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Esophageal Cancer

Archives for March 2012

Diagnosed yesterday???????
I probably am about to describe a scenario that you are all familiar with. I went yesterday morning for a gastronomy because I was having trouble swallowing and a constant pain just below my ribs, where I felt my Esophagus met my stomach. I have a history of GERD and a Hiatus Hernia. All was progressing smoothly until in…
Dad - 5 week post surgery - caretaker question
My father had partial re-section on 2/20 - after some minor complications came home and is recovering. He is 82 years old and was in very good health prior to surgery and living on his own. My sister and I both live far away - i am a plane ride away and she is 2 1/2 hours drive. He is not having a ton of symptoms but the…
Class Motto by Terry
I love this class motto Terry posted: Credit for the class motto to Jeff Thomas - known on the forum as JThomas233, not JeffT. Quoting Jeff from NikiMo's "Last Day of Radiation" thread posted 07/28/2011 http://csn.cancer.org/node/223281 As a contributing member of the Sophmore class, and because I was a Fraternity member…
Don is home!
Don's swallow test was just fine and we came home this afternoon! Home Sweet Home!!! But wouldn't you know - had him in a wheelchair and all of his things in another wheelchair - had to wait at the hospital pharmacy for 45 minutes for prescriptions - but they had some musicians performing in the lobby area which was very…
pleurodesis - palliative (update from radiation damage post)
Hi all Yesterday they drained 1.5 litres, still double that in the space, of foul smelling fluid from the pleural of the lungs. Waiting for lab findings but the thought is this is malignant pleural effusion. Recommendation is pleurodesis, does anyone have any experience of this? It is thought survival will be a few months.…
Doctor calls this brain failure?
Its been alittle while since i last posted. My dad was diagnosed with stage four esophageal cancer in lymphs, liver and kidney back in Oct of 2011. Since then we had a trail for alittle while and had a really great scan at eight weeks of 50% shrinkage. Continued on till cancer outsmarted chemo and changed to next chemo.…
Brain Mets and Whole Brain Radiation: Guidance/ Advice Needed
My apologies as a first time poster, I hope this is the right place for this. I am looking for advice/ input/ guidance about whole brain radiation for mets to the brain. My father (stage 4 EC, dx 6/11) has done very well on chemo, except for the fact that it seems to be chasing the cancer up to his brain. He had 2 large…
tumor in esophagus causing problems--need help!
Hello, I have a brother who has a big tumor in his esophagus. Lately, he's been having a hard time drinking nutritional milk. Food doesn't work for him anymore. It seems as though the tumor is blocking most of his food pathway to his stomach and the lower esophageal sphincter seems to be closed sometimes. He's been…
Home From Hospital Camp
I had a less than a good week last week and had talked to the oncologist a couple of times. Saturday was a very good day and I thought we were on the uphill climb. All of us assumed my down feeling was a combination of Nulasta and my treatment both last week. Sunday I woke up in much pain about 4am, so I took some oxy but…
Hard days
Tonight is the first service for mom. I thought the disease, treatment, and hospice care was rough, but this is so much worse. Does anything get easier?
It has been a while
Hello, It has been a while since I have been on here. I just wanted to give the newbies on here a word of encouragement and give the seasoned veterans an update. March 24, was the one year mark for my surgery. I visited Dr Reed yesterday, March 27, and everything looked fantastic. She released me, and said no reason to…
Botox Shots
Has anybody here ever recieved a Botox shot in the stomach to help in digestion? My doctor wants me to have them to help, but I would like to know if they work or not.
radical radiation leads to damage - heart, lungs and spine
Does anyone have any experience with radiation induce pleuritis The oncologist considered this would be a short term issue but the damage is increasing. Hubby is has gone from breathless on exercise to at rest within days! No explanation has been forthcoming or possible treatment/management offered. Radiation was 6 Gy - on…
Total Esophajectomy - Recovery Process
Hello, I am 29, had my surgery about 3 weeks ago, and am now trying to figure out how to manage my eating and drinking. I have had problems with dumping and lately gas. Every time I eat or drink I get a feeling in my new esophagus - like I want to throw up what I just had, and ultimately I end up running to a sink to…
Has anyone had this happen to them during recovery?
Hi my husband is 42 years old and had EC. On March, 16th he had his entire esophagus removed and was in the hospital for 7 days. Since Saturday the 24th he can not stop throwing up. It is not that he has nausea it just comes out without warning. We ended up in the ER, and were told that everything inside looks good and the…
