Goodness knows what section this is going to end up in. Things started playing up about ten mins ago. I wanted to reply to Pauline's excellent new eating ideas but Reply didn't budge. Anyway, thank you Pauline. I spoke too soon about recommending Lindt to garance.
Tonight it just wouldn't stay down but I had a white milk chocolate Magnum and that tasted wonderful but has made my tummy rumble. Heaer it?
I went into hospital for all my pre-op tests this afternoon--the ECG, and blood and so on. If only the rest of me wre like my blood pressure which he said was like a young women..
I go in on Sunday and have the op on Monday to stretch the oesophagus to make eating easier but the doctor said not to be too hopeful about it. It is a tricky thing to do and thyere is a danger that the procedure could cause tearing and so on.
I nearly said to forget but did't have the courage. Obviously they will be looking for other things there and will take biopsies if necesssary he said.
What I find odd, Dr Joshi if you happen to be there, is that I don't have the barium swallow until 5 days later.
I would have thought they'd do that first?
Any tech information gratefully received.
Oh Pauline, one thing I do with Baileys is just having a spoonful in a liqueur glass of Carnation. Any more makes my mouth sting.

Regards to all. So very sad about Spouse's husband. Ishbel
.

Well hello to you. My thoughts and prayers are with you while you have this procedure done. At this point in my life I don't want them to touch me. I cannot take anymore maybe's or it could's. Seems like for me anyway, they always turn out the wrong way for me. Plus I have been out way way too many times. I too find it odd about the baruim swallow. Here they do that first to see how much room you have in there, I cannot understand for the life of me why they are doing it after, isn't that called the cart before the horse. I think so..I believe I would be asking some more questions if I were you. Like why aren't we doing a swallow before hand so you can see how much space you need to open up for me. Also what are the percentages on this procedure working. How effective is it. What all can be damamged by this. I will never ever go under again until I am 100% okay with it..That is me tho....You please please take care......I want to hear from you when you are up to it..Okay...Until then my thoughts and prayers are with you. Always Vicki Lynn

Hello Ishbel...My, my, you have got a lovely early Christmas pressie haven't you!!!

You MUST have your oesophagus stretched, I have had it done, and you would not believe the difference, it really is amazing. I will be having mine done again in the near future, I just have to say to my consultant when. It was explained to me - because of the scarring caused by RT your oesophagus shrinks as the scarring heals, hence a little stretching works wonders.

The Barium Swallow, I don't know why you are having to wait, must be some logical reason. One word of caution here Ishbel... I apologise to all about this warning. Those of you who have had this procedure will know what I am talking about. Others with a nervous disposition may not want to read....only jesting. When going to the loo Ishbel, your "You Know Whats" are like lead bombs..(you have to imagine what lead bombs look like) and virtually impossible to flush away. I will leave it up to your imagination on a way to dispose of them. (This is normal by the way).
Thought you would appreciate that little snippit of advice.

Ishbel I know you are anxious.... just go for it....honestly the difference really is amazing.

Cheers

Rosemary

Ishbel said on 11 December 2004 01:51 AM
(reposted here, on her behalf):

quote:

---

Well girls, yet again the Reply thing I didn't work. I wrote a great long screed and pressed the Send but it hasn't been transmitted. So this will be short and sweet as I am really tired.
Rosemary I was overhwelmed to hear the good news fom you about it working. You're the first person I know who has had it done. I think the barium is happening later because there was a last minute vacancy for the stretching procedure but not for the barium so they decided to go ahead which is fine by me.
The lead bombs will be welcomed, even if they are like the old pianos they used to sling through the air when they ran out of ammo!
Rosemarry how long is it since you had the first one done? Than k you for the information so much. I have printed it out for my daughter who worries a lot.
Vicki I can totally understand your reluctance to have more things done, girlie. after all you have been through. I will ask questions like you said. Thank you for caring. Does Ric do your Christmas shopping for you or do you manage it all yourself? Mother Courage, that's who you are, Miss Oklahoma!

Best regards Ishbel

---

Hello again Ishbel...The first time I had stretching of the oesophagus was three months after finishing treatment. It was the first examination when biopsies were taken. I wasn't aware until after when they told me that they had carried out this procedure. To be honest, I did notice a difference in my swallowing, but put it down to the healing process. It was only when the same procedure was carried out in January of this year - one year after finishing treatment, (no need for biopsies then) that the difference in swallowing was really quite amazing. I'm not saying that my swallowing power is as it was, and never will be, but I can eat and drink almost anything. Although I am still very nervous about eating red meat, so I just give this one a body swerve.

Hope this info. helps a little Ishbel, and try not to worry, I know its easy to say, not so easy to do.

As I said, I will probably have it done again in the New Year.

Cheers

Rosemary

Just read this Ishbel - Good luck with the stretching. I'm sure you will be fine. it's natural to feel so very apprehensive.

But I am beginning to loathe the word hospital so don't envy you, after being rushed there by ambulance last week after a fall and hitting my head badly. My face is black and blue still down one side and i have amassive lump on my brow. I was lucky I did not lose my eye and am cheered that my brain is functioning when I correctly completed a Times Soduku puzzle the other day!

I saw a side of the NHS not seen during my cancer treatment. At the Heath Hospital in Cardiff I was told I'd have to wait to see first the triage nurse about 2 hours and then about 7 hours to see a doctor. My husband drove down from our Worcestershire house and collected me and drove me up to Worcester Hospital an hour and half drive away and we were seen by both a triage nurse (15 mins later)and a doctor in 2 hours.

