Jonathan here,
Greetings,I seem to be getting varied comments about which treatment option will be most successful long term so will appreciate any help here.below are notes of what my surgeoon said on Thurs 14th feb.
Transhiatal Surgery - 13 MARCH 2008 @ 6.00 am -
2. Pre - surgery assessment - #Stage 1/2 [I havent seen this anywhere else...ie...stage1/2
3. Endoscopic ultrasound - might affect prognosis - not necessary?
4. Petscan (Vancouver Only) - check for other cancer sites - he said probably not necessary.as in.......... ##brain scan
7. C/E. Surgery Nos. -Dr. S............e = 80 Partner = 50
Combined mortality = 1.5%
!0. Risks - Esophagus - 80% removed
- stomach leak - 7% - 5-9 days post-op
13. Voice should be OK - maybe raspy initially (good outlook for Blues
Summary of Transhiatal Surgery:
Early stage - good outlook.
Surgery is recommended - low risk/ successful/ outcome.
Mortality over 5 years -Stage 1 - 80-85% Stage 2 - 40-60% -
I want to say thankyou,merci to everybody who wrote to me with such uplifting lines and realistic advice.
I heard the proverb that a problem shared is a problem halved so at this rate I will be on the plus side very soon. I had about 22 questions to ask the surgeon but when he finished explaining the process and ins/outs of the esophagectomy I only had 4 questions unanswered.Between him and his surgical partner they have about 130 operations for C/E which was reassuring to say the least.
He explained that for him,laproscopic was less certain because of the possibility of subsequent leaks and they could create a larger faux esophagus with Transhiatal.so I,m reflecting on going ahead with the Full Monte on March 13 .
I have to take various tests and get my lungs checked as I also have COPD.but that should be ok.
evidently the op will take about 4 hours as he and partner work so well together which is why I,m waiting an extra week to get them both in town same time.
#A quick question
If I,m staged at 1/2... is a month a very long time to wait for surgery.feb 14th to march 13.
At present I have virtually no symptoms other than excessive burp factor which I had got rid of with prevacid,plus small tingles on swallowing.
There is still some gulp factor here and odd shots of the blues, but thats pretty normal given the circumstances of this bloody
disease.Must be time for my Shakespeare."Out accursed Spot,Be Gone...."Fear factor.....hmmmmmmm
well fortunately I discovered a higher power many years ago when I was really on the hard rocky shores of life and since then I have learned that when fear pops its ugly head in then its time to turn it over to my HP cos when I have faith there aint much room for fear.
This situation is out of my hands now so I have to let go and let HP take over which is wonderful just so long as I remember to do it.
I don,t know what my HP is,can,t define it, but its a power bigger than me so maybe its this astonishing universe,the miracle of my grandchildren,the perfection of nature,anyway it works for me.
Again I thank all who wrote,its a good feeling to be part of this community,I would have been so lost the last 2 weeks without the strength and courage here
so I wish all of us a day of reasonable tranquillity and keep reminding myself that
Life is but One Day at a Time.thats enough for me to handle
peace and life
jonathan