So much bad news here

Ginny_B
Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
in Esophageal Cancer #1
I feel so bad for those here who are receiving bad news after bad news. It must be quite overwhelming. I just don't have words or at least no words that could convey my thoughts to everyone. I can't even imagine what emotions must be going through everyone - patients and their blessed caregivers. I'm trying to figure out how everyone holds it together. I wish you all the fortitude to get through your difficult days and to the caregivers, I pray that you be granted strength and courage as you continue your efforts.

Comments

  • chemosmoker
    chemosmoker Member Posts: 501
    #2
    Agreed...
    Amen, and amen Ginny. I second that.
    Praying for everyone, hard and fast.

    -Eric
  • LilChemoSmoker
    LilChemoSmoker Member Posts: 185
    #3
    Strength!
    Ginny,

    You never know how strong you are until being strong is all you can be.

    Love to you!
    -Michelle
  • jim2011
    jim2011 Member Posts: 115
    #4
    all the bad news
    I cyber stalked this site for months before finally chiming in with whatever I may have to say. I really cant remember a week of such challenges. I am coming up to a year now since my diag and I can still relate to the fear that I had back then. Unknown staging and even short term prognosis. EC is not like getting hit by a bus. A person actually has time to finish up some things that need to be done.
    Perhaps tomorrow will be a double dose vallium day. lol!!
  • Ginny_B
    Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
    #5
    jim2011 said:

    all the bad news
    I cyber stalked this site for months before finally chiming in with whatever I may have to say. I really cant remember a week of such challenges. I am coming up to a year now since my diag and I can still relate to the fear that I had back then. Unknown staging and even short term prognosis. EC is not like getting hit by a bus. A person actually has time to finish up some things that need to be done.
    Perhaps tomorrow will be a double dose vallium day. lol!!

    I am leaving for the Holy
    I am leaving for the Holy Land on Nov. 29th and I will be praying not only for my mom, but for EVERYONE on this list; past, present, and those yet to find us. I never knew a thing about EC. Didn't even know it existed until I joined.

    I will pray for every one of you!
  • NGC1514
    NGC1514 Member Posts: 46 Member
    #6
    Ginny_B said:

    I am leaving for the Holy
    I am leaving for the Holy Land on Nov. 29th and I will be praying not only for my mom, but for EVERYONE on this list; past, present, and those yet to find us. I never knew a thing about EC. Didn't even know it existed until I joined.

    I will pray for every one of you!

    Not such bad news...
    If I may, let me share a little good news. Two weeks ago today on October 6th, I celebrated 11 years since my esophageal cancer diagnosis on 10/6/2000.

    Even better, my local buddy Colin celebrated his 11 year anniversary 2 months before mine. Colin was diagnosed with Stage 4 EC with mets to the lungs. He was not a surgical candidate, but was treated with chemo. A few years later, he was diagnosed with recurrent EC to the bones in his neck. He was treated with radiation. And, finally, a couple years ago, he was diagnosed with a new primary in the lung which was removed via lobectomy.

    Colin is still around and doing very well.

    My best to you all as you go through this. Just know many of us have found good life on the other side of cancer.

    Eric in Atlanta
  • json_2011
    json_2011 Member Posts: 100
    #7
    We All Have Faith
    Im so very grateful for the ones ( vets) who are here to help us new comers. That gives us faith , which goes on down the line . But yes faith and prayers are very heavy now.



    Jason
  • bingbing2009
    bingbing2009 Member Posts: 177
    #8
    NGC1514 said:

    Not such bad news...
    If I may, let me share a little good news. Two weeks ago today on October 6th, I celebrated 11 years since my esophageal cancer diagnosis on 10/6/2000.

    Even better, my local buddy Colin celebrated his 11 year anniversary 2 months before mine. Colin was diagnosed with Stage 4 EC with mets to the lungs. He was not a surgical candidate, but was treated with chemo. A few years later, he was diagnosed with recurrent EC to the bones in his neck. He was treated with radiation. And, finally, a couple years ago, he was diagnosed with a new primary in the lung which was removed via lobectomy.

    Colin is still around and doing very well.

    My best to you all as you go through this. Just know many of us have found good life on the other side of cancer.

    Eric in Atlanta

    Thank you!
    Eric, that is such great news to hear. I LOVE reading posts like this--talk about encouraging! I can't thank you enough for sharing!

