Help/Support Needed

Hello

 My dad has just been diagnosed with T3/N1/M1 cancer of the esophagus.

After trawling the internet for information (hospital has not really told us anything!) I fell upon this chat room and just felt that I had to join.

 I have been reading websites and find it hard to believe the prognosis given for the stage my dad is at....  the hospital gave us no indication that it was this serious.

He has had a stent fitted this week so that he can swallow more easily and we now going to fatten him up for treatment (once we know what treatment they are going to offer!)

 I wondered if there was anybody else who had experience of this stage of cancer and also whether anybody had any experience of using cellular zeolite?

 Many Thanks

J - Unless you ask, the Docs won't tell. ----In a way that you will understand anyway.DO NOT LET THEM PUT A TIMELINE ON YOUR DADS LIFE.  They will put the diagnosis, prognosis and treatments offered in thier language as if you should understand. Hopefully, they want you to understand. Let them give you the medical terms, and then put it in a way you understand.  Whenever they give you a schedule of chemo - Ask why, Ask What it is. If they have yet to give you what kind of chemo regimen, or any kind of medicine regime, ask what is the delay. When you are just beginning this - there should be no waiting. Scans, ultrasounds, bloodwork, an exhausting list of tests immediately to get the treatment started. Ask questions  - Many, Many questions. Sometimes I believe doctors (and some nurses)  count on us pretending that we understand what they are saying. That,  in some way, we don't want the Doctors to think we have done something wrong. That somehow wehave been neglectful in caring for ourselves or our loved one. Think about it - When they tell you waht's wrong and how it should be treated - How much did you actually understand? And did they not look you in the eye, like you should know what they are talking about. I don't know how it happened for you all but, after the EGD (esophagas.....(12 more letters), to find out if it was cancer, he was still basically under  - We got, "Well, it'cancer we found. It's at the junction of the esophagus and partueit ??  (whatever) which is causing the dysplasia in the upper (whatever) whereas it is found that a non-significant mass is unremarkable in the liver and kidneys. Tumor marker at time of insertion 3mm to left and appears to be prolifically unfounded with the the other finds we have found. tumor remarkable and subject to further finds not found here. ????????HuH! Therefore - of course - when Dr so-and -so gets back from his 2 week vaca he just started,  we'll go over the findings and see what we found - And get back to ya!!!

They did this to my husband 2 years ago starting  in April 2005. Had we not asked questions and demanded, from ourselves, and the docs, answers - most importantly options, we would not have gone fishing in the Berkshires this past summer. There are options. You have to find them, if that is what is wanted. When they speak to you - remind them - "WE have never had cancer before. So this is going to take more than 15 minutes of our time today."  Best wishes, God Bless

Lou

 Thank you so mush for taking the time to reply to my note.  It is nice to hear from somebody who has been through similar.

 We are back at the hospital on Monday so will be bombarding the doctors with questions and demanding to know when and what treatment they can offer. 

My sister and I have been looking at natural alternatives that will complement any treatment they do offer.  We have already had our dad drinking Green Tea today and have banned coffee! ( he was not impressed!)  Joking aside, there are many lifestyle changes that you can make that do not necessarily have to cost anything but can have a positive effect on the body and stop feeding the cancer.  I think we will all come out of this healthier!

Thank you again for replying to my note and if anybody else is going through similar then please do reply....