John progress

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spensir
spensir Member Posts: 44
in Esophageal Cancer #1
I am not sure when I updated last. John was off chemo for the past three weeks to give his body a rest and to see if it was the chemo weakening him or the cancer. The Doctors came to the conclusion it is the cancer.

Thursday he started some new chemo he has not recieved as of yet. He is still getting Hercepin and now he is getting a combinatiopn of carboplatin andpaclitaxel or taxol as it is called. He is getting this once a week for three weeks then off a week and then three more weeks.

John has had to be hydrated many times over the past couple of weeks. He has almost no appetite and is on megestrol dexamethasone and dronabinol to increase it.

I have a question is it possible for a stage iv ec patient to be pain free. They are using Oxycodon and just started moprhine 30 mg 2 times a day. He almost always has some pain. He is a tough North Dakota born boy and tends to suck it up. I want him to be pain free and so do his doctors.

They also have him on lactulose to fight the constipation which is what we are fighting today AGAIN. New battles every day.

While we were at the infusion center this week we spent alot of time with the social worker and the wonderful man who mixes up the chemo I can see without them even saying the end to this journey may not be to far away. My fighter husband will not stop the fight he wants to continue the chemo he says he will know when enough is enough. I assure him that I will be able to go on and I know it will not be easy at all, i don't want him to hang on for the living because he has a wonderful family waiting to greet him in heaven he will just be changing addresses.

Thank you for all who read these entries it helps me so. I read what I write to John and its therpy and healing for both of us. Shirley

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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
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  • linda1120
    linda1120 Member Posts: 389
    #3
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    Prayers
    Dear Shirley,

    I do want you to know that prayers are going up for you right now. My heart breaks for you and John and you travel this road together. It is never enough time spent with one another. I applaud you for letting John know it is okay to stop treatment. My husband and I had lots of talks before his surgery and even though it is difficult, it is so important to know one another's wishes and thoughts.

    You will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers,

    Linda
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #4
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    Hi Shirley...
    It is possible to be pain free, but the meds have to be from an IV, not oral form. We just learned about all that as my dad was nearing the end. His last 4 days, though he was losing the battle, was probably the most comfortable he's been for the past month and a half. We had a wonderful palliative care nurse who really knew her meds and basically said that once you get to a certain point, oral meds just don't work. IV's are much better because they're into your bloodstream quickly and your body doesn't have to work so hard to absorb the meds through the stomach.

    Will be praying for you both.

    Blessings,
    Sally

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