Surgery is not an option

Hi Sorry to hear about your husbands diagnosis,My husband to has OC ,He was diagnosed coming up for 2:5 yrs ago .We were absolutely devastated as he had been getting treated for what they throat was redux .Anyway he was at point not managing any food.His diagnosis was it was pretty advanced and speed in his Lymph nodes ..He wasn’t given option of operation but treatment.He was given a stent to help with his eating and Radiotherapy and then chemo and has been taking turmeric supplement .Treatment was really helpful and eating had improved.He has unfortunately had bit set back and it is likely in his lymph node at throat stopping food getting down .He is having another course of Radiotherapy is on 2nd week.Chemotherapy definitely helped him plus having stent is this an option for your husband .Also he was told as long as he eats little but often doesn’t matter what as long as it’s full fat ..Its funny as my husband manages to eat a lot of maize type crisps but st moment only that soups and pudding s.Good luck hope chemo goes well x

  Dear Lairdy23

Thank you so much for your reply, I really appreciate the time you have taken to share your story.  2.5 years is a great vision. Like yourselves we were absolutely devastated, however 17 days between diagnosis and start of treatment in this current climate has been a fantastic reassurance for us both. We have not been offered radiotherapy, and currently Dal is able to eat softs and the occasional bag of mini cheddars A stent has not been inserted yet and we hope to maintain this level if possible.  

With the OC spread into many of his lymph nodes and his lung and liver (all be it small flecks in those organs ) I have been extremely scared of how fast he may deteriorate, but your post has given me hope . His own determination and mental focus has been amazing.

I truly hope that your husband is soon able to eat his maize type crisps again, and continues to improve. We too were told full fat produce, so every day for breakfast I make fruit or veg or a mixture into a smoothie. Often adding full fat milk, maca powder, green superblend powder and very recently tumeric powder. So I hope we have the same positive effects from that as your husband has noticed.

Please continue to share your journey if you feel you are able. We are sending strength and support to you both. Stay strong, Stay Positive and thank you again for your reply . 

Lowe' 

Hi Millie 

Thank you so much for posting and sharing your story, what wonderful news that your husband had started eating normally again, I hope the next dilation enables him to do so again very soon. 

It is heartwarming to read the positives , I have always been someone who wants every inch of information, even though it may not directly apply to my Husbands condition . Dal has a T3 N3 M1 adenocarcinoma and as you mention with your husband, to look at him you would not imagine that there is anything wrong. 

It certainly is a frightening time, and I truly appreciate you sharing your story with me, it does indeed give me some hope . 

We too wish all the best to you and your husband, may he continue to improve and to be pain free . 

Lowe'

Hey, your story sounds exactly like my Husbands, they cant operate, after being told its a possibility. He was having trouble eating and was being sick every time he ate. We went to the doctors who sent him to the hospital that day, After being diagnosed with OC and then found a node on his lung. He started Chemo 2 weeks before lockdown, he had to have it every 3 weeks for 6 sessions plus chemo tablets continuously, no radiotherapy was offered. He completed his last round and tablets 5 days ago. The symptoms for each round were completely different, but after 2 rounds he found he could eat solids again and started to put on weight, but near the end of the round he would loose weight through sickness, his cancer is now stable and we are keeping fingers crossed the trials will start up again (closed due to covid), so i say to you, keep as positive as you can, my husband said seeing me smiling and happy (even if i felt like crying) was lovely to see each morning we wake up. We wrote down on the calendar what he felt like every day ie sick, tired so we could remember what each session was like and remind ourselves that it was worse the session before, or it was different.

Stay strong sending positive thoughts

Mands67

Hi Mands thank you, sorry to hear about your husband but it’s good you have each other and you are close and a support for each other.  It’s not easy for you or your husband with this horrible disease.The first six months I used to get so upset but not in front of him now I try to be strong for him so I try to live for today not always easy.The chemo can be really tough and hopefully your husband will feel a bit better now he is finished. My husband had radiotherapy as well he was on a clinical trial. He was able to eat normal for a while . But now he has terrible trouble swallowing everything has to be puréed.This I understand is due to a stricture from the radiotherapy. He had a throat dilation today to help with the swallowing so hopefully in a few days he might tolerate some solid food. This was due in March but because of Covid postponed so we are lucky it was done today. It’s 21 months since he was diagnosed and he looks so well and I think his positive attitude helped a lot. He had a scan last month and the hospital said it was promising so fingers crossed there is always hope.

Strength and best wishes to you and your husband 

Milli