New At This

[steamboat]

Hi, this is my first day on this wonderful site. My husband kory was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer and all though his bones just 4 weeks ago -- he had no symptoms whatsoever except he found a few small lumps in his neck. He starts chemo tomorrow (19/11/2013)at Warringal Hospital. I am staggering around the house trying to keep up with all the work he usually did as we are both retired. Cooking is my major worry as he is not very interested in food, but he must eat. Any suggestions in that area would be wonderful. I am his carer and just the two of us, so I am lonely now as we usually do everything together, but he has gone downhill fast and most in bed. I can only hope that chemo gets things moving in the right direction. They say not curable, I say we will beat this. he is very depressed, so I need some 'good stories' to help us along.

[kj]

steamboat Try some small quantities of scrambled egg on toast I find it as my go to food, it may help your husband hope so.Chemo may make it a bit harder for him with food good luck. kj

[n2141116]

Hi I can imagine how difficult this may be for you and your husband. My dad was diagnosed with thyroid and esophageal cancer in March and passed away in September this year. My mum & I looked after dad at home for that time and he also found it very difficult to eat. I tended to try all different foods some would be a complete disaster and others depending on the day would be successful. Scrambled eggs, omelets, soup, stews, porridge, jelly, ice cream and fruit crush ups where often successful. I Also supplemented his meals with a high energy shake like sustagen or ensure two cal for morning or afternoon tea. As for the depression this part of the disease was very difficult to deal with as my dad had always been such a independent and proud man and he really crumbled understandably when first diagnosed. I took dad to see his GP who prescribed antidepressants and also offered some counseling - this really improved dads mood so just a thought. This is a very difficult road ahead for you both, you need to take care of yourself too. Depending on where you are there may be some community support to assist with chores etc so you and your husband can focus on the treatment, and of course so you don't become overwhelmed with all that has to be done. I wish you both all the very best. Take care.

[steamboat]

hi KJ, many thanks for tip - it all helps. he had a long 7.5 hour session with three types of chemo drugs yesterday, but felt better today for it, so we hope. cheers Helen

[steamboat]

hi, many thanks for all your info, I shall try what you have suggested. it is so nice to have this site where we can all chat and learn but especially, have the contact as I do feel alone these days. I found the hospital strength sustagen yesterday and he loved that, but he is eating now once we got the pain under control (bone pain), and he had 7.5 hrs chemo yesterday . a long day but he feels better today - so we hope this continues. kind regards and thank you again, Helen

[kasianne]

Hi I had esophageal caner which was at the junction of my stomach and by the time I was diagnosed I had lost 20kgs and was unable to keep even water down on a bad day. Initially I was given a nasal gastric tube to feed myself a hospital nutrient preparation but it would accumulate in my stomach and I would bring it ll back p late afternoon until I bought the tube up as well.During this tie I was giving up hope of anything working I was so hungry and frail and sometimes gave up trying to eat anything as I had my head constantly in a bucket or down the toilet. I can understand how some people become very depressed with it all. A few days after the gastric tube came out I was taken in hospital to have a Jpeg tube inserted into my duodenum and started the regime of being mechanically fed. The feeding process was slow as apparently you can be fed into your duodenum to quickly so me and my lovely machine went everywhere together even to work for a few weeks. After my first round of 3 chemo's I started to be able to eat little bits again I just craved wanting to taste and chew. I had to start gradually due to not having eaten for so long and I had to gain weight if possible to get through surgery. I am a very fussy eater so taking supplement food was not going to happen in the normal way but my husband added sustagen to milkshake with fresh fruit especially bananas for potassium which was always lacking and also got administered by drip during chemo. The vanilla one can be added into loads of foods without knowing, or so I found out after I had eaten the foods. My husband made me soups and mashed potato, veggies in a cheese sauce with it in. I hope the chemo helps your husband like it did me I got an appetite back and put on another 5 kgs before surgery. That was two years ago now. Hope this gives you some ideas and all the best through his treatment. Kas

[steamboat]

dear kas thank you for your reply it sure helps when you can talk to someone that knows what it is like. Kory's upper stomach cancer is where it meets the esophagus so he has a little trouble trying to swallow but not everything, and it came on so fast .. he was normal and fine 6 weeks ago then found small lumps in his collarbone and within 2 weeks had surgery to remove c7 from his spine which was full of cancer. Now he has bone pain as it is thru his bones, but even after the one day of chemo, he is feeling better and can now eat as he has the pain under control, but does not have an appetite like you explained. I have the sustagen and I will experiment with that as well with fruit, soups I am making and the vegetables in cheese sauce .. good idea. So glad you are doing well now and as I say to my husband .. the doctors can only say and do so much and the rest is up to us to fight this fight. kind regards, Helen