new here and trying to stay postive.

cunicorn
cunicorn Member Posts: 8
edited March 2014 in Esophageal Cancer #1
My husband had a endoscopy was told he had esophangeal cancer in May 2009, a ct scan done a week later show that the cancer was in the lymph nodes with some node's from 15mm to 17mm. the first week of june husband ended up in the hospital the first time for 9 days. that is when we got the results that his cancer was stage t3,n1,m0, we was told what to expect in the next few months. He had a feeding tube inserted as he had already lost over 60 pound since begining of april when he notice that he was having problems getting food to stay down.

A few days before he was to start his chemo he thought he was having a heart attack husband had, had a heart attack two years before, so another ct scan was done on heart and showed tha he was not having a heart attack, but the lymph node's (17mm to 22mm) were larger over a two week time period. He started 1st round chemo two days later, stayed 5 days in hospital for the chemo treatment. on the 5th day come home from hospital, but didn't stay home long only 4 days and ended back in hospital for 13 days as he was so so sick from the chemo and radiation treatments, barely home 4 days. before we knew it was time to go through the second round of chemo which they lower the doseage by 25%, this time he stayed in the hospital 23 days.

Five weeks of radiation and the last round of chemo had pet scan results not what was expected. was told that might have infection in the paraspinal muscles, as per docter cancer was unlikely to spead here. needed a mri to determined. husband ended up in hospital again as his blood pressure had dropped so low.

After another ct scan and a biopies was taken from the spine and paraspinal muscle and a mri show that the cancer has spead to the spine and spinal muscles in husband back. so now cancer is t4,n1,m1, and so now we no longer have the option of surgery to remove his esophengeal tumor and husband is not sure he want to go through anymore chemo treatment as he has been so sick and his health has gone down so much in the past 3 months, he has lost over 91 pounds to date, can barely tolarated any feeding throght his feeding tube and in alot of pain.

we have a docter appointment later in the month to see what our other options are but not overly postive on what the future hold for him (us).

Comments

  • MOE58
    MOE58 Member Posts: 589 Member
    #2
    welcome to our site
    I am sorry to hear that your husband is having such a difficult time, you don't say his age but sounds like he was hit hard with this ugly disease we call cancer, my husband is recovering from stage 2 esophogeal surgery. I wish your husband was able to have the surgery but sounds like he won't be able too. You do have to keep a positive attitude, and let him know you are there for him. The feeding tube is great if he will use it, but some people just give up and don't want to continue treatments and etc. I would like to know where you live and his age, we have alot of people on this site that is very knowledgeable and will be responding to you. I too am a caregiver and if I can help please let me know. My husband was only 45 when diagnosed and he too couldn't swallow is how we found it.

    Lori AKA MOE
  • kitten0385
    kitten0385 Member Posts: 248
    #3
    Welcome!!!
    While I am very sorry for the reasons you had to seek out this site for support, I am very happy that you have. First off, let me say, don't give up just yet, seek out a second opinion if necessary. If your husband is up to it and has his health other than cancer, than don't lay down the sword just yet. I believe there is ALWAYS hope. Someone on this site a short while back shared this with me...."When the world says "give up," Hope whispers "just one more time." Until you hear further results stay positive about the future, you never know how long one may have in this world of ours and every day should be cherished.

    As for me, I was diagnosed with stage 3 esophageal cancer when was 23, I underwent an esophagectomy where I had all of my esophagus and a third of my stomach removed, and then underwent 6 months of post-op chemo and 25 sessions of radiation. In May my scans were clear, and then come a couple weeks ago we found out that the cancer is back, there are tumor cells floating around in all the fluid surrounding my organs, but have not yet formed a tumor visible on scans. I started chemo again one week ago.

    So, believe me when I say, I understand what you are going through. I was on a feeding tube for 5 weeks, and it was a life saver! I am sure it will be much easier to maintain your husband's weight while having it for his nutrition. If he is not tolerating the feedings well, then maybe the brand of food needs to be changed, mine did as I was not tolerating mine well either. After switching to another formula, I was just fine.

    I am here any time you want to chat, and I'm sure many others on this site will respond as well as soon as they see your post. I wish you and your husband the best!!

    Cathy
  • mumphy
    mumphy Member Posts: 440
    #4
    kitten0385 said:

    Welcome!!!
    While I am very sorry for the reasons you had to seek out this site for support, I am very happy that you have. First off, let me say, don't give up just yet, seek out a second opinion if necessary. If your husband is up to it and has his health other than cancer, than don't lay down the sword just yet. I believe there is ALWAYS hope. Someone on this site a short while back shared this with me...."When the world says "give up," Hope whispers "just one more time." Until you hear further results stay positive about the future, you never know how long one may have in this world of ours and every day should be cherished.

    As for me, I was diagnosed with stage 3 esophageal cancer when was 23, I underwent an esophagectomy where I had all of my esophagus and a third of my stomach removed, and then underwent 6 months of post-op chemo and 25 sessions of radiation. In May my scans were clear, and then come a couple weeks ago we found out that the cancer is back, there are tumor cells floating around in all the fluid surrounding my organs, but have not yet formed a tumor visible on scans. I started chemo again one week ago.

