Hi Sue,

It’s really great to hear from you and that Martin is doing well. Lovely you’ve been away on holidays too. Fingers crossed Kev is doing well too. I too hope Redski and anyone else is chugging along.

keeping the faith

Milly

Hi, I’m replying to myself as it’s been quiet  on here and I get that as I  don’t post much now. It’s 4 years since my husband had his Oesophagectomy and it was a rollercoaster as he had several complications which I won’t go into as they are documented on this thread. . However he is well and is currently doong maintenance on his fish pond!

Along the way I connected with fellow travellers both patients and their loved ones. I am aware that not everyone is still with us on this earth but are always in the hearts and minds of their loved ones and I wanted to say I don’t forget them either. These comrades helped me as Hilts called us ‘the onlookers’ and I will never forget their bravery and determination against this awful disease.  

For those who read this and are either starting or continuing on this path I send my heartfelt best wishes too.

still keeping the faith 

Milly

Hey Millie - we are still here too- the rollercoaster ride we and many others all shared. This board was our little saviour at the time, finding fellow travellers . Helped me more than I ever thought it could. Some of our fellow travellers didn’t make it all the way and that was and still is upsetting and they will always be in my thoughts. So for all of you starting out on this incredible riollercoaster- keep the faith ️

Hey - I forgot to put in my online post we are now at 5 years since E day (endoscopy day), not like I am showing off at all .

Hi is anybody still on this thread? I'm kinda new to this club and just about to start my 1st cycle of FLOT before surgery. Still so many unknowns including how much stomach I'll have left (if any). Won't know 'Until we get in there, and you might have an osopharectomy too'' is, though understandable, not the most comforting quote I've ever heard. Anyway just thought I'd say HI if anyone is still around!?

Hi Shayde, I still get updates when people post as do others so still active.Sorry to read your diagnosis but get the chemo and surgery done and hope it goes well. I’m nearly 3 years post chemo with FLOT and then surgery then more chemo. I found the cumulative effects challenging second time round but got through it. Take it steady I found round one felt ok day 2-3  round 2 about day 3-4 and so on. Made sure I got out and about as much as possible when felt ok in between ie pre-habilitation get as fit as you can for surgery as it’s a big op! Eat as much as you can and try and gain weight you will lose it post surgery and recovery I ate ginger biscuits as helps nausea and get a soft toothbrush and used difflam oral rinse also. Good luck and if not sure ask here

Thank you so much for replying. My weight is a problem child though it's why I left something here cos I think the OP said she was the same. My normal natural weight is 7-71/5 stone and didn't matter what I ate I couldn't put weight on. (even during my pregnancies and it could fluctuate by that 1/5 stone within days so I was never sure which I was really) I just about reached 8 full term. I'm 8 now and they're counting a pound if it changes but I put 2 stone on during menopause and it was just coming down when this all started LOL so not the best timing for people watching my weight! I can still eat with occasional 'stuck feeling' but it's mostly food fighting wind cos after some burps I'm usually OK...that's why I had symptoms for 2 years before I had any tests done. Wish I'd known earlier that indigestion could be something else, but here we are. I've got the shakes as back up as well so there's that at least. As for ginger biscuits I love them but they didn't help with morning sickness but Rich tea did so we'll see :) I seem to be thirsty a lot though but water makes me gassy so it's cornflakes a lot of the time with ice cold milk, they go down surprisingly well. But I had a much better appetite BEFORE my biopsy. The hospital that performed it was not my regular one so didn't know me so while I was out the gastroscopy couldn't so they did it alongside the laparoscopy under a general.So while I was out they saw the 'gap' or apparent lack of and assumed I couldn't eat and put an NG tube in but they also gave me a throat infection. Cos of the tube nobody understood my sore throat I was complaining about was NOT the reason for the tube so it was allowed to get worse till I took my hubbys antibiotics out of desperation 2 weeks later. They worked so I finally got past the rottweillers on the desk at my GP'S and saw my Dr who gave me better ones and since then I've had less interest in food which is a pain in the neck. I mean my eating habits were erratic anyway but I'd got some sort of rythm that worked for me but now I don't even have that but I'm doing my best to work on it. Thanks for the tips too, 

The unknown about the surgery "we won't know how much we're taking till we get in there" is both understandable, but very worrying too. But my latest CT scan showed shrinkage apparently and my first cycle is on the 23rd! So fingers crossed I guess. 

Thanks for the tips what's special about the Difflam oral rinse? I'll try and find some.

Hope you're well. Sorry for such a long post!