    Melinda
  • AngieD
    AngieD Member Posts: 493
    #9
    json_2011 said:

    We All Have Faith
    Im so very grateful for the ones ( vets) who are here to help us new comers. That gives us faith , which goes on down the line . But yes faith and prayers are very heavy now.



    Jason

    Eric in Atlanta
    Eric, thanks so much for making my day! You didn't say what stage you were diagnosed as, but as the wife of a Stage IV, hearing about another long-term survivor (Colin) is music to my ears.
    Angie
  • lilrusty
    lilrusty Member Posts: 49
    #10
    NGC1514 said:

    Not such bad news...
    If I may, let me share a little good news. Two weeks ago today on October 6th, I celebrated 11 years since my esophageal cancer diagnosis on 10/6/2000.

    Even better, my local buddy Colin celebrated his 11 year anniversary 2 months before mine. Colin was diagnosed with Stage 4 EC with mets to the lungs. He was not a surgical candidate, but was treated with chemo. A few years later, he was diagnosed with recurrent EC to the bones in his neck. He was treated with radiation. And, finally, a couple years ago, he was diagnosed with a new primary in the lung which was removed via lobectomy.

    Colin is still around and doing very well.

    My best to you all as you go through this. Just know many of us have found good life on the other side of cancer.

    Eric in Atlanta

    Love Your Post
    Eric your post put a smile on my face, Thank you.
  • NGC1514
    NGC1514 Member Posts: 46 Member
    #11
    AngieD said:

    Eric in Atlanta
    Eric, thanks so much for making my day! You didn't say what stage you were diagnosed as, but as the wife of a Stage IV, hearing about another long-term survivor (Colin) is music to my ears.
    Angie

    For Angie
    Angie,

    I was initially diagnosed Stage 2B with a suspected hot node or two. The post op path and staging down staged me to 2A - no hot nodes were found.

    The longest EC survivor I know is a woman who was diagnosed Stage 4 more than 34 years ago. Jane received only radiation and continues to do well. I have a good friend in Atlanta who was diagnosed more than 22 years ago. He had 3.5 years of post-operative hell after his first surgery was performed by a doctor who had no business going inside Jerry. A second surgeon did a full colonic interposition 3 years after the esophagectomy and Jerry is also doing very well.

    While I wouldn't wish this disease on my worst enemy, people being diagnosed these days have a much better chance at survival than we did 10, 20 or 30 years ago. The biggest change I've seen following the course of EC in online groups is this. When I first signed up for the ACOR EC list, it was a fairly routine occurrence for someone to go into surgery, metastatic disease found and the surgeon closing the guy (or woman) back up to go home and die.

    Imaging technology has improved so much in the last decade that I don't recall the last time I read one of those heartbreaking stories. A major step in the treatment of EC, but we still need a golden bullet to increase the survival rate.

    My best to you all... especially the caregivers. You have the toughest jobs of all! For us patients, we're just along for the ride. Doctor says "Go there" and we go, doctor says "Do this" and we do it. Our caregivers have to do all that AND put up with us! Sometimes we get all caught up in the mechanics of cancer and forget how much our caregivers have done for us.

    Let them know every day how important they are in our lives.

    Eric in Atlanta
  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #12
    NGC1514 said:

    Not such bad news...
    If I may, let me share a little good news. Two weeks ago today on October 6th, I celebrated 11 years since my esophageal cancer diagnosis on 10/6/2000.

    Even better, my local buddy Colin celebrated his 11 year anniversary 2 months before mine. Colin was diagnosed with Stage 4 EC with mets to the lungs. He was not a surgical candidate, but was treated with chemo. A few years later, he was diagnosed with recurrent EC to the bones in his neck. He was treated with radiation. And, finally, a couple years ago, he was diagnosed with a new primary in the lung which was removed via lobectomy.

    Colin is still around and doing very well.

    My best to you all as you go through this. Just know many of us have found good life on the other side of cancer.

    Eric in Atlanta

    Brilliant news
    Thank you for bringing some sunshine to a very challenging week here on the boards. I know our Stage IV's AND their caregivers will be pleased to hear of these several year "anniversaries". It's so very encouraging to hear of an 11 year Stage IV survivor.

    Thanks!

