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Esophageal Cancer

Archives for August 2011

Nick moves to Junior Class
We received the "Go Ahead" this AM! His THE Surgery is 9 AM on 09/08. I'm feeling great, Nick (poor guy) is sick to his stomach. This surgery is more frightening to him than the chemo/rads were. Looking for filling/satifying suggestions for the 2 days "clear foods" diet prior to surgery. Nick was just starting to eat…
Chemo on thursday, really scared
Well chemo starts again in 2 days and part of me wants to catch the next train to Barcelona. This goddamn survival instinct keeps kicking in when what I really want is to end this horrible nightmare. I'm a logical person and I don't know why Im bothering with chemo. It blows Waking up each day gives me no hope and little…
Attention on Deck.....The Node is Negative
God is good. Got a call from the surgeon's office about 4:30 this afternoon. The biopsy on the suspicious lymph node came back negative. So we're pressing on toward surgery. Should have the date in a day or so. Have all the pre-op stuff scheduled for tomorrow (breathing test, etc.) Thanks for all your comments and prayers.…
newly diagnosed and already finished first chemo
My husband was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He tumor is 5cm and is a adenocarcinoma. His cancer has metastasize. He is 45 years young. On 8/22 he began treatment. His treatment includes Docetaxel, Fluorouracil then Cisplatin, given in 3 days to be repeated in 2 weeks. Side effects I don't think have kicked in. But I…
Need Survival Stories
Hi, My mom (56) went in last friday to stretch out her sphinter ring (huge difficulty/painful swallowing) and instead found out that she had tumor near the bottom of the esophagous. Biopsy came back today and it's the squamous cell. Cat scan shows swollen lymph nodes but no biopsy on the lymph nodes yet. She had difficulty…
How many lymph nodes removed during esophagectomy?
This question comes from some observations made in Niki’s en-bloc esophagectomy post. I would be curious to know how many nodes were removed during your/or loved one’s esophagectomy (any type). I ask this question because during my MIE I had 15 nodes removed. I remember asking my surgeon when I woke up how many nodes were…
Surgery.... :)
Hi friends, So it has been a little under two weeks since Jeff had his PET/CT scan, we all know the unfortunate freakout I had in the doctor's office when informed of the suspicious nodes. The oncologist told me to calm down that he didn't think they were anything to worry about, and that he was pretty sure they were in…
Procedure to eliminate heart burn
I found this very interesting. My husband had suffered with heart burn for years before his EC diagnosis. He opted for medication instead of surgery to treat. Hindsight...right? Well I thought, in case you know anyone, or have a family member with hart burn now, they should know there are more options. Just a side note:…
en-bloc esophajectomy....has anyone had this or heard of it?
Hi all, In doing some research today I found a few articles about en-bloc esophajectomies, in this procedure they are able to remove a higher number of lymph nodes than in the THE surgery. The articles stated that the en-bloc has higher 5 year survival rates because more nodes are removed. Has anyone had this en-bloc type…
nausea
Niki, thanks for the information. I will give that a try. Haven't been putting it on a schedule, just taking it half hour before I eat. I have one more week of radiation. Dr. will give me a break from chemo for a while after that, then we will see. Thanks again. Barbara
This just stinks
I have been on here almost daily - just reading. Today, I feel compelled to write. I just sent my two children to 2nd grade and 6th grade not knowing what this year will hold for them. It makes me very emotional. I could not help but feel worried that my husband will not see them get on the bus their last day of school . .…
depression
Its been a month now since my brother had the surgery. He still can't eat or drink . He had the escopagus stretched - the way I understood it, its down where it connects to the intestine , it was the size of a pencil lead and now its as big as a pinky... .. he now is throwing up all the time. Even though he can't eat or…
Date for Surgery (or moving to Junior Class)
Well here we go on the roller coaster again, I am just venting here it is not that bad but…just hard on the emotions. John received a call Friday at 4:30 PM from “someone” at the hospital, he did not get the persons name. She told him that there was a scheduling issues and wanted to move his surgery back to Sept. 9, he got…
Drinking water causes regurgitation / foamy vomit
My husband had 20% of his esophagus 20% of his stomach removed on Aug 4, 2011 (about 3 weeks ago). He seems to be eating ok...except for drinking water or any form of liquid. So, we're now worried that he'll get dehydrated soon! He is suppose to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day with liquid intake between meals...but because he…
need advise
