Dealing with health conditions after cancer

It sounds like you have been through such a lot. I don't think I was even aware that radiotherapy could do that. 

I had never heard of it until the surgeon told me. I don’t understand why this isn’t told to every cancer patient. If I had know this I would have taken my chances and not had the radiotherapy. 

I've just looked at my consent form & it just refers to 'a different sort of cancer in the treatment area', as a possible risk, which isn't very informative. I nearly didn't have radiotherapy as I wasn't sure that the benefits outweighed the risks, esp as it was left-sided. I feel very strongly that I wasn't given enough information about any aspect of my treatment & it didn't help that I only ever got to speak to my oncologist on the phone. I was fortunate that I didn't need chemotherapy. I also felt it was assumed that, at 64, cosmetics wasn't an issue. 

I just glad I am 75, it would be devastating for a younger person. I didn’t know about the radiotherapy causing this until I saw the surgeon at Christy’s. The scars on my thighs due to them taking the skin off for plastic surgery will never look normal again but this doesn’t worry me too much as I live in jeans and I’m too old for shorts etc. I am now under Christy’s for life as the sarcoma is very hard cancer to treat

Hi

I had a lumpectomy (right) in 2021, followed by radiotherapy, Oncotype DX came back as 12 so thankfully no chemotherapy. Last year I started having chest/rib pain on same side, saw BCN, had mammogram and ultrasound same day, found small cyst which was aspirated and then given appt. for bone scan following week. Result of the scan was costochronditis (inflammation of the cartilage). I still have the pains 18 months later so doubt it will get any better.

In 2013 I had Ivor Lewis surgery lift my stomach into the chest wall only half , was a textbook case and was in hospital only five weeks what a rollercoaster ride health wise , I can only sleep on my back or on my right propped up if I happen to go on my left side I get aspiration phenomena and end up in hospital done that twice, mealtimes are interesting but I cannot eat much little and often I try not to go to family gatherings where food is around just in case I slip up then it’s dumping syndrome and disgusting wind in 2020 my stomach stopped working so back to hospital during COVID caught that in hospital put in isolation for 3wks nil by mouth then major surgery again to readjust my stomach and plyrus return home can’t breathe properly now they found my stomach is resting on my lung so now I have steroid in haler 2025 they have found 8 ulcers and my iron levels are very low can’t take iron on board so iron infusions more endoscopy’s to come but iam still here after being told in 2013 its 5 % survival in 10yrs it’s one of the worst cancer I know of and I does not get much better there’s ups and downs and am still very positive I would like to give something back for all the hard work people have done for me I am now 68yrs old. 

I had to read your post twice for it to sink in what you have gone through. It sounds horrendous. Reading your surgery I often wonder how much our bodies can take. People comment that they haven’t heard of my sarcoma but I doubt if anyone has heard of yours. You sound very strong and positive. Like you I really appreciate what the surgeons did for me. Which hospital were you treated at

To peekaboo I have my treatment at St James teaching hospital Leeds West Yorkshire going this morning to see the vampire 

Have a safe journey

Dods said:

it’s one of the worst cancer I know of and I does not get much better there’s ups and downs and am still very positive I would like to give something back for all the hard work people have done for me I am now 68yrs old. 

Oh Dods you must have such an amazing mental constitution. Oesophageal cancer ranks up with pancreatic as having the worst survival rates. 
When we get cancer all we want to be is cured. The realisation about QOL comes later and some of us suffer badly. 
Hugs xx