Looking for gentleman going to Mass General in Boston

lindadanis
lindadanis Member Posts: 235
edited March 2014 in Esophageal Cancer #1
I cannot seem to find your post that I was reading the other day, I am too from Boston, Ma.
My husband was diagnosed last october with stage four with mets to liver, stomach and now brain. I hope you post under this posting so we can talk and see if we could help each other.

thanks

Linda

Comments

  • Tina Blondek
    Tina Blondek Member Posts: 1,500 Member
    Hey Linda
    I think the man

    Hey Linda
    I think the man you are looking for is Paul. His screen name is sly dog. Hope you connect with him soon. Say hello to Dianna and Ed.
    Tina
  • slydog11
    slydog11 Member Posts: 40
    MGH Treatment
    Hi Linda,

    I am currently being treated for Stage IVb EC at MGH. I was just diagnosed last week and the results were confirmed with a PT Scan on Monday. As you can imagine there are many things on my mind right now. I will be starting a chemo treatment plan in about 10 days in a clinical trial setting. I am 56 years old with a wife and six children as well as seven grandchildren. I plan on fighting this with everything I've got. I would like to use this forum to get and give help to others.

    Paul
  • lindadanis
    lindadanis Member Posts: 235
    slydog11 said:

    MGH Treatment
    Hi Linda,

    I am currently being treated for Stage IVb EC at MGH. I was just diagnosed last week and the results were confirmed with a PT Scan on Monday. As you can imagine there are many things on my mind right now. I will be starting a chemo treatment plan in about 10 days in a clinical trial setting. I am 56 years old with a wife and six children as well as seven grandchildren. I plan on fighting this with everything I've got. I would like to use this forum to get and give help to others.

    Paul

    Maybe I can help.
    Hi, i am glad that I found you. My husband is also 56 years old., what exactly did your pet scan show, you had mentioned stage 4b, is it in the liver only? Ed was diagnosed last october, same stage, with mets to liver, stomach and pelvis. He was on chemo for eight months, you mentioned clinical studies, can I ask you what chemo they are putting you on?
    Did they mention radiation also? I hope we can share information as we have been going through this for 10 months and hopefully, I can help you out. Wow, you have six kids, we have one, a 22 year old daughter. We live in South Weymouth, we have a brand new Dana Farber cancer center right up the street, used them radiation, did chemo through Commonwealth Oncology right here in Weymouth, really like our doctor, very smart and thorough.
    Can you tell me more about your situation? also, where do you live. did you have swollowing problems in the beginning like Ed did?

    Linda
  • iansmom
    iansmom Member Posts: 25
    slydog11 said:

    MGH Treatment
    Hi Linda,

    I am currently being treated for Stage IVb EC at MGH. I was just diagnosed last week and the results were confirmed with a PT Scan on Monday. As you can imagine there are many things on my mind right now. I will be starting a chemo treatment plan in about 10 days in a clinical trial setting. I am 56 years old with a wife and six children as well as seven grandchildren. I plan on fighting this with everything I've got. I would like to use this forum to get and give help to others.

    Paul

    MGH
    sounds like you found the right place for treatment. Ian has received his treatments at the BI since Sept 2009. We had a second opinion at MGH in March with Dr. Ryan at the Tucker Gosnold Center. We live right in Boston so we felt extremely lucky to have such options. You have the right attitude about this illness and you are in a great location.
    After the second opinion Ian's oncologist has been working with MGH drs. Around this area MGH/Dana, Brigham and Womens and Beth Israel all collaborate. They will refer you themselves if they feel there is something else out there to be tried.
    Just keep asking questions no matter what and get your caregivers together to help you through this.
    You are in my prayers and anything I can offer from our experience please just ask. God Bless and keep strong. You already know that you are not alone. I have received so much help and guidence from the discussion board myself and I hope you will too.
  • slydog11
    slydog11 Member Posts: 40

