scared and dont know what to do?

Sue_John
Sue_John Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Esophageal Cancer #1
My husband of 30 years was diagnosed July 23rd with EC stage 4. his first round of chemo did nothing the tumor was bigger and it had spread more with the first ct scan they were not sure if it had spread to the liver but now they are sure it has. yesterday he finished 5 weeks of radiation 5 days a week and chemo 1 day a week. Now they say he gets a month off from all treatments. Afew days ago he was able to eat again but he said it wasnt as rewarding as he had hoped for things just dont taste the same. We too were told to stay away from the internet but i am scared and dont know what to do. reading over some of your posted messages gives me hope. How do you know you have the right team working for you?

Sue

Comments

  • MOE58
    MOE58 Member Posts: 589 Member
    #2
    CHIN UP AND FAITH
    Hi Sue

    Welcome to our site, we are all here for the same reason EC CANCER, some have had surgery, some is waiting and some are survivors, my husband 45 year old was diagnosed with stage 2 and had surgery in July for esophojectomy, he is 3 months post op and doing good. There is always a 2nd opinion, if your not sure about your 1st opinion, fortunately we have had a good from the beginning so we didn't need one, if your not sure, go with your gut feeling, its not too late, and don't wait for the next scan the more you SQUAEK, the more you will get service, as in my terms, my husband's pcp sent him for test after test, and said it was a ulcer, had I not been persistent for a EGD we would have not found his as soon as we did.

    We all are here for support, and to help each other, we try to help give advice and let everyone else know what we have went through to help others, we are not licensed doctors or counselors, but we all walk this same road we call CANCER, its not fun but we have to do it.

    I have several posts that go back to when I first signed on and I was scared to death, I was a child afraid of the dark and didn't want to listen to people, but as the months and days went on I became a big girl and pulled up MY BIG GIRL PANTIES and moved on, you learn when you fight this disease or your loved one is fighting. With that said I want to welcome you to our site, along with a pair of MOE"S BIG GIRL PANTIES, which will becoming through FAITH AND YOU CAN DO THIS, but you have to do whats best for your husband.

    Keep in touch

    Lori aka MOE
  • Betty in Vegas
    Betty in Vegas Member Posts: 290 Member
    #3
    how do you know if you have the right team?
    Well, you know because they answer all your questions, they treat you professionally, they work as a TEAM and they are willing to listen to options, provide you with trials, and you feel that you can trust them.

    I don't think there is any one perfect team. We all have different personalities, different needs, different stages and mets. I love my team. You may not.

    We had hard decisions to make. We had to decide --shall we go to UCLA, CTCA or MDA? We prayed, we looked at their statistics, and we called and talked to the oncologists. Even after we were here, we switched surgeons (we love the one we have now.) We have decided that Layne's treatment should be up to Layne in the end, and we like knowing that MD Anderson lets us see all his records, sometimes before our doctors see them! We have all the info. We can make decisions. We can offer options, and they LISTEN to us.

    After all, there is nothing more personal than cancer treatment.
  • mumphy
    mumphy Member Posts: 440
    #4
    Betty in Vegas said:

    how do you know if you have the right team?
    Well, you know because they answer all your questions, they treat you professionally, they work as a TEAM and they are willing to listen to options, provide you with trials, and you feel that you can trust them.

    I don't think there is any one perfect team. We all have different personalities, different needs, different stages and mets. I love my team. You may not.

    We had hard decisions to make. We had to decide --shall we go to UCLA, CTCA or MDA? We prayed, we looked at their statistics, and we called and talked to the oncologists. Even after we were here, we switched surgeons (we love the one we have now.) We have decided that Layne's treatment should be up to Layne in the end, and we like knowing that MD Anderson lets us see all his records, sometimes before our doctors see them! We have all the info. We can make decisions. We can offer options, and they LISTEN to us.

    After all, there is nothing more personal than cancer treatment.

    Hi nice to meet you!
    Hi I'm Kath aka Mumphy,

    My husband Al was diagnosed with stage IV in May, and now he has survived surgery! If
    you feel for one minute or you gut doesn't feel right then I would see about changing
    Dr's. You just know that you have the right one when they talk to you as a family and a
    patient with a specific plan of treatment that is just you own.

    I never listened to numbers and you should never be treated as a number, also never let
    them take HOPE away from you.

    I don't know if this helps, but you have come to the right place we are not Doctors we
    are just people with or have loved ones with Esophageal Cancer and are here to help each other.

    God Bless,
    Kath

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