Esophageal Cancer Took My Daddy (9-6-11)

My dad was diagnosed with stage 3 esophageal cancer on September 27, 2010. It was on my 17th birthday, unfortunately. He couldn't eat, so they put him on a feeding tube. He went 6 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation, twice a week. Then he would be scheduled for surgery. On May 5, 2011; my dad went in for surgery. The surgery was successful and the cancerous tumor was gone. He went into a regular room 3 days after his surgery. He was doing great, until he had trouble breathing. He had a chest tube in him, feeding tube, and IVs in him. He walked around and he was breathless and out of energy. He went back into ICU because they wanted to evaluate him. He was put on oxygen mask to bring up his oxygen levels. He still had a hard time breathing. On May 30, 2011 at 1:15am he was put on a ventilator. He was sedated and I was saddened that I couldn't talk to him. They scheduled another procedure for a trach tube. He was in sedation mode for 2 months. He had pneumonia, sepsis, leak in his esophagus, and breathing troubles. He was on a roller coaster ride, he was good then bad. He died almost 3 times, prior to his death. They felt he needed to go to rehab to wean him off the ventilator. He was actually worse then before. I went on vacation to see my relatives for a week. My dad was always stable and nothing had changed. When I got home from South Carolina, my mom told me dad was not doing well. He was bloated and ashy looking when I saw him. All of his organs were shutting down. He was diagnosed with COPD, Congestive Heart Failure, and sepsis. The last day I saw him, I told him how much I loved and missed him. We had a nice conversation by writing (since he couldn't talk). I went home and the next day around 2:30am the rehab called and said he flat-lined. They had to call a CODE BLUE. They gave him a shot to revive him and they said 99% that he won't make it. Then around 9:45am my dad died. I found out later that esophageal cancer is a hard cancer to beat. He fought a good fight and aim proud of him. He is not suffering anymore. He is in heaven with no PAIN.

Hi,

Ur father will be now feel beter in heaven without any pain, my mom died due to the same esophageal cancer before 2 years she fights with the cancer 2 years, a good diet make her live with cancer 2 years after diagnosed as the stage 3 cancer squamos cell carinoma

I'm so sorry for your loss.  Your dad was a very brave man.  xxx

On Jan 13, 2012 1:30 AM SurvivorsMom wrote:

I'm so sorry for your loss.  Your dad was a very brave man.  xxx

My heart goes out to you......may He Rest in the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ.........I will pray for not only his soul, but for you.  Please pray for a cure for my rectal cancer...my journey thru this is just beginning.

Love and my sympathy.....Fran

So sorry to hear about your loss!  You are way to young to lose your 'daddy'! My heart goes out to you and your family!

My dad was diagnosed last July'11' with stage 3/4 and it is looking like time for hospice now.  

Sending my sympathy and prayers for your peace.  You know your Dad is now peaceful in heaven.  I am so sorry for your loss.  Stay strong and keep the faith.  Some day we will all understand why these things happen.  

I am sorry for your loss, I lost my Dad too last Friday (Jan 20th) and I am heartbroken.

This cancer is evil.

I am so sorry for your loss. Daddys are irreplaceable. I am praying for you.

I am very sorry to hear of the loss of your father.  It sounds as though you loved him very much.  I can see that you are young and that makes it all the more difficult at 17.  I lost my wonderful father in 2008 from hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer) and I am still at a loss, very painful for me even at age 56 at the time!  My husband of 33 years was recently diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer with metastases to the liver and I am heartbroken.  He is undergoing chemotherapy and it is a rough regiment.  He has some good days and then others are not so good.  I find it very hard to make sense of all of this.  I am having a rough time emotionally, but I do realize that I am not alone in this.  So many people are suffering in the same way.  I do feel empty and alone but I do know that I have wonderful family and friends in my life to help me through.  I am sure your wonderful father fought a good fight as I can see my husband doing too.  Just know that you are not alone because people like me are out there too looking to be consoled and hopefully I can help support someone while they support me too.  I hope you will take comfort in that your father is no longer suffering anymore and is definitely in Heaven with no pain.  Please take care of you too !