Guest guest Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 Steve, my heart goes out to you during this difficult time. I'm sure it was not an easy decision to make, but I'll pass on something one of our very wise members told me once. Once your decision is made, go forth with faith and don't look back. Big hugs, Maggie Alabama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 Good for you that you have made your decision -- you know in your heart you want your life back and are willing to take the risks to get it. Best to you as you prepare yourself. Take good care. Peggy > > Just a short little update as I have been away for a while (pondering). > > Many thanks to Ed, Carol, is, Jan and to many others. But I have decided to opt for an oesophagectomy. It has taken me a little while to get my head around such a radical solution but I guess there comes a time when it seems a sensible option. > > I have several months now to convince myself that this was the right decison as the surgeon is away for quite a bit of the summer so we are looking at Autumn for a date. So a few more months of struggling (today is a bad day, water only today). > > Hope everyone is OK. Great to read about 's recovery. > > STEVE > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 Steve, I’m so sorry that its come to this decision! But at least you were able to wrap your brain around it and come to a conclusion. I know one day I may have to make that decision and I’m NOT looking forward to it, but I will do what I have to! Keep us updated!!! C Warren Co-Founder www.achalasia.us From: achalasia [mailto:achalasia ] On Behalf Of Peggy Cordero Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 9:50 AM achalasia Subject: Re: Oesophagectomy Good for you that you have made your decision -- you know in your heart you want your life back and are willing to take the risks to get it. Best to you as you prepare yourself. Take good care. Peggy > > Just a short little update as I have been away for a while (pondering). > > Many thanks to Ed, Carol, is, Jan and to many others. But I have decided to opt for an oesophagectomy. It has taken me a little while to get my head around such a radical solution but I guess there comes a time when it seems a sensible option. > > I have several months now to convince myself that this was the right decison as the surgeon is away for quite a bit of the summer so we are looking at Autumn for a date. So a few more months of struggling (today is a bad day, water only today). > > Hope everyone is OK. Great to read about 's recovery. > > STEVE > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 Dear Steve, I respect your brave decision and wish you all the best for a successful surgery.Steve Lennox <lennoxsteve@...> wrote: Just a short little update as I have been away for a while (pondering). Many thanks to Ed, Carol, is, Jan and to many others. But I have decided to opt for an oesophagectomy. It has taken me a little while to get my head around such a radical solution but I guess there comes a time when it seems a sensible option. I have several months now to convince myself that this was the right decison as the surgeon is away for quite a bit of the summer so we are looking at Autumn for a date. So a few more months of struggling (today is a bad day, water only today). Hope everyone is OK. Great to read about 's recovery. STEVE Messenger - with free PC-PC calling and photo sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 Dear Steve, I will be following your posts and thinking of your health and decisions as they go along, wishing you all the strength and fortitude you need for your upcoming surgery. I admire your conviction. I will think of you with strong prayers and support. Deborah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Steve, It is good to hear from you. I know how difficult the decision is. I wish you the best for you. Let us know when your date for the surgery is set. Ed .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 15, 2006 Report Share Posted July 15, 2006 Thanks Ed, A few months now to give this some real thought and plan. There are times when the thought terrifies me then there are other times (usually when I am having a bad time of it) when I wish they would do it now. But, I, of course, need the bad days in order to justify the surgery to myself. At this moment in time (since dilatation) I don't think I am as bad as other people on this site but I know it is all downhill from this point and as my GI doctor said, it's best to do this type of procedure whilst you are at optimal fitness rather than losing a pound a day and with aspiration pneumonia. Anyway, thanks for the message. I'll let you know the date. STEVE Re: Oesophagectomy Steve, It is good to hear from you. I know how difficult the decision is. I wish you the best for you. Let us know when your date for the surgery is set. Ed .