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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…
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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…
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Surgery questions - please help
My mom (58 years old) has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer 4 months ago. She has had 5 weeks of radiation and chemo (cisplatin and 5 FU) and after many rough weeks of recovery she is doing well. She is meeting with surgeon (Dr Gail Darling – Toronto) tomorrow to discuss the operation and I want to prepare for all the…
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So much bad news here
I feel so bad for those here who are receiving bad news after bad news. It must be quite overwhelming. I just don't have words or at least no words that could convey my thoughts to everyone. I can't even imagine what emotions must be going through everyone - patients and their blessed caregivers. I'm trying to figure out…
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We didn’t expect this…. Follow up to ‘Just when we thought we had made it to 5 years’
So Brian had his CT scan on Monday and we have been waiting on tenterhooks for today for the oncologist to give us the results. The first part was good – the chemo appears to be holding the progression of the cancer. However after that we simply weren’t prepared for the news of a sizeable collection of fluid on his liver –…
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New friend
Hi everyone my name is Marcelle and I have just found out I have an Adeno carcinoma in my Esophagus. This type of cancer is rear and my Doctors cant give me any stats on it. My options are Chemo and intensive Radiotherapy which, as most of you know does nasty things to the Esophagus and the Docs still don't know if the…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Jax568
Just checking it to see how yesterday went for your husband. . . thoughts and prayers your way. Whitney
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Bad news from the hospital - mets
I just received the news that MRI result show mets to my spine (hence my neck pain), and my ribs. This doesn't affect my treatment much, but there goes my good mood :(
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Off to the hospital I go
I'm being admitted to the palliative care unit today to spend few days analyzing everything and trying to stabilize me. See ya when I get back! Lee
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Caregiver Blog
I regularly read a blog called "The Unprepared Caregiver. " As I read it tonight, I thought about all the wonderful caregivers on this site. Today's entry is about burnout - something I'm guessing most of us can relate to at one point or another. You might have to copy and paste the link into your browser.…
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No room at the inn
We had an interesting day to say the least. We arrived for our routine appointment at the cancer centre this afternoon. We discussed increasing his pain meds, and the doctor agreed. They checked his vitals and found his heart rate to be a bit high, but not too concerning. They had him stand up, and tested again, and it…
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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.…
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Happy 16th Anniversary to the love of my life!
Forgive me for HAVING to post this here this morning. It means THAT much to me, and she deserves the recognition, at the very least! I would just like to say a VERY special Happy 16th Anniversary to the love of my life, MICHELLE; the most incredible caretaker a man could have ever asked for, and a wonderful human being on…
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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.…
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ChemoFx
I just heard about this. Does anybody have any experience with ChemoFx? www.chemofx.com Is the test worthwhile?
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Hi, I'm new!
My name is Bruce, I hope I'm posting in the right place.Since I was diagnosed with stage 4 Esophageal Cancer, which had metastasized to my liver and lymph glands. I'm 65 years old, my wife and I have two adult sons. Both are married and have children of their own. Both our sons live in Colorado, my wife and I live in the…
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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…