Hi,

Really sorry to here your diagnosis, but don't give up hope! I was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in October 2019 and after an intense course of chemo in December/January, and then a large operation at the end of February 2020 I am feeling reasonbly fit and well again and actually went back to work in January 2021.

I don't know exactly what surgery you will be having, but mine was a full oesophagectomy, with half my stomach and quite a few lymph nodes removed at the same time. I won't try and kid you, it has been a pretty hard 18 months or so, but I can do virtually everything I did before, just have the odd dicky turn every now and again, and I currently struggle for energy.

Please send me a message if I can help in any way, or even if you just want a chat.

Take care.

Hi,

Thanks for your message. I am going to have 4 lots of FLOT chemo followed by an op which I have been told can last for between 10-12 hours. So I imagine it's pretty major. Then I get a further 4 lots of FLOT. It looks like you had 15 months between diagnosis & going back to work. I was lucky that I sold my business aged 51. I did some volunteering e.g deivering books to the housebound & helping out at my local hospital. I now play golf 3 times a week & have lots of holidays. My wife thinks I am a holidayholic.

Not sure if there is a support group for this problem. Hopefully I will be able to do both of the above sooner or later. Once again thank you very much for your message & I hope you get better & bettert

Hi,

Thanks for your message. I am going to have 4 lots of FLOT chemo followed by an op which I have been told can last for between 10-12 hours. So I imagine it's pretty major. Then I get a further 4 lots of FLOT. It looks like you had 15 months between diagnosis & going back to work. I was lucky that I sold my business aged 51. I did some volunteering e.g deivering books to the housebound & helping out at my local hospital. I now play golf 3 times a week & have lots of holidays. My wife thinks I am a holidayholic.

Not sure if there is a support group for this problem. Hopefully I will be able to do both of the above sooner or later. Once again thank you very much for your message & I hope you get better & bettert

Hi Stevecon56 - check out Rayb's post, there are a number of us at various stages through the FLOT/OP/FLOT process (I've just had my 1st cycle of FLOT after the OP in early March).

There is a lot to take in - but for what it's worth, they do not put you through the FLOT/OP/FLOT process unless there is a high degree of confidence that this will actually work.

The OP is major, but is also quite routine now - somebody said it's the largest routine major op that happens.

Being fit and healthy is the key to getting through it - and ensuring that you have a bit of weight added as you will lose it during the process.

So, feel free to come over to Rayb's post - a friendly bunch, with a common theme.  

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