Dad's surgery done he has been shifted to icu

sham81

Hi dear friends,

I don't know if I am strong or weak.....I don't know if I close my eyes and think world is beautiful when at times it's harsh ......may be I don't know myself that well still......seeing u r dad on ventilator in icu and when he is looking at u straight in eyes and a tear falls of his eye can be the worst feeling a son/daughter can experience .....I hope no one goes through this trauma of seeing your loved one in pain and u being helpless and unable to do anything abt it........cancer is tuff....and the fight is even tougher ......

Dad had an ivor Lewis. Performed his full esophagous has been removed and other near by lymp nodes and have been sent for biopsy ....let's hope there was no involvement of any other parts ....pet scans befor surgery have revealed that it was just localized to esophagous ....but doctors still want to wait and see wat the biopsy reveals and decide if we further needs chemo and radiation ....

My love and prayers and heart goes out to all who have gone through this......seeing u r loved ones in pain can be the most painful thing u can ever experience ....my love and wishes to all......

I hope we find a permanent cure to cancer and end this painful suffering......

PLz pray for my dad.......


Love and best wishes to all
Shammi

Ginny_B

Well wishes to you!
Your message was very moving. Best of luck to Dad for a speedy recovery.

Heeran

I'll pray for you
Shammi,
I will be really praying hard for your father and you. Yes, seeing a beloved parent in pain and not being able to do anything about it is heart wrenching. I have had many days and nights of trying over this exact thing. The hardest thing I had to hear from my mom was that the chemo/radiation/medication side affects was making her feel so sick that she wished she was dead. The ventilator would be really tough. Do what you can to be there and comfort him as I'm sure you are.

BMGky

The Ivor Lewis is challenging
My husband had his about 18 months ago. Took him some 7 months to get it all together. Is doing fine now. Still forgets and
eats too much or the like. Other than that, fully enjoying life. Works every day. Best wishes and prayers for your Dad.

GerryS

BMGky said:

The Ivor Lewis is challenging
My husband had his about 18 months ago. Took him some 7 months to get it all together. Is doing fine now. Still forgets and
eats too much or the like. Other than that, fully enjoying life. Works every day. Best wishes and prayers for your Dad.

You have my prayers.........
I know very well what you are experiencing, only from the other side. I am a dad, husband,grandfather of 6, and I had the Ivor Lewis surgery 21 months ago. I remember waking up and seeing my wife and 4 children and their spouses. I too had a tear, I was glad to be alive but I also new the road ahead would be tough. It does get better, 6 months were tough, had chemo to clean up after one node was positive. I am back to 90plus percent and I too, eat too much but I'm learning. Be patient and be positive. It will get better, I could not have done it without the love of my children, wife and grandchildren and community.

Gerry

sandy1943

Glad the surgery is behind
Glad the surgery is behind him. I had the IVor lewis in 2008, and it is very rough, but there is healing. I am fairly back to normal now. I, like Gerry want to eat too much. A normal person can eat too much and just feel full, but for us, it can mean pain and I will experience dumping sometime. It's not that I'm hungry, it's just because food is so good now.
Your dad remains in my prayers, Sandra

jss2011

Prayers
Shammi,
Now the surgery is done and that is a huge step. Will keep your Dad in my prayers for a full recovery.

Hugs,
Julie

annalan

Shammi
We know the devastation you are feeling now but it does get better. My husband, Alan had the Ivor Lewis in March 2009 and yes it is a long, hard road, but within 6 months he will be feeling more like his old self but with a much smaller appetite, but able to enjoy life again. I wish him all the very best and may any problems be small ones.

Ann (2)
wife of Alan t3n1m0

sham81

annalan said:

Shammi
We know the devastation you are feeling now but it does get better. My husband, Alan had the Ivor Lewis in March 2009 and yes it is a long, hard road, but within 6 months he will be feeling more like his old self but with a much smaller appetite, but able to enjoy life again. I wish him all the very best and may any problems be small ones.

Ann (2)
wife of Alan t3n1m0

Thx u guys for your prayers
Thx u all so very much for your prayers... If it wouldn't be your advises and the knowledge and the encouraging stories on this forum...I dont know how would I had dealt with this .... My prayers and heartfelt gratitude to all the guys here and to the forum....

