Recovery / Pschological

tayloralba
tayloralba Member Posts: 1
in Esophageal Cancer #1

Last year I was diagnosed with stage 3 borderline 4 EC. I am only 35 and haven't met too many to have this in my age range. I wnet through chemo / radiation and had surgery in September of last year. At first my recovery was going great, I was even back at work 2 months after surgery. Since then I've had 2 other surgeries with the underlying problem being I can't keep food down and simply throw everything back up. They had to put my J Tube back in and I've been trying to get back on my feet for the past 6 months. I'm frustrated because I can't seem to get back to normal. I don't know if my job will be there whenever I am finally able to return, I may be at risk of losing healthcare and would need to sell our home to pay for it. I have 2 small children and my life seems to be falling a part. No one ever mentions what happens after cancer.

Some questions i have:

1. Has anyone had issues keeping food down 9 months or longer after their surgery? my surgeon hasn't experienced anyone with this issue of still throwing up, also I'm the youngest she's done this surgery on and there's not many in my age group to compare my issues to.

2. I thought by now my pain would be gone, I wake up every morning feeling I got hit by a car. My wife hates me being on pain medication and just doesn't seem to realize just how dehabilitating this all is. How long after surgery is it normal for the pain to go away as well as fatigue?

3. Any advise on the psychological issues of recovering? I'm extremely depressed, my 6 year old son asked me the other dat why I never smile and it broke my heart. There's the fear of cancer returning that I live with on a daily basis, and since the surgery was successful everyone expects me to just be back to normal.

4. I don't know what happens when my disability runs out, I'm not due back until september but that may be extended. Because of my age I don't know if I qualify for anything longterm.

5. I may need another surgery where they move around my intestines and some other organs so that food doesn't get blocked. My issue is my pylorus valve isn't letting the food go through to my intestines. I've had botox injections which helped the first time but failed the second time. Has anyone had similiar issues?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I feel like i'm on an island and it was nice to find this group so I don't feel so alone.

 

- Trevor 

Comments

  • ELMunque
    ELMunque Member Posts: 3
    #2
    My friend is 37 and is going

    My friend is 37 and is going through recurrance of EC right now. He had part of his esophagus and part of his Stomach removed, he stopped throwing up a couple of months after his surgery though. He currently has recurrance in his stomach though and that started the throwing up again. He goes on Thursday of this week to see if there is scar tissue possible restricting his digestive track now and to see if it's possible to put a stint of some sort in so he can eat (it was the tumors blocking it, but chemo seems to be shrinking those). Is that a possibility with you? I know this isn't much help, but you aren't alone, Doctors tell my friend that he is youngest all the time. Good luck.

  • JKGulliver
    JKGulliver Member Posts: 93
    #3
    Seek A Second Opinion

    If I were you, this is what I would do.  You should not be throwin up like this so long after your surgery.

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