Welcome to Cancer Chat RollingStone although I'm very sorry to hear your husband has been diagnosed with Oesophageal Cancer.

I hope this information we have on our website about staging, types and grades will make it easier to understand your husband's staging but if you have time before you meet with his team tomorrow, you're welcome to give our team of cancer nurses a call on 0808 800 4040. Their phone lines will be open from 9a.m and they'll do all they can to help and answer your questions.

Many of our members and their family members have contended with this diagnosis so you are not alone on this journey and you can find a lot of them on this discussion. As you'll see, it has been going since November 2020 and is still very active today with lots of information and support being offered around so if you'd like to reach out to them just click on the pink 'reply' button on the latest post that has been made. They are very friendly and will be more than happy to welcome you in to their chat.

I hope this helps and all goes well at the meeting tomorrow. We'll be thinking of you and will have our fingers crossed for a good outcome.

Kind regards,

Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator

Hi RollingStone,

In the words of Douglas Adams the best advice is "Don't Panic" and stay away from Google as there is so much false and outdated information out there! Stick to CRUK and MacMillan websites and you won't go far wrong.

I'm talking from experience here, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 OC in late 2013. Hearing the word Cancer can be traumatising when the doctor is talking about someone you love. You will feel helpless in the face of it but that shock will fade as the challenge of supporting him through his treatment becomes real. 
Don't hesitate to ask for help on here - I found support from other patients was invaluable!

Good luck to you both on what will be a roller coaster ride physically and emotionally. 

Dave

Thank you so much x

Hi, 

I'm so sorry that your husband has been diagnosed with this awful cancer! My dad was diagnosed in August 2020 and I remember it being so much waiting. Waiting for scans, appointments, results, a plan etc. Its definitely now how it is portrayed on TV (where you have one test and they tell you there and then what it is and what the plan is). The waiting is massively frustrating and it feels like you're all stuck in limbo. 

The best advice I could give is to take everything one step at a time, I know it is natural for us all to think about 'what if' scenarios and I did this a lot and still do, but I also had to remind myself that every single case is individual and no amount of googling things will change that. I reminded myself that sometimes we have to sit with the uncomfortable feeling and take everything one step at a time. Focus on one appointment or one bit of news. 

Sorry that isn't much help! Just wanted to share my reflection. 

Sending love x