    Maybe I can help.
    Hi, i am glad that I found you. My husband is also 56 years old., what exactly did your pet scan show, you had mentioned stage 4b, is it in the liver only? Ed was diagnosed last october, same stage, with mets to liver, stomach and pelvis. He was on chemo for eight months, you mentioned clinical studies, can I ask you what chemo they are putting you on?
    Did they mention radiation also? I hope we can share information as we have been going through this for 10 months and hopefully, I can help you out. Wow, you have six kids, we have one, a 22 year old daughter. We live in South Weymouth, we have a brand new Dana Farber cancer center right up the street, used them radiation, did chemo through Commonwealth Oncology right here in Weymouth, really like our doctor, very smart and thorough.
    Can you tell me more about your situation? also, where do you live. did you have swollowing problems in the beginning like Ed did?

    Linda

    Thanks Linda
    Hi Linda,

    My PT Scan showed mets to liver, nodes, and ribcage. Radiation and surgery are not an option. I'm going into a clinical trial in a week and will receive chemo 4X per month. I don't know the drugs they'll use yet. I live in Gloucester. My symptons began with burping and uncomfortableness when swallowing. Primary care doctor diagnosed hiatal hernia first (in May) and then gallstones. Thank God my surgeon ordered more tests to confirm gallstones. They found a spot on my esophagus in the CT Scan. Then I had an endoscopy which resulted in cancer detection. I immediately contacted MGH. I'm seeing Dr. Eunice Kwak.

    Anyway I'm still in a shock state but must get my mind straight to fight this illness. Thanks for your interest Linda. I hope your husband gets well.

    Paul
  • llamp0922
    llamp0922 Member Posts: 40
    MGH
    You are so fortunate to live in an area where treatment options are so highly regarded!

    I was treated at MGH in the fall of 2007 for EC, squamous cell carcinoma, T3N2. I was a 38 year old mom from about an hour west of Boston, and I made the daily trip to Boston for all of my chemo and radiation treatments. I was inoperable due to the tumor invading my trachea. My oncologist is Jennifer Temel, radiation oncologist Noah Choi and thoracic surgeon (tracheostomy, various proceedures) is John Wain. My care has been remarkable! I have been NED (no evidence of disease) since January, 2008. I see the team for follow up monitoring and the inevitable problems that crop up after rigorous treatment. Treatment is very difficult, but you can do it!!! Keep positive and come back with any questions that you have.
    Best wishes,
    Lisa
  • lindadanis
    lindadanis Member Posts: 235
    llamp0922 said:

    MGH
    You are so fortunate to live in an area where treatment options are so highly regarded!

    I was treated at MGH in the fall of 2007 for EC, squamous cell carcinoma, T3N2. I was a 38 year old mom from about an hour west of Boston, and I made the daily trip to Boston for all of my chemo and radiation treatments. I was inoperable due to the tumor invading my trachea. My oncologist is Jennifer Temel, radiation oncologist Noah Choi and thoracic surgeon (tracheostomy, various proceedures) is John Wain. My care has been remarkable! I have been NED (no evidence of disease) since January, 2008. I see the team for follow up monitoring and the inevitable problems that crop up after rigorous treatment. Treatment is very difficult, but you can do it!!! Keep positive and come back with any questions that you have.
    Best wishes,
    Lisa

    you can do it
    sorry I haven't posted back to you but my husband ran into high blood pressure issues and we have been busy. Mass General is a great place and I hope you do well in there and fight this cancer with everything you got. Good Luck and please let me know how you make out.

    Linda
  • slydog11
    slydog11 Member Posts: 40

    you can do it
    sorry I haven't posted back to you but my husband ran into high blood pressure issues and we have been busy. Mass General is a great place and I hope you do well in there and fight this cancer with everything you got. Good Luck and please let me know how you make out.

    Linda

    First treatment
    Hi,

    Had my first chemo yesterday and all went well. I am very impressed with MGH, they have been very supportive and thorough. Minimal side effects so far. I will be getting chemo every Wednesday for five hours. I am hopeful that my symptoms of EG improve so I can eat those foods that I love.

    Best wishes to you Linda.

    Paul