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 15, 2006 Report Share Posted July 15, 2006 Hi Steve, Having an esophagectomy is not an easy decision. I waited 3 years till i finally decided to have one. When i got my surgery date, i was freaking out almost everyday. They were times i would constantly try to justify my actions, and there would be times that i would say " why the f**k am i doing this?! " But i knew that my esophagus was only getting worse and will continue to get worse if i didn't get this surgery. When my esophagus was getting too damaged from all the GERD (sometimes i would have 2-3 day heartburns thats a 8-9 on the pain scale), spasms, and regurigitation of food and sometimes liquid... I knew it was time to get one. I actually promised myself i would get the surgery before i was 30 years old. My surgeon also told to get this surgery while i'm still fit and young, and he gave a little reasurance that i'll do better recovering because of that factor. So let me know how your doing and tell all of us your surgery date... --- Steve Lennox <lennoxsteve@...> wrote: > Thanks Ed, > > A few months now to give this some real thought and > plan. There are times when the thought terrifies me > then there are other times (usually when I am having > a bad time of it) when I wish they would do it now. > But, I, of course, need the bad days in order to > justify the surgery to myself. At this moment in > time (since dilatation) I don't think I am as bad as > other people on this site but I know it is all > downhill from this point and as my GI doctor said, > it's best to do this type of procedure whilst you > are at optimal fitness rather than losing a pound a > day and with aspiration pneumonia. > > Anyway, thanks for the message. I'll let you know > the date. > > STEVE > > > Re: Oesophagectomy > > > Steve, > It is good to hear from you. I know how difficult > the decision is. I wish you the best for you. Let us > know when your date for the surgery is set. > Ed > > > . > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2007 Report Share Posted May 19, 2007 Hi Debbie, How much luck I am wishing you!!! You have been through quite a lot already and I really really hope (and think!) you are going to be fine in the end, just like . Have you read 's story too? She is from Australia as well and has also been through so much already. I think she is looking for the best possible Australian surgeon, so it might be a good idea that the two of you get in touch? Just an idea... Good luck and a lot of strength to you!!! Love, IsabellaDebbie Burt <debbieb55au@...> wrote: Hello all, I haven't posted here for a month or so now, but thought i would send an update on my condition. I have now been booked in to have an Oesophagectomy in July, following an unsuccessful Botox injection (my eighth) last December and tests in January which showed my Oesophagus has deteriorated remarkably. I had a myotomy in March 1995 which ended up with me having a perforated oesophagus - 9 weeks in hospital and another 10 weeks recovering at home until a 'miracle' occurred and the rupture spontaneously healed. This complication of course has had repercussions on my treatment now and the operation i now have to have. I did have five great years after the myotomy had finally healed, but then my father and young sister died within five months of each other in 2000 and my problems resurfaced again - mainly due to stress and trying to support my mother who handled my father's death fairly well but who went to pieces following my sister's death (she was only 34 and was found dead in her flat (apartment) the coroner said she died as a result of a diabetic hypo). So all that stress caused the achalasia to raise its ugly head. Thank God for Botox because that was the only course of action open to me by that time. You see you can't perform dilatations on someone who has had a ruptured oesophagus, nor were the surgeons keen to attempt another myotomy after the complications of the first one. Well after being on Optifast now for almost 5 months to a) reduce weight and get nutritionally balanced i have now lost 16 kgs and people are telling me i look fantastic. I might look fantastic, but when you can only 'eat' liquids for breakfast, lunch and tea, only have one cup of coffee a day and no alcohol at all - it's a hell of a way to get to look fantastic. I saw my surgeon last week and he has finally set a date - the 26th July. He is going away for 4 weeks as of next week and won't be back in Australia until the end of June and as he wants another surgeon to assist on this op, the first date they can get together is the 26th July. So another 9 weeks of a liquid diet!! Although i know saliva is backing up big time so things are pretty bad down there in the depths of my oesophagus. As i am a singer and music teacher my surgeon is hoping he will not have to cut my neck and risk damage to the vocal chords, but as my stomach is now a quarter of the size of my oesophagus, he is hoping that there will be enough stomach and that it will still have elasticity allowing it to be stretched up and cut down to form the new oesophagus. So i am in countdown mode to "E" day on the 26th July. i have been following 's progress with interest and hope i am as well as she is 7 weeks after the op. I would love to hear from anyone with positive outcomes from an oesophagectomy - everyone's stories give me great heart. Deb from Melbourne, Australia Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger. You snooze, you lose. Get messages ASAP with AutoCheck in the all-new Beta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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