Dad is now off ventilator , he is still in icu ...he is talking and hopefully will be shifted out of icu today.....now I will ask u again to pray as we await the lab result... I don't have words what to say..I am so relived that he is off ventilator and talking now...my heart is so heavy I feel like crying.....but we still have to fight and fight well.....need all your prayers

Thxs a ton
Shammi

Proactive Daughter

My dad had the same thing
Hi Shammi,

I can most certainly relate. My dad was told on December 1st that he had Stage 2 Esophegeal cancer. He had lots of testing done (MRI, CT, PET etc) which told us that his cancer had not spread. He had surgery on the 14th to remove his esophegus (excuse my spelling). After his surgery, the surgeon told us that he couldn't get it all, and considering that this cancer is so aggressive, he thinks it would take my dads life in a years time. We went to see him in the ICU and seeing him on a ventilator and hooked up to so many different IV's and such was devastating. He didn't even look himself. It was awful. He made us all kiss him on the forehead. Here we were crying because of what the surgeon just told us, and he was just happy to have made it through the surgery. It was a changing moment. My dad still hasn't come to terms with the fact that he has cancer. He had to have an emergency surgery the following day because he had internal leakage, and he is still in the hospital (2 weeks after surgery). It's been a roller coaster of emotions.

My advice to you is to stay positive. Read other posts to lift your spirits, and bring that energy back to your dad. He needs your family's strength right now. That's what is getting me through.

Take Care Shammi, I'll pray for your dad


Jennifer

sham81

Proactive Daughter said:

My dad had the same thing
Hi Shammi,

I can most certainly relate. My dad was told on December 1st that he had Stage 2 Esophegeal cancer. He had lots of testing done (MRI, CT, PET etc) which told us that his cancer had not spread. He had surgery on the 14th to remove his esophegus (excuse my spelling). After his surgery, the surgeon told us that he couldn't get it all, and considering that this cancer is so aggressive, he thinks it would take my dads life in a years time. We went to see him in the ICU and seeing him on a ventilator and hooked up to so many different IV's and such was devastating. He didn't even look himself. It was awful. He made us all kiss him on the forehead. Here we were crying because of what the surgeon just told us, and he was just happy to have made it through the surgery. It was a changing moment. My dad still hasn't come to terms with the fact that he has cancer. He had to have an emergency surgery the following day because he had internal leakage, and he is still in the hospital (2 weeks after surgery). It's been a roller coaster of emotions.

My advice to you is to stay positive. Read other posts to lift your spirits, and bring that energy back to your dad. He needs your family's strength right now. That's what is getting me through.

Take Care Shammi, I'll pray for your dad


Jennifer

Dear Jennifer
Jennifer I hope u r dad is out of hospital by now and all the internal leakage issuses have been sorted out by da doctor. Jennifer why couldn't the doc get the whole cancerous esophagous ? My dad's full esophagous was taken out... I hope the doctors find some way to kill those cancer cells still inside his body...

Jennifer as for my dad he is also facing complications after surgery. He to has a leekage but in the lymphatic channel doctors say they will fix it ..and last nite he crying with stomache ache the doctor had his x rayed today and they think there is partial blockage in intestine due to movement of stomache .. Whic they say can be taken care off by medicine .... I am so confused rite I always knew tht surgery is the only cure but seeing him in so much pain even after 9 days after surgery breaks my heart..... He has always helped everyone in his life never did wrong to anyone ..... Why is god making him suffer this way ..... I hope he gets well soon

Ill keep u and u r dad in my prayers
Shammi

BMGky

I read about your Dad's pain
I read about your Dad's pain in your latest post here to Jennifer. The IL is difficult. My husband went through extensive pain. He was in the hospital for a month following his IL. There is so much going on during this time with a tube here, a tube there; don't touch that tube; flush the port; watch for infection, constant 24 hours every day. I do hope that your Dad's lab report is good news. Be proactive as you monitor and/or stay with your Dad in the hospital. Make sure they don't put too much in at one time in the jtube when providing hydration. Know what medications he is on, particularly the pain medications. Let them know he is in pain and note which one(s) help. He may sleep a lot but it is comforting for him to have someone there.

I stayed with my husband, sleeping on a sleeping bag in a "sleep" chair for the entire month. I could oftentimes make him more comfortable or get him needed attention just by being there and knowing what was going on. Holding his hand and encouraging him does help. I tried to be a help to both him and to the staff, but not intrusive.

It may help to keep a log so that you can see how he is progressing and note changes that occur after meds, etc. My husband's surgeon kept him so long as he felt the images did not clearly show if he had a leak or not, and he would not release him until he was sure. Pain is there and going to be there for quite some time. Even well managed, the pain for the incisions, the radiation, the operation in general take time to go away. You must remember that this is one big, invasive surgery.