    Terry
    Wife to Nick, age 48
    dx T3N1M0 05/19/11
    THE 09/08/11
    Clean Pathology 09/13/11
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    #13
    NGC1514 said:

    For Angie
    Angie,

    I was initially diagnosed Stage 2B with a suspected hot node or two. The post op path and staging down staged me to 2A - no hot nodes were found.

    The longest EC survivor I know is a woman who was diagnosed Stage 4 more than 34 years ago. Jane received only radiation and continues to do well. I have a good friend in Atlanta who was diagnosed more than 22 years ago. He had 3.5 years of post-operative hell after his first surgery was performed by a doctor who had no business going inside Jerry. A second surgeon did a full colonic interposition 3 years after the esophagectomy and Jerry is also doing very well.

    While I wouldn't wish this disease on my worst enemy, people being diagnosed these days have a much better chance at survival than we did 10, 20 or 30 years ago. The biggest change I've seen following the course of EC in online groups is this. When I first signed up for the ACOR EC list, it was a fairly routine occurrence for someone to go into surgery, metastatic disease found and the surgeon closing the guy (or woman) back up to go home and die.

    Imaging technology has improved so much in the last decade that I don't recall the last time I read one of those heartbreaking stories. A major step in the treatment of EC, but we still need a golden bullet to increase the survival rate.

    My best to you all... especially the caregivers. You have the toughest jobs of all! For us patients, we're just along for the ride. Doctor says "Go there" and we go, doctor says "Do this" and we do it. Our caregivers have to do all that AND put up with us! Sometimes we get all caught up in the mechanics of cancer and forget how much our caregivers have done for us.

    Let them know every day how important they are in our lives.

    Eric in Atlanta

    Hi Eric, So good to hear
    Hi Eric, So good to hear survivor stories. I am going on four years, and am so encouraged to hear from eleven year and more survivors.

    I'm also from the Atlanta area. Don't you agree our weather is fantastic? Barbara, Blairsville must be beautiful this weekend. I wish I could have gotten away to North Georgia.
    Hoping to make it one day this week.

    Sandra
  • NGC1514
    NGC1514 Member Posts: 46 Member
    #14
    sandy1943 said:

    Hi Eric, So good to hear
    Hi Eric, So good to hear survivor stories. I am going on four years, and am so encouraged to hear from eleven year and more survivors.

    I'm also from the Atlanta area. Don't you agree our weather is fantastic? Barbara, Blairsville must be beautiful this weekend. I wish I could have gotten away to North Georgia.
    Hoping to make it one day this week.

    Sandra

    Atlanta EC Support Group
    Sandra, and any one else interested:

    We have an informal EC support group in Atlanta that gets together monthly at La Madelaine's at Perimeter Center.

    The group was started 10 years ago by the previously mentioned Colin, Gary Katz (who passed away) and me. After dealing with the group for 8 years, the wife and I needed to take a break from cancer and the group stopped meeting.

    We started meeting for lunch again in August and welcome anyone who has been touched by this disease. I will post notices for upcoming gatherings on here or, if you send me an e-mail address, I'll add your address to the notification list. My e-mail is eric@ngc1514.com and you can see images of the group and other member groups as well as read the details of my own treatment at www.ngc1514.com/Dragon (the D in Dragon must be in caps.)

    If posting this sort of info is not acceptable on this forum, let me apologize in advance.

    Eric in Atlanta
  • Ginny_B
    Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
    #15
    NGC1514 said:

    Not such bad news...
    If I may, let me share a little good news. Two weeks ago today on October 6th, I celebrated 11 years since my esophageal cancer diagnosis on 10/6/2000.

    Even better, my local buddy Colin celebrated his 11 year anniversary 2 months before mine. Colin was diagnosed with Stage 4 EC with mets to the lungs. He was not a surgical candidate, but was treated with chemo. A few years later, he was diagnosed with recurrent EC to the bones in his neck. He was treated with radiation. And, finally, a couple years ago, he was diagnosed with a new primary in the lung which was removed via lobectomy.

    Colin is still around and doing very well.

    My best to you all as you go through this. Just know many of us have found good life on the other side of cancer.

    Eric in Atlanta

    Wow, Eric! Thank you! Your
    Wow, Eric! Thank you! Your post is so encouraging! I really appreciate hearing things like this. It is so important for those who are just starting down this road with our loved ones. I'm so glad you wrote!

    Prayers and hugs to out to you from Upland, CA!

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