MIE date confirmed - May 17th

ArchTB
ArchTB Member Posts: 150
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Hi,

It's been a while since I've been to this site. Lot's of new names, and sadly lot's of new diagnosis. I am wishing everyone to stay strong and keep on fighting! You are not alone.

Tom's surgery has been confirmed. Next Tuesday, May 17, he will have a "robotic" MIE at MSKCC ("In this case, I'd like to talk to the robot," said Tom to the surgeon). I keep on telling him how easy it sounds, and how fast he will be back to normal, but I am soooooo scared myself! Scared of the reoccurance statistics. Complications. Scared of how he will handle it. He gained back some weight, now at 160 lbs, but is still far from his normal of 175. He eats small meals, but does not have much appetite. We walk a lot, taking our dog to the park. We even went for a short bike ride on Sunday. But I cannot say that his energy level is back to normal. But he seem to be in good mood and feeling very optimistic.

What would not I do or give for him to beat this! He is so young, talented, we really want to have a family, have kids. He just has to make it, beat this thing, be his normal self again, live.

Olya

Tom, 37 y.o.
Diagnosed on Dec. 8, 2010
T3 N1 M0
Chemo (6 treatments): cisplatin, irinotecan
Radiation (28 treatments)

Comments

  • BMGky
    BMGky Member Posts: 621
    #2
    So glad the surgery is
    So glad the surgery is scheduled. Best of luck. Hope the robot is in good spirits the day of the surgery....... While my husband had the Ivor-Lewis, the MIE surgery sounds so much easier to recover from. There will be eating adjustments, but he'll get the hang of it. My husband took nearly 7 months to get to feeling "normalish." He loved to eat. Now, his taste for food is recurring and appetite improving, one year post op. He looks good. His energy is up. Goes to the office everyday. Gets tired when he overdoes it. He's having a ball enjoying life. The surgery is a big step, but it offers such hope. My husband has even had additional surgery since the esophagectomy. He had to go through the whole treatment, surgery and recovery with two rotator cuff tears that predated his diagnosis. He was scheduled for surgery on one of the shoulders when we learned he had a much bigger problem. Keep us posted on how he is doing and the very best of luck!! Mary
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • ArchTB
    ArchTB Member Posts: 150
    #4
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Thank you for the encouragement
    Mary, William
    Thank you for the kind words of encouragement.

    William, you are absolutely right about tossing off all these scary thoughts and enjoying the victories. This is exactly what I tell Tom all the time, and looks like my (and yours) arguments work. But when I am alone, all these dark thoughts are starting to crawl from the backyard of my mind and I have to shush them away.

    Well, for now we'll just focus on getting ready for the surgery. I make Tom practice breathing exercises and "accidentally" leave TV on Food Network and other yummy channels.

    The surgeon wanted Tom to have another PET scan, although the oncologist was skeptical about it saying that the results are hard to read after the radiation treatment. But Tom got the PET yesterday anyway. No results yet. But one little episode during the procedure fills me with so much hope. The technician who did the scan was confused if Tom was actually supposed to have the scan. He said: "Are you sure you were supposed to get the PET? I don't see anything". Now, Tom refuses to call and get the results because "it does not matter anyway", but I want to know!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #5
    ArchTB said:

    Thank you for the encouragement
    Mary, William
    Thank you for the kind words of encouragement.

    William, you are absolutely right about tossing off all these scary thoughts and enjoying the victories. This is exactly what I tell Tom all the time, and looks like my (and yours) arguments work. But when I am alone, all these dark thoughts are starting to crawl from the backyard of my mind and I have to shush them away.

    Well, for now we'll just focus on getting ready for the surgery. I make Tom practice breathing exercises and "accidentally" leave TV on Food Network and other yummy channels.

    The surgeon wanted Tom to have another PET scan, although the oncologist was skeptical about it saying that the results are hard to read after the radiation treatment. But Tom got the PET yesterday anyway. No results yet. But one little episode during the procedure fills me with so much hope. The technician who did the scan was confused if Tom was actually supposed to have the scan. He said: "Are you sure you were supposed to get the PET? I don't see anything". Now, Tom refuses to call and get the results because "it does not matter anyway", but I want to know!

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • linda1120
    linda1120 Member Posts: 389
    #6
    ArchTB said:

    Thank you for the encouragement
    Mary, William
    Thank you for the kind words of encouragement.

    William, you are absolutely right about tossing off all these scary thoughts and enjoying the victories. This is exactly what I tell Tom all the time, and looks like my (and yours) arguments work. But when I am alone, all these dark thoughts are starting to crawl from the backyard of my mind and I have to shush them away.

    Well, for now we'll just focus on getting ready for the surgery. I make Tom practice breathing exercises and "accidentally" leave TV on Food Network and other yummy channels.

    The surgeon wanted Tom to have another PET scan, although the oncologist was skeptical about it saying that the results are hard to read after the radiation treatment. But Tom got the PET yesterday anyway. No results yet. But one little episode during the procedure fills me with so much hope. The technician who did the scan was confused if Tom was actually supposed to have the scan. He said: "Are you sure you were supposed to get the PET? I don't see anything". Now, Tom refuses to call and get the results because "it does not matter anyway", but I want to know!

    Prayers
    Dearest Olya,

    Please know that you are in our prayers. We have been through everything you and Tom are going through. Jim's surgery was January 5th and it has been a real journey, but we both made it! Hang on for the rough ride, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

    Linda and Jim

Discussion Boards