NEED HELP FROM ALL OF YOU! :-) Pretty please...............

unknown said:

This comment has been removed by the Moderator

Hi Susie where do you get the time???
Hi Susie,
You sure are doing a lot!!!! Please take some time for yourself amid all of this chaos you are going thru. What a great caregiver to be trying so hard to look up all the info for Brendon. I love your answer William, you are too funny esp the spreadsheets!!!!
Well Susie,
I am 66, the 70 in my name is for my son, Mike's birth year, happiest year of my life having him. I was diagnosed July, 2009 with squamous cell ca in the esophagus. It was staged T3N1MO. I had cisplatin and 5FU treatments and radiation for 6 wks pre surgery in Baltimore MD at St. Joseph's Cancer Institute. Had a lot of trouble with eating and getting nutrition so was given NG tube before surgery. Had the Ivor Lewis esophagectomy in 12/09, the tumor and bad node were destroyed and a third of my stomach was removed too. Another bad node was found so I was given 3 cycles of Taxotere about 6 wks after my surgery. My wonderful hubby Ron took family leave and took very good care of me. I would have to say because of complications with my lungs, I developed COPD and asthma and some other stuff, I did not feel like myself till July, 2010. But all my scans have been clear ever since and I am so grateful to be around and have more time with my hubby, son, grands and my sibs and all the friends who supported me and prayed me thru.
So hoping the best for Brendon and your whole family. Prayers for all, take care,
Donna70

here you go susie
name: cindy
diagnosed august '09
stage: II T2N0M0
location: iowa
age:47 at diagnosis
28 radiation treatment
2 rounds of cisplatin and 2 96hour infusion of 5-FU
THE Surgery at mayo in rochester,mn on december '09
NED since the surgery

Susie,
I too have had trouble keeping up with everyone's story and information. I have not been able to find my way around this board too well. I feel that there should be somewhere where I can go back and find the discussions I have replied to or the discussions I have posted and others have replied to without having to look through all the pages. Maybe I just don't know where to look. I have found that I tend to remember those members who have a picture posted, hence I posted a picture this week. This picture was taken in August of 2010 before we knew of what was to come. Since that time my husband,Rickie, has lost 120 lbs. I will have to post a more current picture one of these days.
Here is the info:
* My user name: Cher76
*My name: Cheryl
*My husband's name: Rickie, age 54
*We live in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas way down on the border of Mexico and near
the Gulf of Mexico. (And yes there is much spillover violence here from the drug wars
in Mexico regardless of what the administration chooses to tell us!)
*Rickie was diagnosed with stage IV EC with mets to the bones on October 4, 2010. His
tumor is 20cm long in the esophagus and extends 4 cm into the stomach with involvement
of lymph nodes.
*We immediately sought treatment at MD Anderson in Houston, Texas.
*We were assigned to Dr. Ajani, a gastro oncologist, who prescribed palliative care.
*First round of chemo consisted of oxaliplatin, Taxotere, and 5FU administered every 2
weeks, with the 5FU being on a 48 hour pump.
*First check up showed that the tumor had shrunk but the cancer had spread more into the
bones, so we opted for a clinical trial. (Same one Cindy's Dad was on) At the end of
February scans were done and the cancer had enlarged in the esophagus again.
*Started new treatment first of March here at home. Dr. Ajani prescribed Iriontecan
and Erbitux, and we receive it here at our oncologist in our hometown. My husband
decided that he was tired of the 5 hour trips back and forth to Houston every 2 weeks.
It is also nice to be at home where you have the support of your family and friends.
*This is where we are now. The first of May we will travel to Houston to have scans and
see if this treatment is working. We are considering the possibility of traveling to
UPMC to see the oncologist there for a second opinion.
*We have been married for 34 years, have 3 grown children, a son and two daughters,and
two beautiful granddaughters. We are fortunate that my husband managed our family
business and now our son has stepped up into that position. I taught school for 33 years
when, last spring I woke up one morning and told my husband that my mind was made up
and I was going to retire at the end of the school year. This was before we had any clue
of what was to come, and I know in my heart that God made that decision for me. There is
no way I could have taught 3rd grade and help him fight this disease. I am here everyday
with him and we are in this fight together. I thank God for the wonderful summer we had
together before this began. We had a great time traveling and visiting family and friends
Everyday I pray for peace and time- peace in the acceptance of this diagnosis and what it bring to our lives, and time - time to spend with each other, our family and friends,
and time for a cure to be found. My husband is one tough guy and we will make it through
this together.
Guess I have rambled on long enough! More info than I am sure you bargained for!
I will keep you all in my prayers. Good luck at UPMC!
Cheryl

Linda Lynch, caregiver
Patient Jim Lynch, spouse
T3NIMO
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Diagnosed September 7, 2010
Cisplatin and 96 hr 5FU Infusion for 2 sessions one month apart
Surgery at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
Team of Surgeons including Dr. James Dolan, Dr. Paul Schipper,
Dr. Hunter, and more! MIE
Surgery on January 5, 2011 no evidence of disease, chemo & radiation did their job
3 month Catscan NED!!!!!!

I don't know where you find the time!!!!!!!!!!!
You are both in my prayers,

Linda