    So, believe me when I say, I understand what you are going through. I was on a feeding tube for 5 weeks, and it was a life saver! I am sure it will be much easier to maintain your husband's weight while having it for his nutrition. If he is not tolerating the feedings well, then maybe the brand of food needs to be changed, mine did as I was not tolerating mine well either. After switching to another formula, I was just fine.

    I am here any time you want to chat, and I'm sure many others on this site will respond as well as soon as they see your post. I wish you and your husband the best!!

    Cathy

    Glad to have you here
    Hi I'm Kathy aka Mumphy
    I glad you found this site, but sorry you had to find it. My husband was diagnosed in May
    with stage IV operable so far. He is 61 was very healthy until he also began to have trouble swollowing. Went through the whole bit scoped, staged, stent for eating, he does not have a feeding tube as of yet. He has lost alot of weight but so far holding his own.
    We have 2 more chemo treatments to go hopefully & then the re-testing to see if he is ready for surgery.

    I agree with both of these wonderful ladies who have responded to your post. They happen
    to have helped me through some bad times, along with alot of other people on this site.

    William will scare you, but he tells it like it is and as it happens my husband Al has the
    same surgeon that did his surgery, so to me his words are like gold, I pretty much know
    what to expect when surgery time comes. I also agree that another opinion wouldn't hurt.

    Try to stay positive and if you find yourself loosing it just come here someone is always here with prayers and kind words. Keep us posted on how things are going, or if you just
    need to vent.

    May God Bless and Keep you,

    Kath
  • WildGoose7
    WildGoose7 Member Posts: 31
    #5
    Stay Positive - And Attack That Cancer
    Keep your husband's spirits up and don't let this EC wear him down. I continue to tell all of my doctors that I want this 'thing' killed. I'm completely open with them and I tell them that I aggressively want it gone - whatever it takes.

    Your husband was diagnosed about the time I started having swallowing problems. In my situation, with a long distance move, no doctor in my insurance plan would see me and I refused to go to the local emergency room due to their very poor reputation. Yes, I lived in rural California then and everything was over a mountain to somewhere. I had 2 appointments scheduled in Topeka, Kansas before I even left California.

    I've been clinically diagnosed as T2N1Mx, with one 'hot' lymph node next to my bronchial tube that was biopsied during a bronchoscope procedure. The lymph node was found during a PET/CT body scan. I've had 2 different gastro endoscopies, the second one with ultra-sound to determine thickness of the infiltration into the esophogus wall. It's getting pretty much old hat now for these tests. Radiation starts tomorrow and I'm scheduled to meet yet again with my oncologist and then start the additive aspect of chemo the next day.

    I'm optomistic that I may be able to make the last half of deer season and a few days of fall turkey season here in Kansas although I will probably have to hunt from a 4x4 ATV.

    I wish your husband and YOU my very best.

    Mike 'the Wild Goose' sends
  • cunicorn
    cunicorn Member Posts: 8
    #6
    MOE58 said:

    welcome to our site
    I am sorry to hear that your husband is having such a difficult time, you don't say his age but sounds like he was hit hard with this ugly disease we call cancer, my husband is recovering from stage 2 esophogeal surgery. I wish your husband was able to have the surgery but sounds like he won't be able too. You do have to keep a positive attitude, and let him know you are there for him. The feeding tube is great if he will use it, but some people just give up and don't want to continue treatments and etc. I would like to know where you live and his age, we have alot of people on this site that is very knowledgeable and will be responding to you. I too am a caregiver and if I can help please let me know. My husband was only 45 when diagnosed and he too couldn't swallow is how we found it.

    Lori AKA MOE

    thanks for the kind words
    My husband name is al he is 51 years old (will be 52 yrs on dec 2)we live in madison heights michigan outside of detroit. he is taking as feeding through the feeding tube that he can tolarated but he gets sick most time after feeding. after this last time in hospital i really think that he has given up. since he had to spend our 29th wedding anniversay in the hospital and he got the news that his cancer had spead, and with no option of surgery. he says that is is tired of everything that he wants it just to be all over.

    All i know that since i am now the person that has to bring the income for our family that this weight heavy on my husband mind, he has medical income coming in but not sure how much longer that will last. he had been the main breadwinner in our family for so many years.

    It's been so tough on him since his heart attack a little over two years and just when his life is starting to get back on track and he begin's to see that everything is going to be good, he hits with the news of cancer.

    I have tried to be strong for both him and myself, but even the strongest have thier moments of failure i guess. but thank you for your kind words, i have been doing so much research on his type of cancer and it seem that i've found so much information to even begin to get a understanding of this cancer, really don't seem like there was much hope until this site.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #7
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • runabe
    runabe Member Posts: 48
    edited December 2016 #8
    HAVE TO STAY POSITIVE

    My wife Linda was diagnosed with stage 2b almost 3 I found this WONDERFULL sight A lot of help here when i was posting early was crying a lot Linda and i have been together over 42 yrs She is WHO I AM Please keep us informed and take care of BOTH of you Abe

  • emg09
    emg09 Member Posts: 228
    #9
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Bailey1459
    Hi,

    Can you please tell me what kind of alternative you are using. I tried sending you an email, but it bounced back that it didn't exist. Here's my email, erika.m.garza@census.gov.

    Thanks!!
    Erika

Discussion Boards