Hi guys. Sending love to you all. We have just lost my mum to this cancer after only 6 months post surgery. My advice push for the chemo after and push for all the scans you can get after too. If this had been possible for mum then she might still be here. Xx

hi,

it,s sad to hear about your loss especially after your mum going through the operation i know its difficult to accept your loss especially when you read posts like mine telling others it will all be fine , god bless you and take care of yourslef and your family.

Hi y'all, 

hope you all had a 'peaceful' Xmas xx we had the best. Husband was feeling a bit emotional as a year since kicked out of hospital. He said he xmas dinner was the best he'd ever had (correct response) as he is here, disease free (for now) no more mushed food- like last year .

My Covid has gone yay- not that bad, just like a filthy cold. Seems everyone I know has gone down with it!!! No, I was not the vector LOL. Funny though, I was the only one in this house to get it, the rest nowt???.

MIllie- I last reported five, now the magic number is 8!!!! He went out with his friend for 'a Xmas drink'and had rather few to many- boy did he suffer for 2 days after hahahaha. He , despite the hangover was quite pleased as his research went off without a hitch......... I note your Kev is up to 6 !!!!. I bet he is pleased with his research results too.

LEE - big clapping emoji's yay. Your Dad is on his way. We have all said it I think, but there is no 'straight road' through this, but little by little onwards. Soft diet, well, my advice ( for what it's worth) is anything he fancies, modified. There are loads of 'special' things out there , but most are absolutely rank. Husband has everything I was cooking, but blitzed, just a standard blender, then just over the 2-3 weeks make the blend coarser.He also made the most of things like ice cream, cream all the lovely high fat stuff. They gave him all these drinks before discharge, but they were so disgusting that he didn't bother. Within about 2 weeks, he was pretty much back on unmushed. As for his liver, well they will nuke them back into line - I think you said he would be having more chemo.

Last but by no means least- welcome Franface. To the oesophageal cancer club. None of us are medics just 'experts in the lived experience' we have or are 'living the dream' (:. Ask away, anything that's on your mind. Your Mam's story like ours, a bit of acid reflux, or so we thought, Bob's yr uncle, OC!!You are at the worst bit emotionally right now, it get a tad better when you know what you're dealing with and where you are going. 
KEEP keeping that faith folks

Hilts x

Hello All,

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and [@leechap]‍  great news on your dad! I hope he is enjoying being home. 
My dad has also made great steps in his recovery, got his Trachy removed yesterday and moved back to HDU! Today we walked in and he was eating a cheese sandwich!!! We about fell in a heap! We are assuming because he's had so much time to heal it's now allowed! 
He is very weak though and told to build himself up but not allowed diary, any advice?

Hope everyone else is doing well, and for those further down the journey you enjoyed every minute of your Christmas!

Hi all,

That's fantastic news Scott! Also very pleased that you can go and see him. Yes the same with my husband re eating as his actual Oesophagectomy went text book. The complications were as a result of the drain removal causing internal bleeding. So the join healed during his prolonged stay in hospital. Not sure why they have advised no dairy if he's eating cheese? The dietitian should visit him so if you have any questions you could write them down for your dad to ask or give to him/her? Such good news and thanks for letting us know. Yes we had a better Christmas thanks. 

Hilts - blimey a new record! Kev was Ok after his stint - it was over a long period of time!  Pleased that you are better from COVID  and no one else has caught it. 

Redski - good to hear from you. I guess you are free from treatment now? Hopefully you finished your chemo and enjoyed Christmas. 

Lee I bet your dad is pleased to be home! Slow and steady is the way forward now. Lots of adjusting to a new plumbing system. 

I hope everyone is doing as well as they can be on their own paths. Andi I think of you often.

Keeping the faith, as always, for everyone 

Milly

Hi all,

Great news Scott - a cheese sandwich is a big step at this stage. Not sure about no dairy...when my Dad was discharged yesterday, there wasn't much advice on nutrition and diet, just a general sheet of foods but they did emphasize little and often and nothing hard for a few weeks. My Dad managed to eat a jacket potato with tuna last night (skinless) and tortilla during the day...had no issues and really enjoyed it. Good news you're over the COVID Hilts.

Lee

Hi Lee,

Thats really good news! If you Google nhs Oesophagectomy (which I guess you've done already) you should find info on diet. Sometimes hospitals have their own advice sheets on there. I think the 'city of spires' has a discharge advice sheet on the internet.
As you said it's little  and often. You could try adding calories with butter, cheese, cream and I add skimmed milk powder to whole milk. White fish is easy to digest, mince like spaghetti Bol etc. I add spinach in dishes. Eggs are a good source of protein. You can scramble these with cream and butter. Pancakes, omelettes. Cakes and shakes! As  we 'onlookers' have said whatever he fancies! We were advised by an ex patient that pomegranate juice is good for your platelets (the 100% one). Also green foods like broccoli are rich in iron. 
Thanks for the update!

keeping the faith

Milly

Thanks Milly, appreciate it - always good to hear your updates too.

Yes, limped across the line with final chemo mid November and trying to fatten back up now as the post op stuff nuked my tastebuds and appetite and I lost quite a bit of weight !

Xmas seems like a good time to try and fatten back up tho !

Think of Andi too, and how they're getting on.

Hi Redski,

Good to hear that you've completed the post op chemo! Yes it's not an easy road but you are all so inspirational.
My husband is also trying to fatten up as he has lost two and a half stones overall due to the op and complications! He wasn't overweight so fortunately he managed to gain over a stone before the op. Anyhow he's trying to gain weight and I'm trying to loose it lol! We have postponed our trip to Tenerife until the end of March due to the current uncertainty. So you never know hopefully he'll have gained and I'll have lost some weight by then! Keep going and I hope your tastebuds start behaving! 

keeping the faith

Milly

Thanks Milly, appreciate that.

Had a good cheerleader squad in my Wife and kids to get me across the finish line when it felt really tough. Was a lot harder than the pre op rounds and the surgery too, it really kicked my butt ! 

Good for him putting the effort in to get it back on, but sorry to hear about having to defer your holiday out. Hopefully, it all works for the greater good and by the time you get to jet off, he's back to his Fighting Weight and you're where you want to be at too !

Taste buds have come back and appetite all good again now too. My biggest issue is remembering to eat little and often - my eyes are a lot bigger than my non existent stomach now - haha ! And, over eating obviously leads to some discomfort for a while after - so am learning to get it right.
 

Hi Everyone,

Just a few words to wish everyone a merry belated Christmas and a happy new year, I wish everyone a better 2022 than 2021 has been to most of us, for those people starting out on this journey post away and your questions will be answered as best as possible, no experts here but loads of experience and that is what counts.

All the best to everyone Ray and family.

Hi RayB, good to hear from you. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you! Let's hope this year is a better one for all of us.

Lee

Hi RayB, good to hear from you. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you! Let's hope this year is a better one for all of us.

Lee