Best wishes for a full recovery.

Sorry to hear that. Prayers for you, my friend.

Hoping for a speedy recovery - prayers sent!

It ain't that bad. Pain level: zero (though ask me in two days). Just glad that Sigforum isn't blocked at the clinic!


Chemo_01 by kpkina, on Flickr

I just saw this, sorry about that, glad they caught it and you're under care!

If they block it, just get a VPN!

The cancer version of ball-and-chain. The infusion ball I'm wearing for the next two days. Which begs prompts the question, "Can this thing be filled with Japanese sake?"


Chemo_02 by kpkina, on Flickr

We’re all thinking of you and praying for you.

I got this...


Chemo_02a by kpkina, on Flickr
(Apologies for the graphics. I lack the skill of a certain Monkey )

Side effects are different for the drugs used. Chemo nurses are wonderful and they often know more than the oncologist. They know the tricks of what to eat and what not to eat and are quite honest if you want them to be. They can talk about death and dying at length if that is what you want to discuss.

The "ball" is noticeably smaller today. Woke up a little punky, but anti-nausea meds knocked it out fine.

BTW, the noxious fluid that is being pumped into my heart is toxic enough that if there's a spill, they give you a little hazmat kit so no other person comes into direct contact.


Chemo_3 by kpkina, on Flickr

Best wishes and prayers for a successful recovery!

Keep kicking ass. As you sit in treatment, drop in and give us a heads up! Be strong!!

Definitely sending prayers. Adding you to my nightly prayers ongoing. Thanks for the heads up on GERD and its relationship to the cancer. Praying you beat this and your fight is relatively easier than most fights.

Prayers offered up for you my friend. Gods peace and blessings for you and yours.

Reposted from my Fazebook page...

OK, chemo officially sucks. The day of infusion, fine, the day after infusion, fine, then the second day after- not so fine. Nausea and fatigue, bad but manageable. But far worse was severe stomach pain (actually it was probably the lower esophagus near my stomach, where the remaining lesion is located. But I'll just call it stomach pain). I was doubled over in pain for 4 days. Not sure why the chemo would trigger this.*

Apparently this is common timing for chemo side effects. Everything hits the second day post a session. My oncologist prescribed me pain meds, Toradol, a strong NSAID that is one level below opiates like Vicodin. Hope it works, or it's on to the hard stuff.

*EDIT: Realized that since chemo basically targets fast-growing cells like cancer, it can also affect fast-growing normal tissues elsewhere in the body. That's why hair falls out. The lining of the upper GI tract renews about once a week, which explains why chemo can cause pain in that area. Further, chemo can also trigger acid reflux, exactly what I don't need at this time.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kkina, May 04, 2025 05:06 PM

Keeping you in my thoughts, Friend.

Prayers up.

You got this KKINA.

Prayers for a speedy recovery.

Thanks for the updates. You hang in there...we all have your back.

Kevin,
You have my prayers and best wishes. And yeah chemo sucks be it infusion or oral as there is no free lunch with sometimes horrendous side effects.
My cancer (not esophageal) treatment was oral but the chemo almost killed me putting me in the ICU for 8.5 days. Had to have a port put in my neck too which was a real treat.
Hang in there!