Treatment

Our first visit at the Cancer Clinic was Monday December 21st. We saw a Radiation Oncologist, who confirmed a poor prognosis and said he would start treatment after chemo. He showed us a print out of the catscan and explained the tumors and cancer a little more in-depth. He then referred us to a Medical Oncologist (Chemo doctor) for January 6th.

After leaving there we were disappointed in the fact that we were wasting time waiting for another consult and not starting treatment, and not even a date to start chemo. I made some phone calls to find out how to speed the process up. My sister contacted Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto to look into somehow starting chemo there over the holidays. It didn't work out as hoped, but we did set up a referral and plan on going there for a second opinion ASAP in the New Year.

I have pushed for chemo to be arranged ASAP, rather than wait for the Jan 6th consult and THEN make arrangements and it seems to have help. While Dave was in hospital to put in the feeding tube, they were able to move up the Chemo consult from the 6th and he saw the oncologist on December 24th am at the Cancer Clinic. (We're so happy to see things moving and know everybody's prayers are helping so much!)

Dave will get a PICC line (peripherally inserted central catheter) on Monday January 4th. (This is similar to an IV line in his arm, which he'll receive the chemo through.) We don't have a firm date yet for Chemo to begin, but the nurse we spoke with at the Cancer Clinic is trying to get us in for Jan 5th-6th. Please pray that this happens.

Dave will have Chemotherapy for 3 or 4 months, with Radiation starting halfway through. Chemotherapy will be administered at home 24/7 through the PICC line with a small pump on his belt so he will be able to come & go. He will also go into the Cancer Clinic regularly for additional chemo and for the PICC line to be checked.

Please pray that this isn't too hard on Dave and of course that the chemo shrinks the tumors significantly. We have stressed with every doctor & nurse that we've spoken to at the cancer clinic that we want them to be aggressive. Dave is younger and healthier than the typical esophageal cancer patient and with the prognosis they've offered we can't afford to hold back.

In addition to getting the chemo started, we have also been praying for guidance as far as what else we should be doing and if there was anything in Dave's diet he should be adding. We connected with a woman who runs a natural minerals store (whom we found out after talking for a while, was a Christian), and have added additional minerals, and supplements to Dave's diet, like digestive enzymes, and better quality acidophilus yogurt etc... The doctors and hospital don't suggest any of this, but it really does make sense when you think about it. (They do however recognize anything that's not medical science as a 'complementary' therapy, and don't discourage it though.)

Val