Hi Tabnabs,

Not sure but are you on IOW? This pingdemic is causing havoc but so are the cases! Best not to dwell on it though. Sorry to hear about your trials and tribulations. Brings  a new meaning to 'I don't like Mondays!' Hope you have a better day today and all goes well tomorrow. Keep going and yes keep the faith!

still keeping the faith

Milly

Hi Bfg,

You sound like a 'quizzed'. I think I've got it and wish we had kids as we would definitely have it out now in our garden. We have a Guildhall in a city near us. What a lovely location!

keeping the faith as always

Milly

Hi y'all

Millie- shortness of breath/ shallow breathing . Very much so. Not now though 7 months on . I think he used the breather excersises given from the hospital. I remember that he was done on 16 th December and was still 'puffing' on short walks ( up the street and back) mid feb and he was a straightforward oesophagectomy  if that makes sense- nothing simple about any of it (:

I think if I remember rightly he improved massively towards Easter, manage a walk around Avebury henge, although it was absolutely freezing and his neuro oxiplat fingers were giving him more trouble. Then by end of May he was doing that water obstacle course thingy. It really is a very gradual thing, he's certainly not as fit as he was pre op, but hey, he's here (:.

Oh wow BFG- what a Gorgeous  sounding bit of grub. I bet it was the best bit of grub you'd ever tasted (: cheers to you and may you have many many many more.

Too hot (86 deg here now) need to lie in a dark corner under a fan! honestly, I lived in Egypt!!!-( 101 deg there now) but of course life there is totally geared up for it and you really do get used to it and alter your routines accordingly, not many people would go and do a weekly shop at say 11pm here, but there packed. Everything is quiet all day and comes alive after about 7 pm.

who is on IOW? We went there on hols last year.  Love love love it.

As for the 'pingdemic' oh Lordy . Sadly my phone is a 'burner' and doesn't do any of this. When I go anywhere I give them my landline- so if I'm there has been an outbreak where ever I've been I get a call

The big problem with AI and algorithms is that it is not very clever at all. My mate went to a bakery last week, about 7 am, as it opened, no one else in the shop, left after 10 mins. Got a 'ping ' the next day telling her to isolate!!! as someone had used the bakery who had later tested positive- what a joke- that person could have gone in there at 5pm and even if this person had been in the shop the same time as her, chances of catching it there probably about 0. These apps comb all your contacts, so if I had this type of tech then I'll probably get one off Elvis , in  London bus on Mars!

Anyway have a good day all

Always keeping the faith. 

Hilts

Hi folks, just wanted to share some good news we've just had. My Dad had usual weekly blood tests at 08:30 followed by 11:15 meeting with oncologist (didn't get seen until 13:30 and as you'll all know, waiting to see the oncologist following a ct scan is one of the scariest waits you'll have), but the oncologist said there has been a reduction in both the local and distant lymph nodes and also a reduction it the actual tumour!!! As you can imagine we were over the moon as being a stage 4 patient who had increased volume in the lymph nodes after the last scan (after the first round of chemotherapy stopped), we was not expecting good news. Also my Dad started to wee lots o blood over the last 10 days and on our minds (although no one wanted to admit it) we were wondering if it had spread. The oncologist said he's sure it's a urine infection due to chemotherapy weakening the immune system. 

Also the oncologist said that the scan showed scaring on my Dad's lung due to covid (back in feb) and this is why my Dad is getting breathless after a short bit of walking but he did say it should improve over time.

So all in all, a very good (slightly surprising) day and it'll be celebrated tonight with a few beers, vinos and food!

It's funny but although I haven't met anyone on this group,  I had a feeling of wanting to share our news with you all...

Keeping the faith (now I feel like I'm really apart of he group!)

Lee

Hi Hilts 

Firstly, how weird is this? We went to IOW last July/August for two weeks. A week in Shanklin then a week in Ventnor! Love, love, love it like you. Went as a child to Ventnor and then took our lads there a couple of times. Sutty and IOW lol.

Re breathing thanks for your report. Because of the complications it's hard to know which op has affected what and the recovery from each one! He had an appointment with the respiratory surgeon this afternoon so just wanted to sound you guys out first. Upshot is his left lung still hasn't expanded completely but the surgeon said after 2-3 months this should be back to normal. Also hystollogy results showed Pleural Empeyma as a result of trauma after second op. This resulted in the pockets of fluid with infection and the thickening of the chest cavity hence the latest emergency operation - no wonder he couldn't breathe. That's what he and I found difficult as his lungs were perfectly fine before and after the Oesophagectomy. He ran into hospital on the day of the op and came out in a wheelchair 5 weeks later. He could barely talk without getting short of breath. When we went to respiratory the previous two times he was in a wheelchair- this time he walked in. 
They have sorted him and more good news was that no cancer cells were found in the fluids that they tested. He is discharged from that hospital now and sees Oncologist next Thursday- so we'll see what they say. Still under upper GI team as you will know.

It's been a very bumpy ride on an already bumpy road!

Your bloke is doing so well but even so as you say it's not straightforward. Hope his procedure goes well and it helps with the cough.

Thanks for everyone's support - it's making a huge difference. 
 

Keeping the faith 

Milly

I live on the Island, moved back in November after an absence of 25 years, can't understand why I ever moved! 
Awesome news re your Dad, Leechap So pleased for you. Also good news for your other half too Milly. 
had a call from hospital this afternoon to assure me it's still going ahead for tomorrow, we'll see! 
 
stay cool all

Very good news Milly, I guess being discharged is a very good feeling

Lee

Hi Lee, That’s good to hear about your dad. Chemo may be tough but it is doing it’s job! Interesting re the Covid scarring - a nasty virus indeed - thats why we are being careful as we can but not paranoid as the numbers here are rising exponentially. I agree we seem to have formed a band of warriors fighting against this disease. You are definitely part of it all and although no one wants to be in this club - I’m glad there is one.
Keeping the faith

Milly

Ps yes good to be discharged from second hospital and back to original one now! 

Hi Tabnabs,

Wow what a beautiful place to live! We absolutely love the island. Thinking of you tomorrow and hoping all goes to plan.

Keeping the faith

Milly