Hi Fionamac,

Welcome to Cancer Chat. I'm sorry to read of your brother's situation - I hope you're getting on OK.

As these questions are medical and specific to your brother, they would really be best answered by his doctor/specialist, so I would encourage him (or you) to speak to them if you can, so you can be as informed as possible.

If you would like to talk anything through with our nurses then you can reach them on 0808 800 4040 (Monday-Friday, 9-5 - excluding holidays). They aren't able to give a medical opinion but they may be able to provide some advice or information.

Wishing you all the best,

Ben
Cancer Chat Moderator

Hi, 

my goodness- I came on here to post an update and we seem to be multiplying by the minute.

those of us in the Oesophageal cancer club!!! I have only been on here since my husbands diagnosis in August. Now, it might be because I am tuned into oesophageal post, but our 'club seems to be expanding daily.

My husband was diagnosed in August. He has just had his surgery (16th) after a load of nuclear chemo. The team that look after us are truly amazing. Straight in answering any questions with honest answers. After my husbands chemo , I wondered why he would need surgery if the blighter had shrunk. The nurse said that cancer cells are clever, and do like to set up home elsewhere in the body, so all the cells needs to chopped out even after chemo for a chance of cure.

As for cure and/or control could be achieve by a healthy lifestyle- if only. I think we all would wish for that, but from the start of my membership of this club, it seems that a healthy life style a lot of us have and still get this diagnosis!. Cancer cells seem to be very clever.

Oesophagectomy/gastrectomy is certainly high risk, but we felt, what choice did we have? My husband has just had his op, on 16th.Yes, it is certainly major, about as big as they come,but he is recovering well, it is a slow recovery, But 6 days in & he only has the chest drain left and is up and walking about, off opiate painkillers and now starting to eat puréed food. We have our finger , toes, arms and legs x that he will be home for xmas ( we have youngish kids).

take care

H

Update from the front line!
He came home yippee. A tad 'childish using yippee, but I don't care...

Through the front door at 6pm xmas eve. Best xmas ever.

i made a full Xmas dinner and puréed the lot for him, lashed with gravy.

Today is ........ turkey curry........purée (:
When you go through this ,you take pleasure in little successes (sic). Covid made the whole thing easier for us, as we weren't expected to see or travel to family- that can wait, so It was just us.

The cancer punch up continues, but for now we are just enjoying the moment.

Best wishes to all

H

Hello Hilts,

                 What wonderful news,gets to eat his christmas dinner and "pull" his  very own christmas cracker,enjoy every special moment of it,

                                             David

Really pleased for you Hilts, glad you got to enjoy Christmas together x

LOL David.

He certainly did pull a cracker when he married me......sorry , but I'm feeling a bit happy nutty today (: especially after the last 5 months. Major surgery over.

He also ate all the Turkey Curry...... said it was the tastiest thing he'd tasted in weeks (correct response)

Tomorrow- soup of some kind- not turkey, with about 1/2 pound of cheese melted in it.

The dieticians have given him (therefore me (: ) a green light to eat a high protein high fat diet yay. Jersey milk everyday now, not just weekends

Who would have imagined a year ago we'd be ecstatically happy over a turkey curry.......Frenchie , yes indeed we are enjoying just existing and living in the now- for now and it is great.  For once I am not going to say 'but'

Thank you for your responses. (Thumb up emoji)

H