Finally have some answers

Hi WeeTee

I can totally understand the 101 things going through your mind right now. I did that too, but I've learnt to try and take one day at a time, try not to think/worry about what might or might not happen as you will drive yourself into a complete state and will be no good to anyone.

My experience is my husband had flot chemo, he would go to the cancer unit for approx 7 hours once a fortnight and came home attached to a 24 hour pump that the district nurse would come and detach from his picc line. He didn't do too badly with side effects, he felt sick rather than being sick, but the hospital did phone a few days before each session to find out what side effects he experienced and tweaked his chemo if necessary. 

He suffered from tingly fingers if he opened the fridge or picked up something cold, but that did easy after a few days each session. 

His hair started coming out after session 2, he lost about 80%, didn't think it was going to bother me but it did as it just made it obvious  he was ill.

And he was quite tired so slept quite a bit, everyone is different how they respond to chemo etc and when they tell you about all the side effects you could experience it fills you with complete dread, but best thing to do is just deal with each day as it comes as no two days are the same. 

All the best to you both, look after yourselves x

Maria

Hello WeeTee, Like your partner I was diagnosed with Oesophageal cancer - back in December, in my case, so before the Covid-19 business (or Plague, as I call it).  Initially surgery was suggested for me, but when I was sent for the heart/lung function tests (cyclinjg on an ergometer, etc.) I was deemed unfit for surgery.  No surprise as I am a bit overweight and 73 years old.  So I had chemo- and radiotherapy, as had been suggested for your partner.  For your information, I was to have three sessions of chemo, across 4 weeks, and 25 sessions of radio, over five weeks.   I had some side-effect to the chemo, but not bad as it goes (fatigue, skin problems mouth ulcers -bearable under the circs.).  I did need a blood transfusion at one stage and they stopped the chemo after two sessions.   (Can't remember the reason (the plague was going by then and I was suspicious, but the oncologist insisted it was nothing to do with withdrawing treatment).  I had the full 25 week-daily R-therapy, which was fine, as far as I could tell though I felt a bit sore swallowing towards the end and immediately after.   I also felt very weak, but could just about manage stairs.  They said this was expected.   (In fact the worst thing about the R-therapy was having to travel daily to the hospital over five weeks at the height of the plague - that was a  bit of a worry going into a covid-treating hospital (and it was in Leicester, at that!).)   About three weeks after the R-therapy ended I had an MRI.  I am currently in the middle of a 4-5 wait between that scan and hearing the results if it from the oncologist (10 days time).   I'm told it takes that long for things to settle down so that they can decide what to do next.   I am slowly feeling a bit stronger. I must say I feel positive about the outcome (quite atypical for me, I am usually pretty negative, as I was when first diagnosed) because I have now no noticeable symptoms of the thing in my gullet.  But who knows, stuff can show up on the scans that I wouldn't be aware of?   

Anyway, all this is just to say that I have been on a similar "journey" (as it seems to be termed here) as your partner  insofar as I was unsuitable for surgery and the chemo- and radio-T was bearable for me.  I know everyone is unique, but just be assured that I, for one, haven't found the treatment too unbearable .  So Far.   I hope your partner has no more bad effects than I have had, and that he improves or even recovers.  Good luck to him.  I'll keep you posted about how I get on, for comparison, if you like.