Re: A little update - a date for esophagectomy.

[Guest guest]

Hi Tim,

I read your post and remembered the words my Doctor said to me before I had my

esophagectomy. He used the words " flaccid sac " to describe my esophagus. Yes,

by that point, another stretch just wasn't an option. I don't know if you've

been following the posts on a regular basis, but I just wanted to offer some

encouragement. Fortunately, my esophagectomy was very successful. The recovery

took almost a full year, but the results were well worth the wait. It's not

that the pain is extremely severe, it's the months of exhaustion. (I do not

mean to imply that there is not extreme pain involved . . . just not for the

whole year!) If you have any questions, please feel free to ask anything you

wish to know. I had my operation in October 1st, 2007.

All the best,

achalasia@...: timwilson12@...: Mon, 8 Dec 2008

22:06:20 +0000Subject: A little update - a date for esophagectomy.

Hi!I went to Oxford today to speak with my surgeon - Nick Maynard. Wetalked

about a Gastroplasty but this has never been done in the Uk andhe couldn't say

what the outcome or long term prognosis would be. Hestill thought that the

Esophagectomy was the best option. He has doneover 500 of these. He said that my

'E' was a saggy tortuous sigmoidbag and would only get worse.After a few months

of relatively good swallowing following my laststretch, things are deteriorating

again. Am getting stuck and havingto make myself sick, choking on food at night,

feeling nauseous in themorning, having chronic heartburn from fermenting food in

my 'E'. Iknow that this will only get worse and am not having another stretch.So

we talked about a date and we are going ahead on April 16th to fitin with some

family business I have to attend to and makingarrangements at work. Seems a long

way off but I'm sure it will comearound soon enough. If things really start

going pear shaped I canspeak to him and can maybe have it sooner. But I think it

will benicer to convalesce in the spring rather than the Brrrrritish

winter!RegardsTim

_________________________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Tim,

I had my esophagectomy March 29, 2007 - I'm now heading towards the two year

mark - and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Yes it was a major surgery

(the only surgery I've ever had for anything) and yes the recovery was long and

difficult at times. I was fortunate and had no complications and haven't needed

any post-surgery dilitations like some have. But I can tell you I would do it

again in a heartbeat. It's amazing to eat like a normal person and not feel food

backing up in my throat, or waking up choking and aspirating in the middle of

the night. I can sleep on two pillows now, relatively flat, instead of propped

up with five pillows. I can eat whatever I want - there are no restrictions. I

do have to watch portion size, but even that has improved with time since the

surgery and I don't feel like I'm deprived or lacking in how much I eat. It's

great. I wish you all the luck in the world and if you have any questions feel

free to ask.

Love,

in NY

---- timwilson12 <timwilson12@...> wrote:

> Hi!

>

> I went to Oxford today to speak with my surgeon - Nick Maynard. We

> talked about a Gastroplasty but this has never been done in the Uk and

> he couldn't say what the outcome or long term prognosis would be. He

> still thought that the Esophagectomy was the best option. He has done

> over 500 of these. He said that my 'E' was a saggy tortuous sigmoid

> bag and would only get worse.

>

> After a few months of relatively good swallowing following my last

> stretch, things are deteriorating again. Am getting stuck and having

> to make myself sick, choking on food at night, feeling nauseous in the

> morning, having chronic heartburn from fermenting food in my 'E'. I

> know that this will only get worse and am not having another stretch.

>

> So we talked about a date and we are going ahead on April 16th to fit

> in with some family business I have to attend to and making

> arrangements at work. Seems a long way off but I'm sure it will come

> around soon enough. If things really start going pear shaped I can

> speak to him and can maybe have it sooner. But I think it will be

> nicer to convalesce in the spring rather than the Brrrrritish winter!

>

> Regards

>

> Tim

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Tim,

Sounds well, though the waiting is the hardest part often, though it is a good

thing you already have a date set.

You are right: it's better to have this type of thing done in spring than in

winter. When you are able to go for little walks outside, it's so nice to do

that in the sun!

I hope you will keep feeling positive and strong towards the surgery. Prepare

yourself for a year of recovering, a year with ups and downs, a year with mixed

feelings and a hard fight at times. But you are going to make it, just like many

others have made it before.

If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know.

Love,

Isabella

________________________________

From: timwilson12 <timwilson12@...>

achalasia

Sent: Monday, December 8, 2008 11:06:20 PM

Subject: A little update - a date for esophagectomy.

Hi!

I went to Oxford today to speak with my surgeon - Nick Maynard. We

talked about a Gastroplasty but this has never been done in the Uk and

he couldn't say what the outcome or long term prognosis would be. He

still thought that the Esophagectomy was the best option. He has done

over 500 of these. He said that my 'E' was a saggy tortuous sigmoid

bag and would only get worse.

After a few months of relatively good swallowing following my last

stretch, things are deteriorating again. Am getting stuck and having

to make myself sick, choking on food at night, feeling nauseous in the

morning, having chronic heartburn from fermenting food in my 'E'. I

know that this will only get worse and am not having another stretch.

So we talked about a date and we are going ahead on April 16th to fit

in with some family business I have to attend to and making

arrangements at work. Seems a long way off but I'm sure it will come

around soon enough. If things really start going pear shaped I can

speak to him and can maybe have it sooner. But I think it will be

nicer to convalesce in the spring rather than the Brrrrritish winter!

Regards

Tim