Hi everyone - i hope you all had a wonderful christmas and are looking forward to a better new year.  Roy came out of hospital yesterday- his 42nd birthday!!.  None of  us think he should have come home but it was what he wanted so we will take one day at a time.  Li - stay optimistic and positive.  Julie  - i love your attitude.

Happy new year to you all

gillxxx

Wishing all of you hope for the New Year, love Grace. 

My thoughts go out to everyone who post on this site and I wish you all a very happy new year.

love Marianne x

hi all not been around for a while due to the fact i had my op done nov 16th 2009. the whole op was done key hole, i was the 8th person to have it done by my surgoen. he was over the moon it all went so well.. no horrid scar, no rib taken out, no shoulder blade dislocated. unforturly 2 days later i had a leak the size of a pin, but it caused a few problems. they had to cut me to go back in. so now i have scar, rib removed, and shoulder dislocated. was in icu for 5 days. due to bad chest infection i was on oxygen for for a few days. they have told me it will be a  few months before my lungs will be back to normal. i was 2half wks in hospital. so 7wks pro op iam doing ok. drove my car the other day which was great. i get tummy cramps a lot of wind. my shoulder hurts like mad, never seem to be able to get comfy. been given the all clear tk god, they took out 35 nodes only 1 was cancerous amazing. waiting to see if i need 1 more chemo a sweep up as they call it. ladies can i ask does the feeling in your boob come back? wishing you all a happy new year and good health to us all. sharon xxxxx

I too am new to this site. I was diagnosed with oesphageal cancer in December 2009 just three weeks ago. The doctors believe that the cancer has been caught early and it can be cured. I could have told them that, but I would have said will be cured. CT scans show no spread, The laproscopy shows no problems, I know I have a battle ahead, but a battle loke you I know I will win.

Regards Lou. 

A Happy, Healthy & Hope-filled New Year to you All.  Ben and Steve, you know how my cat likes to party?  Thought you might like to see him in fine form New Year’s Eve. xx 

Hi Mike Rooney

You posted a few months ago on What Now and I responded to your post there.  Your experience is truly amazing as spontaneous remission is incredibly rare and I’ve never heard of it with oesophageal cancer.  Research in Japan still hasn’t been able to explain the phenomena properly although some schools of thought attribute it to an error in initial diagnosis.  Be that as it may, I think it’s fantastic that you are clear of all tumours and that this disease seems to have disappeared completely.  I will keep my fingers crossed for you that the scan will not reveal anything and that you remain cancer-free.  It’s so uplifting to read of a case like yours and I’m sure it will give hope and encouragement to others, although it is a rare occurrence.  Let us know how your scan goes.

Best wishes

Crystal  

Hi Sharon

It’s good news that you’re now recovering after your initial ordeal after the keyhole surgery.  I’ve heard accounts from several people about complications in terms of leaks and chest infections after keyhole surgery as opposed to open surgery, but I don’t know if this is coincidence or just a part of the overall stats for known complications across all types of procedures for this op.  Anyway, it sounds as though you’re coping really well, but I do sympathise with the various aches and pains you’re having.  I expect you’ve read through this thread a little and also the postings in the Oesophageal Group, so hopefully you may have picked up a few tips on pain relief, dumping syndrome and general ideas for comfort whilst relaxing and sleeping.  It’s excellent that you’ve been given the all clear, though with one lymph node infected it is likely that they will offer you chemo for the mopping up.  Also, you will be pleased to know that yes, the feeling does come back to the breast, but it does take a long time.  At first it feels very numb doesn’t it?  Then it starts to feel numb but with pins and needles, until feeling returns from the inside outwards.  It’s an odd feeling but it does return to absolutely normal after around 12 months, maybe a little sooner.  Probably one of the worst pains I still have is from the huge scar from the breast around to the spine, because when I’m tired this still throbs and pulls.  Also, as you say, the shoulder can be a torment.  It helps if you sleep in a reclining position with a V shaped pillow and take prescribed meds such as soluble Co-codimol (Solpodol) 30/500mg.

Anyway, you’ve come out the other side and you are very early into recovery yet seem to be making really good progress.  There will be days when you feel you’re not making progress but these are normal and it does get better in time.  I wish you lots of luck and hope you’ll stay in touch and share your experiences.

Best wishes in 2010

Crystal

 

 Hi Lou

You have a great attitude so keep that mind focussed and get yourself physically fit.  I’ve noticed that doctors never say ‘will cure’, instead they use words like ‘strive’, ‘aim’ or ‘endeavour’.  Personally to myself I always said ‘am cured’ even before treatment Lol.  When is your surgery?  I hope you keep in touch as your experience through surgery and recovery will help others here in a similar situation.

Good luck and best wishes in 2010

Crystal

 

 

 

 

Not sure yet whether there will be chemo first, that means the surgery will be in three months. I have a myocardial infusion test on the 11th in Townsville then fly to Brisbane for a PET scan on the 13th. The surgery may well happen at the end of Janurary. I start training with the Rugby League referees on the 4 th, this will increase my fitness level for the surgery.

hi all,

hope all is well or as good as it can be, hope all had a good new year i know we did.

just got a question how many people had mop up chemo after the big op, i would appricate any one that gets back to me on this, as its quite important.

thank you

Li

hi crystal, thank you for your reply, could you also tell me why do we get the sweeting so much, have you found anything to help with it. sharon x