Lenrev post-surgery update

lenrev
lenrev Member Posts: 5
in Esophageal Cancer #1
I don't post often but since, I have lurked and posted occasionally, I feel obliged to keep y'all up to date.

I was diagnosed in October as stage-three, did chemo (5FU) every other week for six-weeks while also wearing an infusion pump and did 28 radiation treatments. This was all accomplished without missing a day of work.

On January 11, 2012 I had an esophagectomy at Rush University Hospital in Chicago. The surgery was laparoscopic and, I am told, I was sitting up in a chair the next day. By the third day there was talk of moving me out of ICU but....... then I started to complain of abdominal pain. By Sunday I was back in surgery for a small intestine resection as they managed to punch through the intestine with the J-tube. I have no memory of this as I was heavily sedated with several narcotics. I understand I spent some time hallucinating until I was lucid enough to refuse the pain button and weaned myself off. What was shaping up to be a three-day ICU stay turned into a two-week ICU stay. The surgeon says that the removed esophagus and one node indicated clear margins.

I've been home a month or so now and am returning to work tomorrow on light duty. I feel I'll get more exercise there than at home and have no pain issues to deal with. I am still learning the body-signals but have been able to eat small quantities of most anything I want.

Interestingly, I was told by one surgeon that I would never have to worry about reflux again as the surgery virtually eliminated that issue. Within two-weeks of returning home I had a strong reflux issue at night. This occurred nightly at 0500 for several nights. The last two nights I have taken an antacid about 0430 and had no reflux issue. I also now have a new hospital-like bed so I can sleep more vertical without sliding down to horizontal in my sleep.

I am facing a final chemo person in a few weeks. They say I will loose hair and have some nausea so I'm not looking forward to it but I will try to remain positive and active through it.

Thanks to all here that have provided encouragement to this lurker.

Comments

  • sangora
    sangora Member Posts: 213
    #2
    Congratulations
    Glad to hear things are becoming normal again for you. It seems that many have little unexpected bumps in the road. You seem to have done well. Keep your spirits up and keep us updated as you settle back to your new normal. Sam Stage IV
  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #3
    Good News!!
    Glad to hear the surgery was successful. It sounds like your stay in the hospital was not what you had hoped for but the result was what you wanted. I am curious about the post surgical chemo with a clear pathology report. Did your oncologist suggest this as insurance?

    I had post surgery chemotherapy because I had a positive node found in the pathology. I will not try to suggest it is fun but it is survivable.

    Best of luck as you go forward.


    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!
  • lenrev
    lenrev Member Posts: 5
    #4
    paul61 said:

    Good News!!
    Glad to hear the surgery was successful. It sounds like your stay in the hospital was not what you had hoped for but the result was what you wanted. I am curious about the post surgical chemo with a clear pathology report. Did your oncologist suggest this as insurance?

    I had post surgery chemotherapy because I had a positive node found in the pathology. I will not try to suggest it is fun but it is survivable.

    Best of luck as you go forward.


    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!

    Paul61,
    I was told from the
    Paul61,
    I was told from the start that I would likely do post-surgery chemo and suspect it is due to the one node near the tumors that appeared hot in the PET.

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