hello, As some of you know my dad passed away on january 29, 2011. It is sill soo hard to deal with his passing. Anyone had any advise for me? I do think I have been depressed for a while but I try not to show it to my family so they wont worry. Any advise would help greatly. thank you!
storm
I don't know how many of you were and are in the way of Irene, but I sure am hoping you all survived with little or no damage. We are pretty far inland so didn't get too much. Anyway just hoping everyone is safe. Barbara
Feeding tube question
Hello all; Well, my JG tube incision is healing nicely, now it seems that the majority of the discomfort is from the sticky covering on my chest hair and skin; obviously I can shave it, etc. but it seems that skin irritation is inevitable with wearing something sticky on your chest. any tips? Do you leave your uncovered at…
Now stage IV A
I went in today for the full body PET/CT scan that my surgeon ordered as a follow up to a suspicious swollen / lobulated node found on my second (MIE 9 months out) follow up scan. The only thing that lit up was the node of concern so it is extremely unlikely that it was a false positive. I’m scheduled for a biopsy this…
One year ago today
Mine and my families world fell apart, there we were sitting in an Oncologist's office being told to think of my husbands life in terms of months not years, the confusion still hasn't gone we told the oncologist she must have it wrong he has acid reflux he has had it all his life, I vaguely remember her explaining about…
HUSBAND 3 YEARS POST TOTAL GASTRECTOMY DIAGNOSED EC T3N1MO
Good morning My names is Julie Bright.My husband and I are both 70. My husband Dave had a total gastrectomy for Cancer in June 2008 at Mass General in Boston where we were living at the time. We moved to Kansas City area about 2 years ago as some of the children and grands live there.Doing wonderfully until about two…
William Marshall
Hi I read your answer, but can't seem to figure out how to post to the discussion list? Can you help me with that so that my post shows and then I can give you better info? julie bright
I have a few questions, regarding out-of-town pts if Dr. Luketich does the surgery...
I have a few questions, regarding out-of-town pts: -if Dr. Luketich does my dad surgery, how long can we expect to be in Pittsburg for? -Is the Shadyside house closest to the hospital? -how long should I tell them we are staying there for? -What are the first 7 days like, should 1 of us stay with my dad around the clock?…
Diagnosed T3N1 Esophageal Cancer 3 years Post Total Gastrectomy
Hi My husband has just received the diagnosis above. Suggested treatment is Radiation and Chemo simultaneously for 5 weeks. Then tests to determine situation and then surgery. Any opinions? Anyone know of surgeon qualified to do this technically challenging surgery (due to no stomach at all)? julie
JG tube - I'm royally pi**ed off!
I am so furious with the medical establishment I could spit. On monday when I had the feeding tube surgery, the surgeon who was actually performing the procedure approached us literally on the way into the OR. He explained that my oncologist had ordered a G tube, but the surgeon felt that it should be a JG tube instead…
Another good CT
My husband just had his ct scan this morning and of course said he wanted to know the results before his appointment next Wednesday. I feel if there is bad or distressing news it's best to hear it at home. Then you can get your emotions under control to plan the next attack. He got a call tonight that the CT shows…
My computer has been down
Hi I am so sorry that I have not posted in awhile but my compter has been down for almost 2 weeks. Its a terrible thing nt to have it. Thank you to the 3 new Vietnam-Agent orange posts. I will get back to all of you. Another lady and I on the morning dawns are trying to get a group together to fight this thru the VA. I…
Good News
Well today the authorization came through for John’s surgery at Moffitt. If they would have waited one more business day the surgery would have been this Friday but last Friday (8-19-11) Moffitt re-scheduled the surgery for Friday September 2, 2011. The Surgeon wants John to have a colonoscopy before surgery (has anyone…
Still NED
Hello everybody, Please join me in celebrating--my three year ct scan still shows NED. For all you "Newbies',there is healing no matter what the stats show. The future looks a lot brighter today than it did yesterday and it was awefully bright then. I can't help having a little scaniety before a test, but my husband seemed…
Biopsy Results
Got the results from Don's Biopsy. Cancerous tumor on his chest invading the bone. It is the same kind of cancer that was in the Esophagus. We see a new oncologist on Sept 1st. Don't know what will be his take on it. We were not happy with the Oncologist he had when he had his EC surgery. He had it on Dec 10th and when we…
Jthomas233---Surgery September 8
Friends and Classmates- I had my surgical consult Friday at Fox Chase. My surgeon said he was very happy with the PET and CT scan results..no uptake except a little in the esophagus, which he said was not much at all and might, in fact, be residual.. (not much cancer is still cancer...)...he called my tumor "road kill"...I…

Esophageal Cancer

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