Newly diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and the Fear

Hi I was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer last month and I have had a laparoscopy and having an endoscopic ultrasound tomorrow. I wondered if anyone has any ideas how I can help the absolute overwhelming fear that I am experiencing. I am having really bad dreams and hardly sleeping. The smallest mention of cancer on TV sends me into a panic and I am so worried about upsetting my wife and 20 year old son. It seems to never leave my thoughts. 

  • Thanks so much. Yes, a relief. Hope alls good with you & hubby

  • haha. Thanks Marc. How's your recovery going?

    I've been trying to get him moving for a while, he's also waiting for a knee replacement as he tore it to shreds a few years ago. He gets sciatic pain in his hip in the opposite leg due to compensating for the bad knee!

    He's definitely eating the calories though and doing as much moving about as he can. Did you have one of those incentive spirometers before your op to strengthen lungs?  They gave Dean one yesterday. 

    Also, I have accidentally come across you in a group on FB - not stalking you honestly.

  • I had a bottle which I blew into and made bubbles that helped to strengthen my lungs. I am sleeping reasonably well now but still get tired quickly. A lot of the pain is gone in my chest and back now. Eating is a problem as I get tummy ache every time afterwards and therefore don’t enjoy it. Also my vocal cords must have been damaged as my voice is really high and croaky. I am seeing the oncologist tomorrow and she will no doubt tell me that I am starting chemo again In two weeks and *** me up completely for a few weeks. Still I’m still here and that’s something. 

  • I was diagnosed 31/2 years ago with oesophagus and lymph node cancer had 6 treatments of chemo and 2yrs immunotherapy and the cancer in the oesophagus is all but gone I still have it in my lymph nod in my neck and waiting to start immunotherapy again soon as I had a bad skin reaction. be strong..

  • Thanks for reply Marc. Sounds good except for tummy aches and voice issue. Did you raise the voice issue with oncologist? Hoping its a temporary thing. Incidentally about 10 months before Deans diagnosis, my husband had thyroid cancer and the op caused changes in his voice and definitely his eating habits. he loved a point of beer...or 6! but now has no taste for it hardly, same with indian curries, he used to have vindaloo but can barely tolerate a bhuna these days.    

  • Hi there. Thanks for sharing & I hope you are good. How many lymph nodes were involved? Did they not do surgery then?

  • Hi Karen. Just wondering how Dean is getting along now. I’m half way through my second lot of chemo sessions and not too bad this time so far. Eating is still not great as I need to have my throat dilated a bit to make it slightly easier to swallow. I don’t really enjoy food any more but the weight loss has made me so much more mobile and I can’t walk for miles with no problem anymore. I haven’t taken pain killers for weeks now so that’s good . I can also sleep fine on my side with just two plllows so that’s good is great. I have had to buy quite a few new clothes as I am three stone and a bit lighter now. I also hope that you are doing well as I have seen how difficult it has been for my wife with all that is going on and I know it effects our family so much.regards Marc