Living life after treatment and surgery for Esophageal Cancer.

Posted by cbnova @cbnova, Feb 26, 2023

In December of 2020 I was diagnosed with stage 3 Esophageal Cancer. After chemo and radiation in February and March of 2021, I had surgery to remove the cancer in May of 2021. For me the surgery and recovery were probably the toughest part of the process. Not to say the chemo and radiation were easy, they were not but the changes the surgical part of treatments have changed my life from here on. Life after I got home from the hospital at first would not have been possible without a lot of help. Little things you take for granted such as showering or even walking about your home couldn't be accomplished without help. Those things got easier over time but it was a challenge. Getting use to having to sleep at a 30° angle because laying flat means anything in you new redesigned stomach comes up while you sleep(very uncomfortable and dangerous for your lungs). With the new design of your stomach food is also a bit of a challenge. They give you a list of foods you will probably be able to eat and a list of foods you probably should stay away from. With me I found after time that you have to try different foods and your body tells you quickly if you can or can not eat that again. You will also find portions you can tolerate will be much less than you were use to. This means you eat many more times per day. In the end it has been worth it for me because I have been cancer free on my 6 month scans so far . Another scan in a month which will be 2 years since surgery, I pray they continue to show me cancer free. If anyone has any questions on my journey so far please reach out. I have a friend who mentored me in my journey which helped tremendously for me. As I have said and believe since my journey started we are all" STRONGER TOGETHER "

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Esophageal Cancer Support Group.

dave1958 | @dave1958 | May 31 9:18am

In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi @dave1958, how are you doing on proton beam therapy and chemo? What chemo regimen are..." + (show)

I'm doing good . 3 of 5 chemo done. I have 1 a week. Proton therapy 11 to go out of 26. Exactly the same weight that I started this journey. Not much in side effects. Nausea once in a while. That's about it. I know they should get worse. Take it as it comes. Suppose to have minimal invasive surgery a few months from now. Cancer has not spread. Lower esophagus removed along with healthy upper stomach. I will research this and make a decision. Right now it seems the survival rate is the same. With or without the surgery. Either way about 3 years. With surgery your quality of life is poor. Without you can have a couple of years of good life.