Nebraska Connection Roll Call

LivingFaith
LivingFaith Member Posts: 74
edited March 2014 in Esophageal Cancer #1
I see there are a few of us from NE. Anybody want to do a little roll call? I've kind of felt alone out here, you know the middle of nowhere with only cornfields and no indoor plumbing, ;-) Just kidding. But if you have traveled and told people you are from Nebraska that is their impression.

I'll start, My name is Deb. I live in Omaha. My dad age 65, dx on July 16 with EC stage 4 with mets to his nodes and a hotspot on his liver, through the EC Center at Creighton, Dr. Mittal. Since he is not a surgery canidate he returned to their home town about 100 miles west of here to recieve chemo. I'm not thrilled about his choice to do that but I understand his wishes. There is a team of oncologists from Omaha who come out twice a week for clinic appts at the chemo clinic there.

Does anybody know of any good support groups here? (for me). I live out west and have 2 small children so they need to be in the evenings. Any other good resources in Ne?

Go Big Red to my Husker friends.

Thanks...Deb

Comments

  • katrina846
    katrina846 Member Posts: 5
    #2
    Papillion Nebraska....Here!
    Hi Deb!
    My name is Kathy (Katrina846) and as I sit at my computer this gloomy gray day, it dawns on me how far my Dad has come since his diagnosis in 08. Those initial months of tests, appointments, chemo/radiation,dehydration now seem a distant memory. I am a nurse of almost 30 years which helped so much with all of the issues that go along with such a devastating diagnosis.
    I think that my Dad's strong will and determination was so HUGE during this whole process and what carried him through thus far. He has the desire to be physically active and even changed the oil in my daughters car (he felt pain in his back for a few days after!). He developed a hernia at his abdominal incision site and had that repaired at UNMC a few months ago. He said that the hernia repair surgery was worse than the Ivor Lewis!
    Are you able to see your Dad very often? It sounds as if you have a busy home life...a lot of irons in the fire!
    I would be happy to be of any help to you. I don't know of any official EC support groups. My Dad is a pretty independent fellow and never felt the need for a support group, so I never looked into it.
    Looking forward to hearing from our other Cornhusker, Linda!
    Take care!
    Kathy
  • Bobs1wife
    Bobs1wife Member Posts: 150
    #3
    Nebraska Connections
    Deb, Great idea! I wanted to know of others that have gone through the EC experience, or are currently in treatment. When I ask I was told there were no groups. Only general cancer groups, but noting specific. Even if "us Huskers" just know there are others around us it is comforting. We felt kind of like "odd man out" being told this diagnosis is so rare in Nebraska. Kind of an isolated feeling. See what you are able to accomplish through this site. Hip Hip Hooray! Cheers for you! Linda, Bobs1wife
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #4
    Present!
    My name is Sally. My dad was diagnosed March 13, 2010 with stage 4 EC with liver mets. It has now (as of this week) spread to his spine. He started Taxol on Monday. He's doing better than anyone ever thought he would. Still no problems eating or swallowing. And he continues to go to work several days a week. But we all know that things are slowly heading downhill. I dread what is coming. I'm just praying he can make it through to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    Both my parents were born in raised in Nebraska (Fullerton and Lexington). I was born in Lincoln, so I consider myself a true BIG RED fan! I grew up in Illinois, but went every summer to my grandparents farm in Lexington. I also graduated from UNL in '88.

    I must say that the Huskers have been a great distraction for my dad as he goes through this dreadful ordeal. It gives both of us something to talk about and we can actually have some daughter/father bonding time as we watch the games on tv together. My fantasy is to try to get to a game sometime with him before he gets too ill. I don't know if it will happen, but I've been looking into tickets and flight info. to see if it's possible. He would LOVE it I'm sure!!

    Anyway...I'm glad we won today. But a little concerned at the fact we only scored 17 points!! What's THAT about??! LOL.

    Bleeding Husker Red!!

