hi Reny many thanks for you kindness and i agree with the 'carer' tag as i like you dont need that title, but i guess it is just some way to introduce the other half of the person with cancer. He is doing much better now after a few weeks after the big chemo day and is managing the 5 chemo pills daily without any problems. he is thin though and eating fine - that is a worry and i am not sure if it is cancer or chemo that is keeping him thin. We head back into for 2nd chemo treatment on 10th December, so i know he will have a rough time for at least 3-4 days afterwards, but at least now we know what to expect. I hope your husband is doing well now after that awful shock 18 months ago - it is the shock that takes you to your knees, then you have to rally around and get your back straight. Not easy but it sounds like you are strong and both of you keeping it in the right place in your lives. I keep saying to Kory -- we know where we are at now and we need to move forward to do normal things, and keep up all the treatments and just push it somewhere manageable in our life. I have wonderful friends and family who are all strong and positive - i have a couple of girlfriends who came across with the 'oh god he looks terrible or look how thin his arms are'' -- i short-changed that pretty quickly and let them know ''only good and positive vibes ' i did not need that whispering to me whilst kory was not far away and heard the comment --- people dont think. anyway thank you again and love and prayers to you and your husband and family . hel xx ... View more

hi Kas many thanks for coming back to me. It all helps understanding how to get through each day and yes it is frustrating as a carer. I am an incredibly strong woman with the tenacity and ability to look on the brighter side of life, and have nursed my father and brother though cancer, so not new to this, but it was still a shock and a re-adjustment in life - but I have my feet under me now and I will get him through this somehow :) He will survive this and has not been told he will not, so that is our mantra. I think Cancer connection is a wonderful online program and to be able to share is truly a gift, as we all feel alone at times in this battle. I don't think negative and I make sure he does not as well. thank you again for kind thoughts, Hel ... View more

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 ... View more

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 ... View more

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 ... View more