Mikef,
My husband age 51 was just diagnosed with high grade dysplasia (Barrett's eophagus). The folks on this message board are wonderful with esophagectomy questions - since this is truly major surgery, and from what I've read, there are significant changes that you will have to adapt to for the rest of your life. If it's the only option for you, you are fortunate to have access to their good advice. Another source of eye-opening information that I found was on the University of Michigan's web site for patients - http://surgery.med.umich.edu/thoracic/clinical/discharge_fol look for the PDF on esophagectomy.
We found out there are some new therapies for Barrett's high grade dysplasia. You may be a candidate for this option if this is what you have (e.g., if your high grade dysplasia is from Barrett's esophagus, thus same as my husband's). If this is what you have, you might check out these web sites for more information before you undergo esophagectomy surgery:
Go to www.barretts-esophagus.org for information on some new therapies that are proving successful and allowing patients with this disease to avoid esophagectomy. If you have questions (and you will) scroll down to the bottom of the page and call Mary Ann at the clinic - they will help you.
Go to barrx.com for information on clinical research studies on this particular alternative therapy, as well as a "find a physician" that can help you see if there are physicians doing this procedure in your area.
Good luck, Mikef - check these out - my husband was advised to have an esophagectomy like you, because his doctors weren't familiar or trusting of the outpatient procedures that are now available, but they are approved by the FDA and shown to be 98.4% effective in eligible patients (2.5 years follow-up and counting.) We are lining up the paperwork to have this done instead of esophagectomy, but if I hadn't done the research on my own, it would never have been offered to us. Doctors want to save your life and because there's a chance that high grade dysplasia can turn into cancer, they take drastic steps quickly to protect you. However, you should check out these other options - they might be a good fit for you.
Good luck - you're in my prayers.