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Esophagectomy: What is life like Afterwards?
Hello, my dad was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in March. His tumor is very small and isolated, thankfully! He has been a champ and has finished chemo and radiation. His esophagectomy is scheduled in a couple of weeks. He and the rest of my family are starting to feel the fear and reality of this procedure. My dad's not a big talker but I know he is scared. I would love to connect with others to learn about what life has been like after this surgery so I can help support my dad. I am also hoping to get him involved with some support groups with others who have experienced the surgery. It would be so beneficial for him to connect with others who have been through what he is going through. Any insight on post-surgery recovery and life would be very appreciated!
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Hi Gary,
I am new to this site and had an esophagectomy in September 2024. I am struggling with severe gastric emptying. I am interested in the Zoom meetings. When are these meetings held?
Thank you!
John
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1 ReactionSundays 9am eastern
Wednesdays 6pm eastern
Are family members allowed to go this platform, zoom?
Absolutely! We have many family members/caregivers who join us for mutual support, sharing (or not, if you'd rather listen) and hearing/learning about strategies to help our loved ones. It's held Wednesday 6-8pm EST and also Sunday mornings, 9-11am EST. We have people from all over the country and beyond. I'm a caregiver and have found the group to be wonderful. Give the meeting a try and join us!
Lynn
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1 ReactionYou state his tumor is small, before you do major surgery please see if you dad qualify’s
for ESD surgery. Also check if any more chem/rad can even make it smaller.
I say this because Ivor/Lewis
surgery is so invasive that the
recovery is long and devastating.
I sometimes don’t think surgeons tell you everything how recovery is so difficult.
Hi, Scott here I’m 62 so I had ivory Lewis surgery January 2025. There is factors that go into how your recovery goes. First are you in good shape going into the surgery except for having cancer of course. Do you have underlying health conditions examples diabetes or other conditions affecting your outcome. For me I was in good shape and health besides cancer my recovery from surgery was very good actually. I could eat again soft foods at first then eventually most foods my adjustment was smaller meals but that was fine. So I walk and work out getting my muscle back. Also having a positive attitude that you can achieve your goals of what you want to accomplish. Hope this helps wishing you the best. Scott
As you'll see from the responses, each case can be very different. Your Dad's overall physical and mental health prior to surgery can play a big role in his recovery. I spent 10 days in the hospital and 30 days on an at home feeding tube system. My wife had to manage that, including changing out my nutrition bags at 2:00 AM. She also had to crush my pills so they could be given via my IV. She did a phenomenal job. After a month, I could eat a lot of different foods, but had to watch how much I ate. If I ate too much, I'd have pain and sometimes need to self induce vomiting to relieve the pain. I was doing well until about 4 months out when I contracted gastroparesis (paralysis of the stomach muscles). I couldn't eat, lost 15 lbs in a week and ended up in the hospital for 5 days. I was prescribed gabapentin and prednisone and recovered. I'm currently 10 months out and doing well from the surgery. I am very active with strength and cardio training as I'm also a part time trainer. I'm challenged by side effects from follow up immunotherapy, but handling food intake and digestion well. I won't sugar coat it, it's a tough recovery, but I'd do it over in a heartbeat assuming I'm rid of the cancer long term. Best of luck with you dad and feel free to reach out with any more questions. Geoff
Everyone's experience with esophagectomy is different. My husband had his surgery on December 18, 2024. However, he did not need chemo and radiation before surgery, because the tumor was small. He did develop an anastomotic leak, which set him back. He developed a severe cough and produced copious amounts of mucus. Unfortunately, this led to him needing a J-tube. He also developed a hole in his stomach conduit when they went back in to remove scar tissue. He was in the hospital for 5 1/2 months. His pain was severe, but I think that may have been from the multiple surgeries he had. I don't mean to sound grim. I wanted to end this story with the fact that he has been home since May 28 and is now eating almost anything he wants. He walks his dog every day and drives to see his friends, and continues his hobbies. It has been a long road with plenty of ups and downs, but my message to you is don't become discouraged; everything takes time.
So I live in bc Canada. So would that be Sunday at 0600 am. And Monday 300 pm ?
My sister just had her surgery a week ago today and they are talking discharge tomorrow and I worry they are rushing her. Yesterday they took the ng tube out and let her drink some liquid then today they gave her yogurt and cream of wheat. She said she only could eat a bit of the yogurt so I wonder if they are pushing.