Esophageal Cancer

Hi I have set up this group as I didnt find another one like it on here. I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer 15 years ago and had chemo and Ivor Lewis Surgery. As anyone who has had the surgery will know, the operation is massive and many people also get complications. I was one of the people who got complication and had a leak, pneumonia, collapsed lungs and fluid in my chest cavity. I had to have a tracheotomy and was in ICU for 4 weeks and then the normal ward for 2, I was nil by mouth for 5 weeks and on a feeding tube. Once I got home from hospital I was in a very weakened state and it took me over a year to be able to walk round the block without getting out of breath. My partner was having to help me to bathe etc. I was not my old self and stayed like this for 8 years, before a friend said she didnt think the way I was feeling was right and advised me to see my GP. I was given counselling and the counsellor said it was CPTSD that was what I had, I knew I was on the road to recovery when I laughed at something on tv for the first time in years. Also from the operation I have Reactive hypoglycemia/Post pandrial hypoglycemia/dumping syndrome - its called all these things. And have to take PPIs and sleep well propped up to avoid horrendous bouts of exorcist acid reflux. Share youre experiences and Im hoping we can build a wonderful supportive community

My husband just died from esophageal cancer from silent (never, any symptoms) GERD. PlStay alive
ease stay in touch with your MD, ask for an endoscopy. When caught early you don’t have to die in 4 weeks after diagnosis, like he did.
#GastroesophagealRefluxDisease #

I was married for nearly 20 years. One day my husband started complaining of food getting stuck and how he was vomiting after eating lunch. (All unknown to me). He lost weight drastically. He went to the GI doctor and called me at work in tears crying he had EC. I said EC can’t be you don’t drink. Little did I know how much I had to be educated on Esphogheal #Cancer . I was actually embarrassed being in nursing for over 45 years. That was in 2014 and the hell started. The hell never ended until my husband passed in my arms on 2016, May 8-Mothers day. My husband was only 55. I had found ECe doAA (#EsophagealCancer Awareness Association) only weeks before my husband passed. The President of ECAA actually came on Easter day to see my husband and deliver a plant. Little did we both know this would be the start of his demise. I have since sat on the Board of EC Aware offering help in many forms and stages to meet the care of the patient and the caregiver. I have also become an EC patient Advocate.

I have been robbed of everything in my life from #EsophagealCancer . As a result, I have forever changed, and not always in a good way. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who has been touched by this #Cancer .