I had bad acid reflux and heartburn many years ago and had a fundoplication operation in the late 1990’s. This worked well, until I began to have problems swattowing food around 2015 and was prescribed daily omeprazole.
This resolved the swallowing problems until 2022 and I saw my doctor in December 2022, with recurring problems in swallowing food again. I was referred to Southmead Hospital for a review and after waiting several months for an appointment for this check-up regarding my problems with swallowing.
in February 2023, I received a letter which said that my referral was “being reviewed” and to wait until 7th April 2023 before contacting them. I then chased up the appointment and was informed that, due to delays in clearing the “COVID backlog”, I would not be seen for several more months.
I therefore decided, after hearing how long the delay would be, to use my insurance cover with Benenden Health and got an appointment at the Spire hospital on 15th June 2023, followed by an endoscopy on 4th July 2023, where they discovered an “irregularity” in my oesophagus and they referred me to the BRI (Bristol Royal Infirmary) for an appointment on 24th July. This was then followed up by a PET-CT scan on 25TH July 2023; and another Endoscopy on 2nd August 2023. There was then an appointment on 7th August 2023, to determine the treatment that would be needed.
An appointment letter was finally received from Southmead Hospital on 17th August 2023, with a first appointment date for 15th September 2023!
I had a PICC (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) line fitted on 14th September 2023 at the BRI and then began FLOT (Fluorouracil, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin, and Taxotere) Chemotherapy on 18th September 2023. The treatments were once a fortnight, with 4 treatments in total. The chemotherapy began OK, but became a bit challenging as the sessions progressed; with my white blood cell count plummeting (Neutropenia), leading to a week’s delay in finishing the treatment, and the need to inject Accofil, to boost my immune system!
Shortly after the chemotherapy finished, I had MSSA (Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus Aureus) pneumonia and was taken to Southmead hospital, by ambulance, as a blue light emergency, on 18th November 2023, where I was given a course of antibiotics and discharged on 5th December 2023.
After a couple of month’s recovery time; before surgery could proceed, I had to have a lung function test which was done on 14th February 2024. Having passed this test, I was declared to be fit enough for surgery and was admitted to the BRI on 21st February 2024, under the Upper GI Surgery team, for an oesophagectomy. Following successful surgery, where my oesophagus was removed and my stomach was stretched, to fill the gap, I was discharged on 5th March
I am now one year post surgery and I am well on the road to recovery, as I learn what foods I can eat and what foods are best to avoid!
I have found it both fascinating and really encouraging to read other people's experiences of an oesophagectomy and the changes it has had on their lives, as people cope with their re-designed digestive systems and hope that my experiences may be of some interest / use to others with similar experiences.
Starting ECX Chemo.
Early post op
Endoscopy
Barium Test results not good.
Surgery or not!