    Sally
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #5
    katrina846 said:

    Papillion Nebraska....Here!
    Hi Deb!
    My name is Kathy (Katrina846) and as I sit at my computer this gloomy gray day, it dawns on me how far my Dad has come since his diagnosis in 08. Those initial months of tests, appointments, chemo/radiation,dehydration now seem a distant memory. I am a nurse of almost 30 years which helped so much with all of the issues that go along with such a devastating diagnosis.
    I think that my Dad's strong will and determination was so HUGE during this whole process and what carried him through thus far. He has the desire to be physically active and even changed the oil in my daughters car (he felt pain in his back for a few days after!). He developed a hernia at his abdominal incision site and had that repaired at UNMC a few months ago. He said that the hernia repair surgery was worse than the Ivor Lewis!
    Are you able to see your Dad very often? It sounds as if you have a busy home life...a lot of irons in the fire!
    I would be happy to be of any help to you. I don't know of any official EC support groups. My Dad is a pretty independent fellow and never felt the need for a support group, so I never looked into it.
    Looking forward to hearing from our other Cornhusker, Linda!
    Take care!
    Kathy

    Hey Deb!
    I know it's a complete shot in the dark...Papillion is a big town. I went to college with a girlfriend who lives in Papillion. You wouldn't know a Lisa Line or the Line family would you?
    Just thought I asked! You never know! Stranger things have happened! LOL.

    Sally
  • katrina846
    katrina846 Member Posts: 5
    #6
    sal314 said:

    Present!
    My name is Sally. My dad was diagnosed March 13, 2010 with stage 4 EC with liver mets. It has now (as of this week) spread to his spine. He started Taxol on Monday. He's doing better than anyone ever thought he would. Still no problems eating or swallowing. And he continues to go to work several days a week. But we all know that things are slowly heading downhill. I dread what is coming. I'm just praying he can make it through to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    Both my parents were born in raised in Nebraska (Fullerton and Lexington). I was born in Lincoln, so I consider myself a true BIG RED fan! I grew up in Illinois, but went every summer to my grandparents farm in Lexington. I also graduated from UNL in '88.

    I must say that the Huskers have been a great distraction for my dad as he goes through this dreadful ordeal. It gives both of us something to talk about and we can actually have some daughter/father bonding time as we watch the games on tv together. My fantasy is to try to get to a game sometime with him before he gets too ill. I don't know if it will happen, but I've been looking into tickets and flight info. to see if it's possible. He would LOVE it I'm sure!!

    Anyway...I'm glad we won today. But a little concerned at the fact we only scored 17 points!! What's THAT about??! LOL.

    Bleeding Husker Red!!

    Sally

    Huskers
    Hi Sally,
    It's Kathy from Papillion. I don't know of your friend Lisa, but she has sure picked a great town to live in!
    Sorry to hear of the mets to your Dads spine, but sounds as if he able able to function pretty well for which I'm sure you are thankful!
    I bought a couple of Husker tickets for the Idaho game and figured that 1 of our 3 daughters would like to go to the game with their Dad, but they were all busy. I would rather watch the game from the comfort of home, so really didn't want to go. Everyone I asked was unavailable. I thought..oops, I just wasted 100 dollars!
    I knew my Dad wouldn't want to. He gets too antsy sitting in the stadium for that long. Then thought, how about my Mom?? I asked and she was THRILLED to go. SO, my precious husband took my excited Mom, with her titanium knee and shakey parkinson arms to the game and they both LOVED IT!
    The moral of my story is...do what you think you can for whatever time your Dad feels well, and has the desire.
    We are semi empty nesters with a big house so if you get tickets for you and your Dad and need a place to stay, you are welcome here!
    Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday!
    Kathy
  • LivingFaith
    LivingFaith Member Posts: 74
    #7
    sal314 said:

    Present!
    My name is Sally. My dad was diagnosed March 13, 2010 with stage 4 EC with liver mets. It has now (as of this week) spread to his spine. He started Taxol on Monday. He's doing better than anyone ever thought he would. Still no problems eating or swallowing. And he continues to go to work several days a week. But we all know that things are slowly heading downhill. I dread what is coming. I'm just praying he can make it through to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    Both my parents were born in raised in Nebraska (Fullerton and Lexington). I was born in Lincoln, so I consider myself a true BIG RED fan! I grew up in Illinois, but went every summer to my grandparents farm in Lexington. I also graduated from UNL in '88.

    I must say that the Huskers have been a great distraction for my dad as he goes through this dreadful ordeal. It gives both of us something to talk about and we can actually have some daughter/father bonding time as we watch the games on tv together. My fantasy is to try to get to a game sometime with him before he gets too ill. I don't know if it will happen, but I've been looking into tickets and flight info. to see if it's possible. He would LOVE it I'm sure!!

