I'm terrified

The Stage 4 cancer call is called the In-Betweeners call. The conference

It says you're accepted, and people will be on and ask name and what you are calling in with and any particular problems or complaints. Sit to receive energy-best to sit comfortably, feet on floor, palms up to receive. Husband does his in recliner and I have done call laying down so don't be too rigid about it (couple from Chicago with EC disagreed on how to receive-they were funny). Just enjoy the energy. People can call in past 12:00, so if you aren't on immediately someone will check in for new callers. You can just sit and receive through the whole call if you want, and they go through the list of whoever is on each day and treat each person also. Ask if you have questions. Can mute your phone with #6 to keep background noise out, or unmute with #7 to talk.

Calls at 12:00-12:30 Mon-Fri-Sat

Weds. 6:30 PM

Other calls and times not cancer specific are listed at:

www.tongrenhealer.blogspot.com

Hope everything went well with your port. Take care. Suya

My father had a Transhiatal Esphagectomy 47 days ago at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois.  Dad was in the ICU for two and a half days then into a step down ICU for 5 days.  He has been at my house since leaving St. Francis.  His incisions have healed except for the J-Tube he still has.  He is on a soft diet and we follow the diet restrictions to the letter.  Dad's EC was at a stage III and it had not spread outside of the esophagus.  Dad is 83 years old.  keys to his success have been that he he wants to continue living, he listened and followed the recommendations of his doctors and he was a very active man for 83.  Dr. Richard Anderson and the entire staff at OSF Medical Center were outstanding in their care of dad.  You are in our prayers. Like everyone here, we are willing to help.

Steve in Illinois.

Dear Steve,

Thanks for the words of inspiration!  I'm going to do everything the dr's tell me, and anything else I can think of. 

I'm blessed having a wife that won't tolerate me sitting around whining.  So, the fight progresses.  And fight I will.

Your dad sounds like an inspiration, I hope to be strong like him.

Mark

try to just hang in there...there is so much advancement in cancer cures! I felt that terror too ...pure panic and fear.

and now I am on the road to health (lung and lymph cancer)Wait to see the oncologist for a real diagnosis....and also explore all alternative treatment combinations ,i.e. combining with acupuncture,chinese med. herbs,diet and vitamins etc. Best to explore all angles..and there is HOPE.I am now traveling and enjoying my life. Sometimes this hard stuff makes us stronger..Sending you very good wishes for health...Big Hug....Jane

On 3/24/2008 MarkInMaryland wrote:

OK, apparently so.  I met with my oncologist today.  He said surgery is not an option.  He scheduled me for a port for chemo, another CT scan, and I start chemo tomorrow.  Once a week, all day for four weeks.  He said we would take another CT then and see where we are.

He said he thinks there is about a 50% chance of putting the cancer in remission with the chemo.

I'm certainly going to get a 2nd opinion, and I'm really interested in a doctor that likes liver surgery as an option.  Are there any like that?  Any success stories out there?

Mark

Mark,

I live in NC.  My mom has linitis plastica.  A surgeon was introduced to her who is just amazing.  People come from all over the world to see him, he has pioneered a procedure where he uses microwave antennas, ? not sure of all the terminology but its amazing, he burns the tumors out of the liver, the ones that are inoperable.  I have a neighbor who is going to him in the next week, they give her no hope .  He took my mom's stomach, gallbladder out connected her escophous to her intestines and she can eat now, she did have a feeding tube. He is a very intelligent man, you maybe should see about sending him your records, there was an article a few weeks ago in the sunday newspaper it called him the "liver guy".  His name is Dr. David A. Iannitti , he is with CMC in Charlotte, NC.  E-mail me back and I will be happy to help you get in touch with him, couldn't hurt.............  we feel like he has been a total answer to prayer.. Kat

I think I wrote before, but I just want to reassure you.  Please wait until "all" the tests are in before you panic.  Even after the tests do come in, keep a positive attitude.  Every day they come up with new chemo therapy and people are surviving now who have had liver and pancreatic cancers.  And remember, it may not be in your liver.  They thought my cancer might have spread from the esophagus to the liver, but it turned out that when they did the "big" surgery and all the biopsys there that it had not spread.

All of my doctors have told me that attitude and the willingness to fight is very important.  You will do just fine.  It will  just take a little time.

Just came back from a second opinion appointment at Georgetown's Lombardi Cancer Instititue.  The doctor there pretty much concurred with my current course of treatment, cisplatin and another chemo who's name I forget.

I completed four chemo treatments and am on a "break" week, but have an appointment tomorrow for blood work and a consult with the dr.

Everyone is telling me that because of the mets to the liver and lymphnodes surgery is not an option.  Our goal appears either to place the cancer in remission or reduce it to chronic but managable.  Neither seem ideal choices to me, and all the doctors are telling me that this will eventually kill me.  Sure is hard to keep a positive attitude sometimes, huh?

God bless all,

Mark

Hi Mark,

I know it is hard to keep positive, but treatment and positive attitude can do wonders.  Every day they are coming up with new treatments.  I also had Cisplatin and Irinotecan.  They are very powerful chemo drugs.  I did get a lot of side effects, but they were manageable with medication.  I also had radiation every day with the chemo.  The radiation also gave me some side effects, so I don't know what came from which treatment.  I know several people who had it spread to the liver and they are getting treatment that seems to be working.  Keep your hopes up and fight.  Someone told me that I should try to think of ONE good thing each day and focus on that.  The days I went through treatment were rather difficult, but it did pay off.  Count down the days you have left.

I have a good friend who had inoperable lung cancer and that spread to his lymph glands.  He had 5 tumors 4 years ago.  He now only has one inactive tumor and they are keeping the cancer at bay with a new trial chemo pill.  He is out fishing, bowling and is getting along with a good quality of life.  Get on a church prayer group.  If you like I can add you to ours.  Prayer is a tremendous help. 

Try not to get discouraged.  I am believeing that you will beat this thing like I did.  I had a PET/CT scan today and trusting that it will be clean.  I am now 4 years past treatment.  Thank God.  I eat like a horse too even with only 2 " of an esophagus.  I am praying for you.

Barbara

Dear Barbara,

Thank you for responding.  I'm trying so hard to keep a positive attitude, but some days it sure is difficult.  I peeked in the DR's notes (well, I am a private investigator, it's expected of us) and saw that the "average" lifespan for stage IV EC with liver mets is about 14 months.  I gotta tell you THAT particular news was not exactly encouraging.

I had a third opinion, can't wait till my health insurance gets that bill, with Mercy Medical Center, and now all three have pretty much said the same thing.  This is going to kill me, but we have no idea when.

I'm otherwise healthy, have no cancer symptoms other than a weight loss from 263 to 247 over a one month period.  They tell me that is very much in my favor.  What bothers me the most is the thought of death.  This really isn't how the Mark show was supposed to end.  I seriously need to come to terms with death and dying, although I'm gonna fight it every step of the way!

My cancer has turned into the first thing I think of in the morning, and the last thing I think about at night, and very rarely do I think of anything else during the day.  This cannot be healthy, or even helpful to my efforts at remission or arrest of the tumors.

I think I need a shrink.  Sorry for being so long winded.

God bless to all.

Mark