My Mom age 71 with T3 M1 esophageal cancer

EricE

Hello, My name is Eric

4 weeks ago my Mom was diagnosed with Esophageal cancer she has been @ Cleveland Clinic ever since as she would not go when she needed to & twice was severely dehydrated because she could not eat could drink a little but would cough up phlegm & fluid, We finally got her in & has had a stint in place & is on a feeding tube she has complications from not taking care of herself for many years such as her kidneys where damaged from untreated high blood pressure & the dehydration she is able to go to the restroom now & is getting the blood pressure treatment she needs she had a blood clot form in her abdomen from one of the sorry I cant remember the term connections & is on blood thinners also she has suffered from untreated depression most of her life though I have been treated for over 5 years.
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This sounds very mortal to me when I looked T3 M1 up & made me cry some more.
Is this very serious? or am I getting over anxious?
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She will possibly be coming home on this Sun. June 26 th for home care while she gets her Radiation & chemotherapy as they said she will need surgery also @ some point.
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This is my first time dealing with anything like this and I am afraid & worried as to what to do while she is home & how to take very good care of her.
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Any advice on what I can do & what to do to make her comfortable & happy & what I can expect from Medicare & there social worker that will be coming by a few times a week
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Any words or ideas or help or links or numbers to call will help ease my mind as I am so worried & sick that I have lost over ten pounds & thin as a rail & have upped my medication to cope as I am a mess but hope to deal with all this in a calm & proper manner
for my mom.
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Thank You for being here & having this site to vent to
With love to all here & where here
Eric

ArchTB

Are you sure it is T3M1?
Eric,

Sorry to hear about your mother and hope that she would be able to beat this thing. My husband was diagnosed in early December 2010, had chemo and radiation and is now 5 weeks out of surgery. He is still pretty weak and taking pain killers, but he is doing better every week. He eats everything he wants to and besides some complains about occasional back pain is practically back to his normal. We are taking walks to the park, go out for dinners and planning a trip up-state NY this weekend. So, there is definitely hope!

I am a bit puzzled by the stage you've indicated. You said she is having a surgery. Are you sure it's T3M1, no T3N1? Did the doctors specify where the metastasis were found?

Olya

BMGky

There is hope and there are challenges
In reading your post, I saw that the treating team is planning on doing chemo/radiation and hopefully surgery. If she can get through this challenging treatment and get to have the surgery, this is a positive. It is always good when the doctors talk of surgery as this is chance to get rid of the esophageal tumor. I understand Cleveland Clinic is an exceptional facility and experienced. I'm glad they are addressing dehydration. Hydration is so important. On the best of days, the treatment regimen can be an ordeal. Doable but challenging. Your Mom will need daily attention--care of her feeding tube, feeding, medicines, comfort, etc. I kept a daily log of food intake, if there was fluid output. The various medicines taken and any side effects. Monitored blood pressure, sugar and weight. My husband who started his treatment at age 71 really responded to the treatment and had some doozy side effects. We got through them. Whenever he got weak, he was dehydrated. Fluids perked him up so watch hydration. Also, make sure the feeding tube doesn't clog and the opening for the feeding tube stays healthy. As he came to the last few radiation treatments, he really fatigued and spoke very little. If your Mother is having trouble with any medicines, note what is happening and tell your treatment team. There are lots of similar medicines that can be used instead. Stay on top of nausea. Post on this site with your questions. There are just about all experiences on this board. Everyone wants to help. Good luck. Stay in touch. Oh, yes. Husband is one year post op and has no evidence of disease!

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