    Anyway...I'm glad we won today. But a little concerned at the fact we only scored 17 points!! What's THAT about??! LOL.

    Bleeding Husker Red!!

    Sally

    Sally
    Hey Sally,

    I could help you get tickets to a game if you decide to come. Much easier than trying to buy them on line. My dad has tickets to a game in the next couple of weeks. He really wants to take my 13 year old niece, whom my parents having been raising since my sister passed away last summer, but I think he is too sick to go. The tickets are high in the north end zone. That is a lot of steps, plus now that he is on some pretty strong pain meds, I don't think he should be driving that far as they live about 1 1/2 away.

    Which one of your parents is from Fullerton? My parents grew up in St. Edward just a stone's throw away from there. My Uncle lived there until he retired a few years ago. Small world isn't is?

    How old is your dad? Wouldn't it be strange if they knew each other? Those are some pretty small towns. Back in the 50's and 60's my grandfather was the local doctor in St. Ed and for the hospital in Albion.

    Take Care....Deb
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #8
    katrina846 said:

    Huskers
    Hi Sally,
    It's Kathy from Papillion. I don't know of your friend Lisa, but she has sure picked a great town to live in!
    Sorry to hear of the mets to your Dads spine, but sounds as if he able able to function pretty well for which I'm sure you are thankful!
    I bought a couple of Husker tickets for the Idaho game and figured that 1 of our 3 daughters would like to go to the game with their Dad, but they were all busy. I would rather watch the game from the comfort of home, so really didn't want to go. Everyone I asked was unavailable. I thought..oops, I just wasted 100 dollars!
    I knew my Dad wouldn't want to. He gets too antsy sitting in the stadium for that long. Then thought, how about my Mom?? I asked and she was THRILLED to go. SO, my precious husband took my excited Mom, with her titanium knee and shakey parkinson arms to the game and they both LOVED IT!
    The moral of my story is...do what you think you can for whatever time your Dad feels well, and has the desire.
    We are semi empty nesters with a big house so if you get tickets for you and your Dad and need a place to stay, you are welcome here!
    Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday!
    Kathy

    What a Great Story!
    It's so fun and funny that Husker fans get soooo excited about their football team! It tickles me red that you're Mom had such a great time!! Good for her! :)

    And thanks for your sweet offer for a place to stay. It's kind (if not a bit crazy) to put that out there given you have no idea who I am!! LOL. Actually, we have some close family friends that live right in Lincoln, so I'm sure we cold stay with them.

    Just not sure how realistic it would be. The uncertainty of how my dad would be feeling is a big question mark. So... I need to see how he gets through the next chemo treatment and then maybe we can talk about it. Guess I'm just trying to figure out ways to spend what time we have left with one another. I want to do something with him that would really be fun and a great memory to have with him! :(

    Blessings,
    Sally
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #9
    LivingFaith said:

    Sally
    Hey Sally,

    I could help you get tickets to a game if you decide to come. Much easier than trying to buy them on line. My dad has tickets to a game in the next couple of weeks. He really wants to take my 13 year old niece, whom my parents having been raising since my sister passed away last summer, but I think he is too sick to go. The tickets are high in the north end zone. That is a lot of steps, plus now that he is on some pretty strong pain meds, I don't think he should be driving that far as they live about 1 1/2 away.

    Which one of your parents is from Fullerton? My parents grew up in St. Edward just a stone's throw away from there. My Uncle lived there until he retired a few years ago. Small world isn't is?

    How old is your dad? Wouldn't it be strange if they knew each other? Those are some pretty small towns. Back in the 50's and 60's my grandfather was the local doctor in St. Ed and for the hospital in Albion.

    Take Care....Deb

    Hey Deb...
    My Dad is 69. His name is Roger Greer. His father and mother were John and Ruth Greer. My father also has a brother, Gordon Greer who is 74 yr. old. I believe John and Ruth were also raised in Fullerton and lived there the majority of their lives. And I think there were several Greer cousins in and around that area.

    That would be a hoot if your uncle knew them. My uncle Gordon had cancer in his knee when he was a senior in high school. So...I'm sure he saw several doctors and probably at that hospital?!

    Let me know if he does! That would just be so weird and cool!! :)

    Blessings,
    Sally

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