The A nd E ward at the Heath was like a nightmare surreal scenario with a man in a French maid's outfit wandering around dripping blood where he had been glassed and his friend beside him in a Mr Incredible outfit, ;later removed by police.

I really think there should be 2 units - one for the drunks and one for people who have not self inflicted their accident on themselves. Yes I'm angry and this is probably in the wrongs section, but I can see now why Blitbob was so unhappy with her treatment there. The place was supposedly 18 months old and the floor was filthy. Now wonder we read so much about MSRA. Bring back matrons and cleaners who scrub the walls vigorously!!!

Hello, thinking of you and hope all this will not be too painful; I have to say I think the Grand Public out there stuffing their faces, should be mad aware of what throat and head cancers are like. At least I hope your ward is clean, for my second 'op, I was put on a ward with transgender people, and I demanded to be removed, it was like being in the league of gentle men; while I lay with tubes up nose, in neck, arms, up the chuffy, etc, they were busy prinping their wigs and running around in salmon pink dressing gowns and fluffy feather slippers; I pray you are in a decent ward with normal folk around.

Oh Pauline... What a shame... I hope you are on the mend, not much Christmas cheer at the moment I daresay. This will all change, you'll see, you will have a lovely Christmas. Remember that feeling you had a few months back, when, after your two yearly check-up you were given the all clear. Just think of that...must have been a great feeling. I'm hoping to get that feeling next week. It will be two years since I finished treatment, Christmas Eve to be precise. You know Pauline, I'm not quite as confident as everyone thinks. I get a bit emotional at these visits. Its quite funny really, at the end of each visit....as if on cue, the consultants stand up together....they know that a big peck on the cheek is coming. I'm just so relieved.

I know it will be suggested that I have my oesophagus stretched. I'm not concerned about the procedure, but as you said, the cleanliness
of some hospitals is appalling. I was in hospital January past having this done, although in a private room, still could not bring myself to have a shower, I felt really uncomfortable. There was an article in our local press about a lady who was so nervous about going into hospital and contracting MSRA, shee took her own cleaning stuff with her, she said she needed it too. This time I'm going to a Private Hospital.

You take care Pauline.

Rosemary

I do feel like ranting everytime I think of the whole nightmare like event! So I don't blame you going private. Do what you feel is best for you. My husband didn't want me to be treated there when he gauged the attitude and the blodd drips all over the floor just ignored by staff and we are both originally from south Wales so are not against the hospital. Indeed we recall it being built and my husband even worked there whilst at uni. But there seemed a general indifference to patients in our opinion. The department had been newly refurbished yet the ambience was uncomforting.

Rosemary I'm not surprised you feel emotional. This is a huge roller coaster of feelings. It's great that you are almost at 2 years. Sometimes I think we feel this way because we just feel more vulnerable generally.

I understand what you say about not being as confident as everyone thinks. I am on 3 monthly appointments now and I found it a reassuring but very scary idea too, despite the fact I've been told anything suspicious we'll fit you in anytime. My brain liked my mouth being checked more frequently. It comforted me yet scared me too as the apprehension before an appointment is dreadful. I hate being scoped, but know it is meant to help me.

I hope Ishbel will be ok and hope you are spared the streching. Have you tried forcing food down. Last Xmas I made myself eat some quite difficult to eat Xmas pud and swallowed more than I ought to have on several occasions over a few days. Sometimes I thought I was overdoing it and should be more careful or I'd choke but I think I must have self streched it as my swallowing actually improved and enlarged my swallow. Weird.

I made 2 large Xmas puds yesterday and have managed to eat a half already so may have to make more.....

Good luck and season's greetings to you to.

HAPPY HOLIDAY TO YOU ALL

I HOPE pauline will be feeling better soon, sorry to hear about the fall.

Will be away over the holiday period but will be thinking of you all; health is our pass word for 2005

Just come back from visiting family in South Wales this weekend to be told that last night on the news they actually showed an experiment where drunks in South Wales are being kept separate from ordinary accident victims. About time too - the last thing you need in an A and E ward is to feel even more vulnerable that you do.

Thanks Garance. I do feel a bit better, but still have a lump on my brow like a grape and am still purple beneath and above the eye and yellow and green down one side of my cheek to jaw. I really feel I've been through the mill enough without this fall so I was steaming with fury last week. I felt like I'd been mugged when all I did was fall straight over onto a concrete path and rebound onto my cheek.

I think most of all I'm mad that I was the only person there at the party not drinking a) because I can't really taste the stuff or taste only nasty tannins and b) beacuse it's not the best liquid for our throats.

Anyway I'll be having a very low key Christmas as I have tried disguising this with make up with poor effect. I have been told there is no way the skin will be clear and pink again for a month. Mind you it has taken my mind off the old spook. A fraction further on the temple and it could have killed me which just makes me feel if you are going to go, go you will when the moment comes.

I hope everyone here has a jolly enough time bearing in mind the old eating problems and looks forward to another year of living. I just hope that we all have a few good days when the old taste buds zap into life again especially with all those wonderful aromas in the air. With that in mind I shall seek out some zinc tablets on Monday again.

Hope Ishbel is well.

Merry Xmas to you all.