Esophageal Cancer Support Group
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes. Esophageal tumors usually lead to dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), pain and other symptoms, and is diagnosed with biopsy. Small and localized tumors are treated with surgery, and advanced tumors are treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or combinations.
I am a 79 year old male. Last year I was a 185 lb 5' 11" male, but for the last several months was not feeling strong and easly short of breath, tieying out easy. In med Nov 2011 I admitted myself to the hospital for a check-up, and when the EDG showed that I had Stomach Cancer I opt for surgery, so on 30 Nov. 2011, the doctor. removed my entire stomoch, my gallbladder, part of my esophagus and 30 lymph nodes, of the 30, 23 were already infected with the Cancer. He then attached my small intestines to my esophagus. I stayed 10 days in the hospital. I recovered nicely, even tho I was having some trouble with what foods to eat & not eat. Even tho I was having some mild diarreah, on 9 Jan 2012 I started Chemo. 5 days then 3 weeks off and then another for the nex 6 months. After the first round, my mouth was so infected with mouth sores and my tongue so swollen, I was having a hard time eating and drinking, that I got dehydrated and ended up in the hospital. My GP had me tested and found that I had an infection that was causing the diarreah. She gave me med to help with this infection causing the diarreah.
The next time they gave me a lesser dose of Chemo and a nurse told me to suck on ice cubes all while I was getting the Chemo to help with the mouth sores, that did help a lot, but again I ended up in the hospital as I needed blood transfusion, 2 units. I then told the doctor, no more Chemo., it was killing me.
I got my diarreah in check, learned what foods to stay away from and what to eat. I have gained back some 7 lbs of my lose weight, and now can eat allmost anything I want. I am not back at 100% but doing much better.
Now I eat about 7 times a day, small meal and CHEW my food very much as so to let my mouth do the breaking down of the food that my stomach use to do, and drinking water with every bite. Needless to say that I try to get as much protien as I can. My wife makes me some fruit drinks ( 1 hole banana, over ripe when possible, plus other , apples, paers, peiches, ect. with a hole scop of protien power and lactaid free milk). I drink about 16 oz a day of this, even at night time when I wake I get up and drink some of this shake. I eat creamy peanut butter sandwichs in the mid day. Right now I eat any thing I want, just small amounts at a time.
A few months after I stop taking Chemo, the wife and I went on a 2+ months car trip around the US and Canada. I did most of the driving.
I hope that this might help some one that is looking for info on Stomach Cancer as I know how hard it is to find info. Please fell free to ask anything you might want to know that I might help you, as I know how HARD it is to find info on this Cancer.
The next time they gave me a lesser dose of Chemo and a nurse told me to suck on ice cubes all while I was getting the Chemo to help with the mouth sores, that did help a lot, but again I ended up in the hospital as I needed blood transfusion, 2 units. I then told the doctor, no more Chemo., it was killing me.
I got my diarreah in check, learned what foods to stay away from and what to eat. I have gained back some 7 lbs of my lose weight, and now can eat allmost anything I want. I am not back at 100% but doing much better.
Now I eat about 7 times a day, small meal and CHEW my food very much as so to let my mouth do the breaking down of the food that my stomach use to do, and drinking water with every bite. Needless to say that I try to get as much protien as I can. My wife makes me some fruit drinks ( 1 hole banana, over ripe when possible, plus other , apples, paers, peiches, ect. with a hole scop of protien power and lactaid free milk). I drink about 16 oz a day of this, even at night time when I wake I get up and drink some of this shake. I eat creamy peanut butter sandwichs in the mid day. Right now I eat any thing I want, just small amounts at a time.
A few months after I stop taking Chemo, the wife and I went on a 2+ months car trip around the US and Canada. I did most of the driving.
I hope that this might help some one that is looking for info on Stomach Cancer as I know how hard it is to find info. Please fell free to ask anything you might want to know that I might help you, as I know how HARD it is to find info on this Cancer.
My hubby had stage 3 esophageal cancer and had his esophagus and part of his stomach removed last November. Then came chemo and radiation and he is nearly back to normal now too. He does still have most of his stomach though, so he isn't as restricted as you are for amounts he can eat, although it is a smaller capacity than before.
Again, thanks for telling your story. It does give the rest of us strength to carry on - I hope you know that. Keep up the great work!
Margi
(Calgary, Canada - soon to be Cochrane, AB - moving TOMORROW!)
It sounds like you have done very well and - like so many of us - are aware of trying to make every day count. :-) Your 2 month car trip must have been very nice. What were some of the highlights and some of your favorite places? Hope things keep going really well for you & your wife. Brenda
Brenda I did not realize that one could live with out a stomach, but we can, LOL. At frist the Dr. told me he would remove about 2/3rds, but when they were wheeling me in, he told me that he would have to remove all of it. I gess that after rereading the Pet Scan he saw more and acted on it. I know some doctors would not have operated at all.
As for the trip went to Niagra Falls, Mall of America, The Corn Palce, The Green Giant, The Badlands of S.D., Mount Rushmor, Creasy Hourse to name some. Robleyd