WE Decided and have a date

Cora11

Hi everyone and again, thanks for the fast education and input. We made a decision about surgery today. We met with Dr. Tracey Weigel at UW- Madison and were we ever impressed and pleased. Here's a little more info on her should others be looking in the mid-west. She was in the same fellowship class as Luketich at Sloan Kettering and then she worked with him at Pittsburgh and now she is at Madison and she has a great esophageal program there. Right in our backyard! We have a date with her for surgery on November 17th. She does the MIE-IL. So again, We could not have made this decision without the generosity of this board and I do hope to pay it forward. What a load off of our minds to get the decision made.
Thanks everyone,
Cora

sammy123

Great job Cora! You did it.
Great job Cora! You did it. Isn't it a great feeling to finally know the treatment plan and put the research behind you. It certainly sounds like you have chosen the perfect surgeon after all of your hard work and due diligence. Girl Power, eh??? Good Luck and now put all your good efforts in good hydration, nutrition and good frame of mind. Pump him up!!! Make sure you get the iv hydration before you need it or before he bottoms out. I always felt that after xrt/chemo that is when my husband needed me most. Keep up the good work and also stay on board for any help you may need. God Bless.

preacherchad

I am very happy for you and
I am very happy for you and your husband. The stressful task of choosing a surgeon is one we could do with out with everything else that consumes our lives during this time. However, it is one we have to face and deal with, and finding the right one for "us" is extremely important. We are all happy that you found "your" surgeon and we will continue to pray for you and your family as you begin this battle.

God Bless You
chad

Wpturner05

What a relief
Very happy to hear that you have a solid plan!!! Stay healthy and strong and go kick some cancer butt!!

paul61

Confidence in your surgeon is very important
Cora,

It is great to hear that you have found a surgeon in whom you have confidence. I think that is critical. Once a successful surgery is behind you and your husband; what surgical technique was used becomes unimportant. What is important; is that we get one chance to get this right, and it is imperative to deal with a surgeon that is knowledgeable, skilled, and caring.

Here is hoping the pre-surgical treatment goes well and a successful surgery is soon behind you.

Best Regards,

Paul Adams
McCormick, South Carolina

DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
3/14/2011 CT Scan NED

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

chemosmoker

YOU DID IT!
Cora,
Sounds REALLY good! I am so glad you have a plan that seems solid!
I will be praying for the both of you, and hoping for positive updates and follow-though.

God bless and stay strong.
-Eric

Cora11

chemosmoker said:

YOU DID IT!
Cora,
Sounds REALLY good! I am so glad you have a plan that seems solid!
I will be praying for the both of you, and hoping for positive updates and follow-though.

God bless and stay strong.
-Eric

thanks again
for the support and encouragement. We are very happy, now like you said finish treatment and get strong. A few questions. Our doctor recommends that you always have a medical alert bracelet that says esophagectomy do not lie patient flat. Must be 30* angle. She also recommend a wedge system or a sleep number type bed. Curious what people on the board use. Get this, she does the surgery tiny bit different in that she rarely send people home with feeding tubes. Soo.. hmmm.... that should be interesting

Anyway, we were really impressed with everyone there.
On another note, does anyone actually know how much an MIE IVOR LEWIS costs? I have to know for my insurance co . I know all centers charge differently, but just curious.

Thanks,
I'll pay it forward once I graduate. Special thanks to Erica and preachercad!

jim2011

Cora11 said:

thanks again
for the support and encouragement. We are very happy, now like you said finish treatment and get strong. A few questions. Our doctor recommends that you always have a medical alert bracelet that says esophagectomy do not lie patient flat. Must be 30* angle. She also recommend a wedge system or a sleep number type bed. Curious what people on the board use. Get this, she does the surgery tiny bit different in that she rarely send people home with feeding tubes. Soo.. hmmm.... that should be interesting

Anyway, we were really impressed with everyone there.
On another note, does anyone actually know how much an MIE IVOR LEWIS costs? I have to know for my insurance co . I know all centers charge differently, but just curious.

Thanks,
I'll pay it forward once I graduate. Special thanks to Erica and preachercad!

wedge
I started with the wedge under my upper body and head but found that i would slowly slide down off of it so I added a wedge with a flat top to raise my legs also. I also used the feeding tube at night so if you can imagine it was a big deal going to bed. Like sleeping in a recliner. After a couple of weeks of that I ditched the leg raising wedge and eventually start using two pillows instead of the head wedge. Then the feeding tube use ended and I was on my way to getting back to normal. Be very careful to not eat anything 3-4 hours before laying down. It is not fun waking up caughing and gagging.
All the treatments up to and including surgery will soon be over and those tiny steps forward start. Take it slow with food. Lots of small soft meals at first. It is amazing how the tiny steps add up.

Daisylin

jim2011 said:

wedge
I started with the wedge under my upper body and head but found that i would slowly slide down off of it so I added a wedge with a flat top to raise my legs also. I also used the feeding tube at night so if you can imagine it was a big deal going to bed. Like sleeping in a recliner. After a couple of weeks of that I ditched the leg raising wedge and eventually start using two pillows instead of the head wedge. Then the feeding tube use ended and I was on my way to getting back to normal. Be very careful to not eat anything 3-4 hours before laying down. It is not fun waking up caughing and gagging.
All the treatments up to and including surgery will soon be over and those tiny steps forward start. Take it slow with food. Lots of small soft meals at first. It is amazing how the tiny steps add up.

Hi Cora,
I know that many here use wedge pillows to elevate their torso, also you can purchase 'feet' to put under the bed to raise the head. I believe you can get these at Bed bath and beyond, and stores like that. Also, some have the adjustable beds, which is probably the best choice, but very costly. Some sleep in recliner chairs.

I hope all goes well, and you are able to run across the stage to accept your graduation diploma! Please keep us posted, and know we are all rooting for you!

Chantal

sammy123

Daisylin said:

Hi Cora,
I know that many here use wedge pillows to elevate their torso, also you can purchase 'feet' to put under the bed to raise the head. I believe you can get these at Bed bath and beyond, and stores like that. Also, some have the adjustable beds, which is probably the best choice, but very costly. Some sleep in recliner chairs.

I hope all goes well, and you are able to run across the stage to accept your graduation diploma! Please keep us posted, and know we are all rooting for you!

Chantal

Hi Cora-
We just went up 45
Hi Cora-

We just went up 45 degrees with pillows that does the trick. Coughing is common post surgery albeit annoying to my husband. I can't imagine going through this surgery without a J-tube. Just good to have as an insurance policy. Dr. Luketich puts one in every patient if its not in already post chemo/radiation. You will know if you need it. Its a simple procedure. Helps to have an infusaport and a J-tube for all the right reasons. Lab draws post surgery and of course access for the chemo. Every physician has their own surgical protocol and we all respect that but of course you can chime in. Your husband knows himself best and if he is beginning to loose weight and dehydrate you will know it is time to have one placed. Simple procedure. Good Luck.