The Beginning 1/30/13
Do I start my journal writing about the extreme shock my siblings and I felt when my older sister was diagnosed with Stage III esophageal cancer just 8 short years after my mother died from colon cancer? Or do I tell you about how I cleaned every single thing in my house (including all the little tiny pieces of glass in our hanging chandelier) as I tried to pass the time while my life was put on hold? No, I think a better way to start is just to say how thankful I am that I found this support group. The members in it have given me hope and strength to face each day.
After my mother's death, my siblings and I were all scheduled for regular colonoscopies in order to stay ahead of the game and beat cancer. My maternal grandmother also died from colon cancer, so all of us educated ourselves about the symptoms so that we could be checked immediately if anything suspicious turned up. So when my sister had the feeling that food was getting temporarily stuck near her stomach, she assumed (as did her gastroenterologist) that she just needed her esophagus stretched. She had already waited 3 months to make her appointment. Now she waited another 6 weeks for her EGD.
I remember searching the internet for signs of cancer during this anxious time, as I truly felt that something was wrong. However, I couldn't find any info suggesting that this symptom was a sign of cancer. So I anxiously waited. The EGD showed 80% blockage, and the scans showed cancer in at least 1 lymph node. Since my sister was overwhelmed, I spent the next several weeks searching on the internet for the best doctors and medical care for her. Our journey had begun.
After my mother's death, my siblings and I were all scheduled for regular colonoscopies in order to stay ahead of the game and beat cancer. My maternal grandmother also died from colon cancer, so all of us educated ourselves about the symptoms so that we could be checked immediately if anything suspicious turned up. So when my sister had the feeling that food was getting temporarily stuck near her stomach, she assumed (as did her gastroenterologist) that she just needed her esophagus stretched. She had already waited 3 months to make her appointment. Now she waited another 6 weeks for her EGD.
I remember searching the internet for signs of cancer during this anxious time, as I truly felt that something was wrong. However, I couldn't find any info suggesting that this symptom was a sign of cancer. So I anxiously waited. The EGD showed 80% blockage, and the scans showed cancer in at least 1 lymph node. Since my sister was overwhelmed, I spent the next several weeks searching on the internet for the best doctors and medical care for her. Our journey had begun.
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