Eleonora's Journey with Adenocarcinoma, Esophagus Cancer
Spouse/Partner: Esophagus (Esophageal) Cancer > Adenocarcinoma
Patient Info: Currently in active treatment (initial surgery, receiving chemo rounds/radiation), Male
Get Full Access Today It’s EASY and FREE!
Things you can do
More Questions
Find us on Facebook
Experience Icon Descriptions
Procedure: Drag this icon to show a procedure.
Radiation: Drag this icon to show a specific radiation therapy experience.
Drug Therapy: Drag this icon to show a specific drug therapy experience.
Clinical Trial: Drag this icon to show a clinical trial experience.
Side Effect: Drag this icon to show experience with a specific side effect.
Oh No: Drag this icon to show when something bad happened (e.g., cancer’s back, lost job).
Celebration: Drag this icon to show when something good happened (e.g., last treatment, hair is back).
Loss: Drag this icon to show a time of loss (e.g., lost hair, lost loved one).
Decision Point: Drag this icon to show a time when you had to make a tough decision.
Other Care: Draft this icon to show a time when you needed other care (e.g., hospice, psychotherapy).
Loading...
Procedure or Surgery
This person has yet to add any details about this experience.
Drug or Chemo Therapy
This person has yet to add any details about this experience.
Milestones
My husband had surgery for adenocarcinoma, stage 2a, caused by Barrets Esophagus. After 9 weeks of mostly oral chemotherapy with one infusion every 3 weeks, he had a 7 1/2 hour surgery which removed 7" of his esophagus and the uppoer part of his stomach, joining them and relocating his stomach to a higher position, now located somewhat between his heart and lungs. His right vocal chord was adversely impacted in that it vibrates but does not come together to join the left vocal chord in performing full vocal chord function. He has received temporary injections in his affected vocal chord to 'fluff it up' to do its job. His post surgical hospital stay was 11 days. He didn't begin eating through the mouth until 3 weeks after the surgery The recuperation has been phenomenally difficult, long, slow, and eating at first was not fun and not flavorful to him. He went into a deep clinical depression, something very uncharacteristic of him, and with the help of a very find psychopharmacologist, he pulled out of a dark place. There were several emergency visits to the hospital... mostly because his heart wasn't used to his stomach flopping onto it when he turned on his side, etc. Lots of new physical sensations existed in his thorasic area where he was operated upon and he's had to become habituated to even how different a burp feels. After 4 months and a week, he began taking on a momentum with regard to his recuperation which is no less than miraculous. His eating has doubled, he is taking a very small supplemental feeding from his J peg and he needs to nap less every day than during the first several months. Although he says eating is still somewhat of a chore, he is enjoying it more and he is eating at a faster rate. The book "100 Questions and Answers about Esophageal Cancer" 2nd edition, by Ginex, Pamela K, is an excellent resource. Expect a 7 month recuperation to feel pretty good and a year to a year and a half for full recovery.