Ten Years on this Ride

Options
Deathorglory
Deathorglory Member Posts: 364 Member
in Esophageal Cancer #1

It's been ten years (May 2008) since I was first diagnosed as stage III EC.  I had chemo/radiation, an esophajectomy, and then bonus chemo (same stuff, but stronger than before).  I still had a recurrence in 2011.  The EC had come back in a lung (now stage IV) and I was given a particularly grim prognosis..  I'm typing this from the infusion center, where I'm getting my three hundred and somethingth straight week of treatment.  Three hundred and something straight weeks is its own special kind of draining.  It takes a toll both physically and mentally.  But I'm alive to complain about it.  And that's the whole point.

I'm putting this out there to folks who are suddenly finding themselves on this ride and don't know what to expect.  You can in fact beat this stuff--you have to be realistic, but don't give up hope.  Nothing is perfect for me and a lot of things aren't the way they were beforehand, but everything is stable and manageable.  There's no reason that you or your loved one can't get the same results.  Always believe that you are going to be the next one to beat this SOB.  

Best Wishes with your fight,

Ed

Comments

  • LorettaMarshall
    LorettaMarshall Member Posts: 662 Member
    #2
    Options
    Ed ~ You are indeed a miracle - Thank God!

            CONGRATULATIONS   ED

    IT'S BEEN A ROLLER-COASTER RIDE BUT YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION

    HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY YOUNG MAN ! ! !

      Smile   Smile   Smile   Laughing   Smile   Kiss   Laughing   Smile   Kiss   Smile

     

     

    "Loretta & William"

     

  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,391 Member
    edited May 2018 #3
    Options
    Congratulations on 10 Years!!!!

    Congratulations on 10 years of strength and perseverance Ed, as a fellow survivor I know the journey is not always easy but it is worth the trip!! May there be many more.

    Best Regards,

     

    Paul

  • 1979bmg
    1979bmg Member Posts: 48 Member
    #4
    Options
    Keep fighting

    Congratulations on kicking this evil ****'s **** for over 10 years!

    You were one of the first ones to reply to me and encourage me, and in August it will be a year since my initial diagnosis.

     

    I hope to be celebrating my 10 year victory with the rest of you soon enough.

  • Mybabybrother
    Mybabybrother Member Posts: 5
    #5
    Options
    Keep Up Your Fight Ed Inspire Others

    Ed:

    By your letting everyone know it has been 10 years on your ride gives hope to those facing their diagnosis of Esophageal Cancer for the first time.  When my brother told our family that he had  Esophageal Cancer I began doing as much research as I could to understand what my brother will face.  It was comforting to know there were survivors.  Please continue to share your words of wisdom based on all of your experiences.  You will provide HOPE and show your STRENGTH through your words.  Your WISDOM will help others to understand what they face and can find the DETERMINATION to fight as you have.  My best wishes and prayers for you in your journey. 

    I hope you are taking some time to go outside, smell some fresh air, listen to the sounds of life around you.  These things also help in the healing process.  Best Wishes to you!

       

     

  • khorner765
    khorner765 Member Posts: 1
    #6
    Options
    Keep it up!

    Thanks Ed!  I've only been on my 'ride' for 15 months and your post is an inspiration for me!!

    Keep Fighting,

    Ken

  • siutis12
    siutis12 Member Posts: 11
    #7
    Options
    Good job but I can't do what you are doing
    I was diagnosed with this disease on March 21, 2018 after four doctors misdiagnosed me. I finished chemotherapy and radiation approximately four weeks ago. I had a very good partial response to therapy. I am stage 3. After conducting extensive research (I'm a Healthcare Fraud Investigator) I decided not to have the brutal surgery. I'm a quality and not quantity of life individual. I am a competitive bodybuilder and powerlifter and I would rather have one year at 50% than five years at 25%.
  • Fightingon
    Fightingon Member Posts: 5
    #8
    Options
    Thanks for sharing

    Congratulations on passing the 10 year mark!  That is truly something to celebrate!  Thank you for sharing your story.  It gives those of us who are just starting theirs hope and inspiration.  

     

     

  • Mybabybrother
    Mybabybrother Member Posts: 5
    edited July 2018 #9
    Options
    siutis12 said:

    Good job but I can't do what you are doing
    I was diagnosed with this disease on March 21, 2018 after four doctors misdiagnosed me. I finished chemotherapy and radiation approximately four weeks ago. I had a very good partial response to therapy. I am stage 3. After conducting extensive research (I'm a Healthcare Fraud Investigator) I decided not to have the brutal surgery. I'm a quality and not quantity of life individual. I am a competitive bodybuilder and powerlifter and I would rather have one year at 50% than five years at 25%.

    Hope You Are Doing Good

    Siutis12  I hope you are doing well.  If someone were to say to me "If you were told you have 2 years to live because of an illness" then ask me "how would you live those 2 years, by staying out of the hospital or by going into the hospital to try to beat this illness with the latest and greatest (but not 100% guaranteed ) care, what would you choose"  I would say I want to enjoy what I can of my remaining time being able to see the Sun shine, to feel the wind in my hair and on my skin, to hear the birds and all of life around me.  My brother was diagnosed with Esophical Cancer and when he told me about the operation, I cried and he blew it off like it was no big deal, piece of cake.  If I could go back to that day I would ask him would he rather spend his last few years enjoying life as best as he could or spend the remaining days in the hospital never able to see the outside world again and I know he would do it different.  In fact I believe my brother would still be with us today if he did not go the route of the operation because he had complication after complication and ended up with Pheumonia more times than I can count.  My brother got dependent on the Opioids and laid flat on his back staring at the ceiling for 2 years with a tube down his throat never to be able to talk to anyone.  It was obvious the Medical System took this to far and it was at the point my brother would never be able to come home.  So I believe that when anyone makes the choice to live life as a gift of life and not science then the quality is far better medicine than all that chemical bologna they pump into you.  My thoughts and prayers are with you and I hope you can do well from all of this.  

     

  • Mulan1960
    Mulan1960 Member Posts: 28
    #10
    Options
    I must have missed this post

    I must have missed this post but I want to say thanks Ed - you have replied to all of my posts and give me encouragement when I'm unsure where to go for the next step with my husband.  Reading what you've been through is an inspiration and you give both my husband and I hope!

Discussion Boards