Hello folks.

After 2 months of lurking in your shadows, I can honestly say that I have read every post on the forum. I feel like I know you all so well, and I cannot ever begin to describe how much you have all helped me. 

It is time that I added my little saga to the mixing pot.

I had GORD constantly for more than 30 years, together with an hiatus hernia. Four years ago, it was particularly persistent, and so having a forceful chat with my GP, managed to get him to refer me for an endoscopy. They discovered Barratts, about 3 inches long at the bottom of the Oesophagus. Having been reassured that it was nothing to worry about, was told to have a surveillance endoscopy in 2020, just to keep an eye on things. However, they forgot about that and so, in August last year, I reminded them. Finally was seen at the beginning of November, and the usual biopsies and polyps were removed for checking ️ 

Two weeks later, at the end of November, I was given another appointment for yet another endoscopy, after which I was subjected to a CAT scan. Saying goodbye   to the endoscopist, he said to go to another hospital for an EUS. (Endoscopy plus ultrasound examination. He also gave me a business card which, he said  might be useful. I subsequently discovered the name 'Macmillan' printed on the back. All of this in just about 4 weeks. Following the examination on 15 December, I had a telephone ️ call on Christmas Eve from my cancer specialist nurse to tell me that I had been diagnosed with Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma, situated at the Gastro Oesophageal Junction (GOJ).

I quickly established a friendship with Vicky, my cancer specialist nurse, who has been a mine of sympathetic and accurate information. I had a PETscan which told them (and me) that the cancer had been staged as T2 N0 M0, which is very good news - it hasn't spread outside the Oesophagus

So, after an appointment with a surgeon, and 2 with an oncologist, I have loads new friends, some new pipework in my arm and chest called a PICC line, and a quantity of poisonous chemicals swanning around inside me, hopefully killing off all these nasty little cells instead of them killing me I am now just coming up to my second load of chemotherapy.  It is not a lot of fun, but if it saves my life, it will be all worthwhile. 

• It is not my intention to frighten anyone with my story. Rather to say this dreadful disease is not the end of the world. The NHS staff and organisation, once I had escaped the GPs, has been nothing short of exceptional, providing caring, sympathetic and unstinting help 24 hours a day. The Macmillan nurses likewise  offering help and advice whenever I have needed. My wife, in spite of what she has had to put up with (me), is my rock. A final major thanks to the members of the Cancer Research UK forum for Oesophageal Cancer. Although, to my shame, I have never posted there, I have read every post that has ever been added. At my last count, there were 65 pages, and the contributors to those pages I feel are friends that I will likely never meet, but are people to whom I owe my thanks and praise without limit.

Finally, to anyone who has had the determination and fortitude to make it this far, please take heart from what I have written. You will meet many truly wonderful people in the course of your journey through the disease. Everyone's journey is different, but the people you will meet will remain your friends all the way by your side. For my part, I am here 24/7 ️for anyone who wants to rage, rant, cry or just chat. I promise you my support in any way I can

Stay safe all.

Snaggie