Hello,
I rarely post, but I like to come on and let others know when we have a good report. I know what it's like to search online for days on end looking for positive stories.
My husband, Hans, just received the news today that his scans came out clean! We are now 4.5 years out.
Diagnosed in July 2005 the day before his 33rd birthday...symptoms were anemia related. Blood loss from the bleeding tumor. Tumor was located at the junction of esophagus and stomach.
Surgery August 2005 at MD Anderson in Houston. Cancer was extensive and in 15 of the 29 lymph nodes removed. Half of the stomach and half of the esophagus were removed. Stage 3...almost 4.
Lots of complications...a second surgery to repair a leak at original surgery site. C-Diff. Fungal infections in esophagus. Shingles. He will have violent reflux which will then cause massive bleeding (still happens). He lost a lot a weight and it is a constant battle to gain. In fact, 6 months ago the Drs put in a picc line so that they could get extra nutrition in him and some pounds.
Last year Hans became very ill and scans revealed 'lesions' in his brain. The Drs told us the cancer was back and we planned his funeral that night...well, the next morning we were told by an astonished medical team that they thought it might be an infection (I had been asking all along if it could be infection...). One brain surgery later we found out it was a Strep infection in his brain most likely it travelled there from the esophagus. If we would have put him on that radiation table that day he would have died quickly.
We've been through so much, but he has survived and we want to give hope to others. We both mentor new patients and caregivers on a regular basis now.
We take our 'new normal' day by day...but in the meantime, Hans has written and published his first book, done many cooking shows here in Georgia, does cooking classes at Piedmont hospital in Atlanta for other cancer patients, runs our restaurant and hotel, written many food related articles for local magazines, travelled to Germany a couple of times, presented & signed his book for Disney World's food & wine festival, mentors other patients and is a great husband and Dad every day.
Life can go on and it can have meaning... I hope that someone can read Hans' story and feel hope. Hope is so important.
-Amy