There is light at the end of this long and rough tunnel. If you get the good labs, you can move forward in recovery. Takes 6 to 7 months but things DO get better. My husband is fully enjoying himself. With appropriate eating, he is enjoying food, stronger, and busy as he was before that fateful diagnosis. Best of luck!!

sham81

BMGky said:

I read about your Dad's pain
I read about your Dad's pain in your latest post here to Jennifer. The IL is difficult. My husband went through extensive pain. He was in the hospital for a month following his IL. There is so much going on during this time with a tube here, a tube there; don't touch that tube; flush the port; watch for infection, constant 24 hours every day. I do hope that your Dad's lab report is good news. Be proactive as you monitor and/or stay with your Dad in the hospital. Make sure they don't put too much in at one time in the jtube when providing hydration. Know what medications he is on, particularly the pain medications. Let them know he is in pain and note which one(s) help. He may sleep a lot but it is comforting for him to have someone there.

I stayed with my husband, sleeping on a sleeping bag in a "sleep" chair for the entire month. I could oftentimes make him more comfortable or get him needed attention just by being there and knowing what was going on. Holding his hand and encouraging him does help. I tried to be a help to both him and to the staff, but not intrusive.

It may help to keep a log so that you can see how he is progressing and note changes that occur after meds, etc. My husband's surgeon kept him so long as he felt the images did not clearly show if he had a leak or not, and he would not release him until he was sure. Pain is there and going to be there for quite some time. Even well managed, the pain for the incisions, the radiation, the operation in general take time to go away. You must remember that this is one big, invasive surgery.

There is light at the end of this long and rough tunnel. If you get the good labs, you can move forward in recovery. Takes 6 to 7 months but things DO get better. My husband is fully enjoying himself. With appropriate eating, he is enjoying food, stronger, and busy as he was before that fateful diagnosis. Best of luck!!

Dear BMGky
Hi
Thanks for sharing your experience with me I was expecting my dad to be discharged in 2 weeks but now I knw it might take even longer. Dads lab report is out its T3N1M0. He was taken for a cat scan today cause he is having cramps in his stomache. He is really in pain he cries but I can't do a thing let's hope its just something minor ... Just waitn for the cat scan reports. His secertions are a bit high I dunno why tht is but once thoise tubes gets removed he will have some freedom of movement and that will definately relive him ....times like today I wonder why is he being made to suffer so much he has been a very a nice guy I knw tht he did smoke boozed but tht doesn't qualify him for so much pain ...he is a gem of a person.... He doesn't deserve this... Actually no one in this world deserve so much pain and suffering...why God why ?

BMGky

sham81 said:

Dear BMGky
Hi
Thanks for sharing your experience with me I was expecting my dad to be discharged in 2 weeks but now I knw it might take even longer. Dads lab report is out its T3N1M0. He was taken for a cat scan today cause he is having cramps in his stomache. He is really in pain he cries but I can't do a thing let's hope its just something minor ... Just waitn for the cat scan reports. His secertions are a bit high I dunno why tht is but once thoise tubes gets removed he will have some freedom of movement and that will definately relive him ....times like today I wonder why is he being made to suffer so much he has been a very a nice guy I knw tht he did smoke boozed but tht doesn't qualify him for so much pain ...he is a gem of a person.... He doesn't deserve this... Actually no one in this world deserve so much pain and suffering...why God why ?

I don't think anyone of us
I don't think anyone of us will ever know why. All I know is that God gives us the strength to meet this challenge. I am amazed by the strength and faith that are shown in these postings by the patients, their caregivers and the gentle people who have lost the light of their lives.

One of the things my husband told me (he is a much better person than I) was that at first, following the diagnosis, he was upset, sad, and questioning, but then, he started remembering all the blessings he has received. He said as he started counting each blessing over his 70 years that he couldn't complain because he had been given so much. Yet, there were times, even following the surgery, as pain or stomach issues arose, he would turn to me and say, "I don't think I can do this." I would explain to him that he had no other option and off we would go trying to get through the problem.

It became a "we" issue. What is so funny is that it became so "we" that when I was calling our GP's office for some appointment or another, I asked to make an appointment for "our" husband. The lady laughed and told me, "Honey, I already have one, and I don't need to share yours." So, now, when I call, she always wants to know how "our" husband is doing.

I've tried to show a picture of him during this past Christmas with 6 of our 8 grandchildren and one of our daughter-in-laws at the hotel. You can tell he is the biggest kid in the picture. So far, it shows an older picture. Maybe I can get it up there.

We pray for God to guide you through this maze. He understands.

BMGky

froggerjen

Your post has helped me
My dad is going to have the IL in a couple weeks. I am thankful for your insight and candid post. I pray things will heal quickly and well for your dad and your family. Jen