I've been wanting to post here for support since last December, but didn't because I didn't want to be a "downer".
My dad was diagnosed around December 15th. He had symptoms - difficulty swallowing, fatigue, etc, for at least a year. After weight loss and vomiting, he finally got diagnostics when his regular doctor was out on vacation. His CT scan showed "spots" on liver and lungs. After his CT, they scoped his esophagus and found a "small mass". They biopsied it, and it was positive. It was determined he had EC, with mets to liver, lungs, and lymph.
His wasn't exactly young - 74 - but a very youthful 74. He wore Berks and Levis, gardened, grew an avocado grove, raised chickens, played Poker on-line, and lived large.
His docs gave him 6 months - I wasn't so hopeful. He had lost so much weight - I gave him a couple months. In the short time after his diagnosis, I read the message board every day, many times a day, wanting so much to hear hopeful stories.
He died on February 2nd - less than 2 months after diagnosis. I held him and rubbed his back and feet until his last few hours. He asked me to help him "go" the day before he died. I told him I would, but I never had to follow through with my promise - he died that night.
I am so sad and I miss him terribly. I hate EC. I thought he'd be a Berk Hippie, driving his jeep in So Cal, for another 10 years, at least!
I miss my dad so much...