Recurrence confirmed. It's a scary time.

Bobs1wife
Bobs1wife Member Posts: 150
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Well, the pathology 2nd opinion has confirmed a recurrence at the anastomosis. Bob is scheduled for a PET scan on Wednesday. We are praying that it is only a local recurrence and then get a treatment plan set up. This is scary stuff. Bob had been having trouble swallowing so had an endoscopy and stretch where everything looked fine just 3 weeks earlier. A staple at the anastomosis had been working it's way out and after that was gone the area where it had been just didn't look quite right and thus the biopsies and the diagnosis of recurrence. It's hard to believe how fast this happened. At 17 months post surgery we were just beginning to relax a tiny bit. Thanks to everyone for their prayers for us. It sustains us as nothing else can. Linda

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • annalan
    annalan Member Posts: 138
    #3
    Hi Linda so very sorry to
    Hi Linda so very sorry to hear Bob has a recurrence they are the very words we dread. Will pray that it is local and can be dealt with, with as little suffering as possible. My husband is 20 months past his IL op and has been in bed since Christmas day with a water infection. He's seen the dr. several times who assures us it's nothing to worry about but EC robs us all of peace of mind. Best wishes to you and Bob.
  • MissusB
    MissusB Member Posts: 111
    #4
    annalan said:

    Hi Linda so very sorry to
    Hi Linda so very sorry to hear Bob has a recurrence they are the very words we dread. Will pray that it is local and can be dealt with, with as little suffering as possible. My husband is 20 months past his IL op and has been in bed since Christmas day with a water infection. He's seen the dr. several times who assures us it's nothing to worry about but EC robs us all of peace of mind. Best wishes to you and Bob.

    All of your "Prayer Warriors" are behind you!
    I'll pray you'll be given strength and that this is just that - a local recurrence. I'm so glad you've shared with us and given us the opportunity to offer support, even from afar. Please keep us posted and know that we're all behind you and Bob. Love to you - Kim
  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #5
    Praying for an effective treatment plan
    Linda,

    I was so hoping that the second analysis of the biopsy was going to be better news. Hopefully the recurrence is localized. The good news is that Bob was being very carefully followed from a medical perspective and hopefully the recurrence what caught in an early stage. I will be praying for an effective treatment plan to bring Bob back to remission again.

    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
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!
  • Bobs1wife
    Bobs1wife Member Posts: 150
    #6
    Your support means so much
    I can not express how much the support and prayers from all of you mean to us. We are also praying that this is a local occurance. He was being watched very closely due to the stricture issue and that his esophagus was not staying open. So very recently the biopsies had been clear, then the shock of positive cancer cells within such a short time. One thing we have found out that, will hopefully help others, is that EGD is not protocol for this situation of stricture after surgery issues, and it certainly should be. If they are doing a scope anyway, why wouldn't they go ahead with the ultrasound along with it? I realize that local recurrence is very rare, but still, if it would help just one person, it would be worth doing. One reason why this message board special is we are real people, dealing with real issues, and able to share our experience to hopefully benefit others. In the time we have been here I don't remember a local recurrence after surgery. Please keep us in your prayers. We will let everyone know more after Wednesday. Linda
  • AngieD
    AngieD Member Posts: 493
    #7
    Bobs1wife said:

    Your support means so much
    I can not express how much the support and prayers from all of you mean to us. We are also praying that this is a local occurance. He was being watched very closely due to the stricture issue and that his esophagus was not staying open. So very recently the biopsies had been clear, then the shock of positive cancer cells within such a short time. One thing we have found out that, will hopefully help others, is that EGD is not protocol for this situation of stricture after surgery issues, and it certainly should be. If they are doing a scope anyway, why wouldn't they go ahead with the ultrasound along with it? I realize that local recurrence is very rare, but still, if it would help just one person, it would be worth doing. One reason why this message board special is we are real people, dealing with real issues, and able to share our experience to hopefully benefit others. In the time we have been here I don't remember a local recurrence after surgery. Please keep us in your prayers. We will let everyone know more after Wednesday. Linda

    Linda, definitely praying
    Linda, definitely praying for localized on the PET and a prompt treatment plan. Hang in there for this roller coaster dip.
    Angie
  • GerryS
    GerryS Member Posts: 227 Member
    #8
    Bobs1wife said:

    Your support means so much
    I can not express how much the support and prayers from all of you mean to us. We are also praying that this is a local occurance. He was being watched very closely due to the stricture issue and that his esophagus was not staying open. So very recently the biopsies had been clear, then the shock of positive cancer cells within such a short time. One thing we have found out that, will hopefully help others, is that EGD is not protocol for this situation of stricture after surgery issues, and it certainly should be. If they are doing a scope anyway, why wouldn't they go ahead with the ultrasound along with it? I realize that local recurrence is very rare, but still, if it would help just one person, it would be worth doing. One reason why this message board special is we are real people, dealing with real issues, and able to share our experience to hopefully benefit others. In the time we have been here I don't remember a local recurrence after surgery. Please keep us in your prayers. We will let everyone know more after Wednesday. Linda

    Prayers continue.........
    Vicki and I have your family in our prayers. God Bless........

    Gerry
  • bingbing2009
    bingbing2009 Member Posts: 177
    #9
    Hate to hear this news
    Linda,

    We are so sorry to hear this news. Of course we had hoped for better. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

    Melinda and Vaughn
  • preacherchad
    preacherchad Member Posts: 60
    #10
    Prayers
    I completely understand the comfort feeling as I just received my third clear scan this week. (10 months post op) I will not pretend to know what you are going through but please know that you and your family will be in my prayers daily.

    We can find temporary comfort in some things but we can only find everlasting comfort in Jesus Christ. May God be with you during this time.

    chad
  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #11
    In our thoughts and prayers
    Linda & Bob,

    The words in the title of your post are what I consider to be the scariest words ever. I hope, like you, that this is a localized reoccurance and will be very treatable with whatever they throw at it.

    Prayers for a quick and successful treatment and return to remission!

    Love & Hugs! Prayers for better days.

    Terry
  • birdiequeen
    birdiequeen Member Posts: 319
    #12
    Bobs1wife said:

    Your support means so much
    I can not express how much the support and prayers from all of you mean to us. We are also praying that this is a local occurance. He was being watched very closely due to the stricture issue and that his esophagus was not staying open. So very recently the biopsies had been clear, then the shock of positive cancer cells within such a short time. One thing we have found out that, will hopefully help others, is that EGD is not protocol for this situation of stricture after surgery issues, and it certainly should be. If they are doing a scope anyway, why wouldn't they go ahead with the ultrasound along with it? I realize that local recurrence is very rare, but still, if it would help just one person, it would be worth doing. One reason why this message board special is we are real people, dealing with real issues, and able to share our experience to hopefully benefit others. In the time we have been here I don't remember a local recurrence after surgery. Please keep us in your prayers. We will let everyone know more after Wednesday. Linda

    Linda & Bob
    You will both be in my prayers.

    You bring up a good point. I do not recall a local recurrence on the board before either. I will be interested to hear what the treatment plan is. My husband just had his stricture streached last week. I asked if they took a biopsie (mostly because of your post last week) and the Dr. said he didn't see anything that look wrong.

    Thank you for keeping us posted. We will be praying.

    Lee Ann

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