHOUT us having to be at the hospital more than 30 minutes!!!! YEA! So,…
Low energy, difficulty concentrating, "chemo" brain
My husband, Gale, 46 years young, was diagnosed with esophageal adenocarcinoma IVa in Jan '09. He had 5-FU/cisplatin/radiation treatment, followed by esophagectomy in 5/09, and was given adjuvant chemo post surgery with gemcitabine/taxol. By Feb '10, he was having problems again, and he had a j-tube placed and more…

Esophageal Cancer

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