Slow Digestion
I have recently had another EGD done and they found food in my stomach. So, I had another test done where they scanned for 2 hours after eating a radio active sandwich. The results where that 70% of the sandwich was still there after 2 hours. So, my question is has anybody else had this problem? Also, what were the…
Good Result - wonderful day!!!
I don't post in here too often, but I follow all the posts regularly. I wanted to share some good news after such a long struggle. Rob was diagnosed in the summer of last year with EC stage 111. Fortunately, the EC was operable and on the 29th February, Rob had surgery in Addenbrooks Hospital Cambridge UK. It was not the…
Don Reed surgery went well
Don's surgery went very well Thursday. I apologize to not post here earlier. Short nights and long days - you all know that feeling. This is only post-op day 2 and already you can see such a big difference - he gets stronger by the hours. They are intending to pull the nasogastric line in the morning and I think he will…
Kewpie doll
Does anyone remember Kewpie Dolls? I went to mom's house and opened a few boxes. One was particularly interesting as it was enclosed in a thick plastic bag. The cardboard box was tied with a lovely string. Inside were several more bags with crocheted or knitted things. All seemed to be encircling a small box in the center.…
My heartfelt sympathy is with all of you
To Everyone who has lost someone: Many of you do not know me but I use to post on here almost daily when my journey started October 10,2010 when my beloved husband Ed, was diagnosed with this terrible cancer, stage four right from the beginning. He lasted eleven months during which time he did six months of chemo then it…
My mom is gone
It is with a broken heart that I tell you my mom is gone. She slipped into a coma 9 days ago and left me at 2:30 this afternoon. My brother stopped by to visit and I think that's all mom needed - her two children together with her. I was holding her and talking to her. She never regained consciousness. She took two breaths…
Missed EC diagnosis
I'm a 68-year old 1.5-year survivor of Stage 3 EC. I've had five clean PET scans so far after the Ivor Lewis surgery at Mayo. What I want to write about is the fact that I went several years experiencing intermittent heart pain prior to my diagnosis. The docs ordered every possible test for heart disease and came up with…
The battle is coming to an end for my dad
I know I haven't posted much, but my dad was diagnosed in March of 2010. The cancer was at the junction of his stomach and esophagus, and one lymph node was positive. He was treated at MD Anderson and went into remission, but was not a candidate for surgery because of his health. We found out in October of 2011 that it was…
Thinking of Don
Big time positive thoughts go out to Don Reed, who is having his surgery today! Hang in there Judy - Today's the day he becomes cancer-free!!! Bob T1aN0M0 dx 8/3/11 MIE 9/23/11
STARTING CHEMO AND RADS
I start chemo and radiation 3/26 12 This is the start of a scary journey
Something new that I hope will help others who follow
It has been 3 weeks since Bob passed and I am still trying to realize he is truly gone. He touched so many lives in such a quiet way and we never knew it was even happening. He was a very humble man. Some of his words as he went to his last surgery, that we were never to be able to talk with him again, were that he wanted…
University Hospitals Only? What hospital do you go to for treatment and/or surgery?
My Mother has had treatment, and will have surgery, at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. I've noticed that a number of posts inquire about which hospital and who is the Doctor. I wanted to get a 4-1-1 of hospitals and doctors that have cared for those going through this battle. Mom's surgery is coming up and I'm just seeking any…
Class of 2011 - ROLLCALL!
I'll start :-) Nick, age 48, diagnosed T3N1M0 on May 19, 2011. 28 rads & 2 weeks inpatient Cisplatin/5FU. THE 09/08/2011, Clean Path 09/13/2011. Since then? CT on 12/13/2011 Met with surgeon in January - surgeon says "new node in upper right lung noted in CT. Not to worry, you're doing great. You are my poster boy." Met…
I need help and have Q??
Ok I was really hoping that someone out there might be able to help. My husband was diagnosised in Nov 2011 with Stage IV Esophogeal cancer. The drs sometimes refer to it as Gastric Cancer as his tumor is at his ge junction and his stomach biopsies came back positive as well. The cancer has metasized to his hip and to his…
Chemosmoker (Eric) has passed
Posted by Michelle at Facebook: “Thank you Jen for posting this morning. My dearest, loving husband slipped away from us this morning, surrounded by friends and myself. He was tired and needed to be finished with this journey. I am very saddened and relieved all at once. Grief stricken and heavy I tell you all that he is…

Esophageal Cancer

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