Hello walnutboydave (that's a fun username and avatar by the way!), 

I just wanted to welcome you to our forum. I hope you won't mind but I have added information to your title on your cancer diagnosis - this will make it easier for others who may have the same cancer to find you and respond to you. 

It's a shame that with Covid, it has become harder to attend real life meetings and I hope that the situation will improve soon so that you can have that kind of support too. But rest assured you are not alone on Cancer Chat and there are many others here who have also been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. I thought I would mention [@stevecon56]‍ for example whose thread you can find here  and who I think would be a good person for you to talk to. I also noticed on this thread this morning other members who have been affected by oesophageal cancer, for example [@mark73]‍ who would be another great person for you to connect with. You can read his story on his thread here .

Those are just a couple of names and there are many more who I hope will come forward and share their story and experience with you. 

Best wishes, 

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

Hi Walnutboydave

I have 30 odd posts on trearment and recoveery over 2020/21 with other more recent patients if you click on me you should be able to access the posts of around a dozen others who have and are going through different stages of treatment if i can help let me know , take it easy.

Regards

Douglas

Hi Douglas and Lucie,

Thanks both for the replies, it helps just knowing that there are other people out there who have been through the same thing.

I had a real dip last week in all honesty. I felt pretty lousy (weak, nautious) and went for blood tests that came back absolutely fine. Had a few days off work to recouperate and gradually started feeling better, and by the weekend felt pretty human again.

I did manage to get in touch with a local charity who have since given me a first counselling session over the phone. It did me the world of good and I would recommend it to anyone who is feeling down/uncertain/anxious or anything else out of the ordinary.

I've got three more therapy sessions with them and they even give free treatments (massages, reiki, etc) to both the affected person and their spouse or carer. Seems fantastic, but as i'm back at work it looks like the wife might be the only one who can reap the benefit of the treatments.

Anyway, my point is that along with this forum there is lots of help out there of various types - it was my GP that put me in touch with the charity, so please speak to someone if you feel the need and you may be surprised by how much help there is out there.

Take care everyone.

Hi Walnutboydave

Check out Rayb's post - there are a number of us at various stages, including Douglas, who keep each other uptodate with information, share humerous stories and generally show that we are not alone in this journey.  It'll be good to have you over.