Need Survival Stories

Heeran

hopper52 said:

As long as she's able to swallow
As long as she's able to swallow she can continue to eat. Think of the feeding tube as an insurance policy. If during treatment swallowing becomes more difficult or impossible, the tube is already in place. I didn't have one installed and the chemo really zapped my appetite and the radiation made swallowing become more difficult so I wish I had had a J-Tube. I was on blood thinners so I couldn't have the surgery to put in the tube and consequently lost about 40 lbs from diagnosis in April until now.

Also, if you would like to speak with my wife (who's Korean)let me know. I'm sure she'd be happy to talk with you. She had colon cancer in 2009 and now is my caregiver while I deal with this EC thing.

Michael Daniels (T3N0M0)
Brandon, FL

Your Wife
I don't speak fluent korean but I will ask my mother if she would like to call your wife. We're all in panic right now until we get the staging. She also had pain in chest/back about 4 years ago but the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong. She had an endoscopy 3 years ago and it didn't show any tumors. The oncologist stated that the cat scan showed the tumor going into the esophageal wall but until the PET Scan/endoscopic ultrasound are done next week, no staging information. Thank you for offering to talk with your wife. I chat with my mom and see if she's ready to take you up on your generosity. Thank you.

hopper52

Heeran said:

Your Wife
I don't speak fluent korean but I will ask my mother if she would like to call your wife. We're all in panic right now until we get the staging. She also had pain in chest/back about 4 years ago but the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong. She had an endoscopy 3 years ago and it didn't show any tumors. The oncologist stated that the cat scan showed the tumor going into the esophageal wall but until the PET Scan/endoscopic ultrasound are done next week, no staging information. Thank you for offering to talk with your wife. I chat with my mom and see if she's ready to take you up on your generosity. Thank you.

Chest/Back Pain
Wow,

The description you provided about your mother fits my case to a tee. About 3-4 years ago I began experiencing pain between my shoulder blades and I would have chest pain intermittently. I was a heavy smoker so I kind of blew it off since the chest pain only would come occasionally and then when I had been smoking heavily......more of a tightness rather than pain. My doctor recommended I do a stress test and had me see a cardiologist who immediately inserted 3 stents in my right coronary (70% blockage). But the pains didn't go away. When I researched pain between the shoulder blades on Dr Google, esophaegal cancer was listed as one of the causes. Then I began to have trouble swallowing....not all the time, mainly on breadstuff. In any case that EC remained in the back of my mind. When I did my followup with the cardiologist I explained I was still having the same pains. He checked me out and said, "Well, it's not your heart." I went to my primary doc and asked him to refer me for an endoscope. Suspecting the worse, I had the endoscope done at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa and the rest, as they say, is history. They found a tumor near the junction that had penetrated the outer wall of my esophagus. The EUS didn't indicate any nodal involvement. (Let's pray for that to be the case with your mother). I was staged at T3N0M0 (Stage IIA) so I'm able to have surgery. I know that they won't have the complete picture until after and they check the removed nodes but I'm optimistic.

Yes, if your Mom would like to speak with another Korean about this I'm sure Chong would be happy to talk with her and pray with her. I'm not a doctor but from the brief description of symptoms you described I think she may be in an operable stage.

God Bless You

Michael Daniels (T3N0M0)
Brandon, FL

Heeran

sangora said:

17 months out
Heeran, I was diagnosed in April 2010 as a stage 4b. At first they saw what was thought to be mets to the liver but within three months that was cleared and has presented no more trouble. As a stage 4 I was not a surgical candidate and have done fairly well with chemo and radiation. So far I have experienced no spread. I have another CT scan next tuesday so we will see if that remains true. I take each day as a blessing, try not to worry about next week and enjoy the life God has put before me. As many have already stated, this is a monstorous disease with no easy roads. Look to your family, friends and God for support and try to stay strong. Sam

You're amazing
Hi Sam, thank you for your post. My worst fear is for the doctor to say "your mom has 4 months to live" But here you are with your wonderful story that gives me so much hope. Good luck on Tuesday, I hope your scan comes back with no further spread. I look forward all day to come back to this discussion board and you just made my night. I'll pray for great test results for you and my mom.

zinniemay

Hubby
My husband dx Jan 2009 Stage 4 Larnyx cancer , in 2010 it spread to his lungs. He has had Rads 7 weeks five days a week then it spread to his lungs he had chemo at first it shrank about 40& then it was stable, so they took him off and two months later it grew so 2011 back on Chemo, had to stop last week and going to wait two weeks and he will start again. I am not good at all the words and spelling, I can tell you it is not a road I wish anyone to go down. But He is still here ! He has never had surgery, no feeding tubes, not port. He is amazing to me! Doctor said he was healthy except he has cancer! So everyone is different. I am reminded of Soccer (a member one this site)and what he will tell people. Hope and Humor, some days very hard to find but if you look hard enough you just might find it in the smallest of things. It could be just some one smiling at you!
Jennie