When my wife and I came to Salt Lake City, we began to learn our way around. Not only did it take a few wrong turns to decide that my wife would be a better driver in the city, but we also learned the (HCI) Huntsman Cancer Institution layout as well. The process of learning what is what began.
We found out that my type of cancer is called Esophageal Cancer, and that mine is in the third stage. It has spread to other organs and to the abdomen areas lymph nodes. My abdomen has been hurting a lot lately and now we know why. It is still hard for me to eat or swallow, and the reason behind that is that the tumor is bigger than I thought it could be and that when it hurts to swallow; it is because the tumor is agitated and swollen. I do not have to keep on a liquid diet (Thank God!). I can eat what I want, just in smaller amounts and more often.
With the chemo treatment that I will be taking (FOLFOX), I need to maintain a 3,000 calorie diet just to keep at the weight I am currently at and possibly gain a few pounds. I shouldn't loose any hair, not that I had much to loose. I thought that the chemo therapy would at least mean I wouldn't have to shave my head for a while. I may be wrong on that. According to studies on this type of treatment; the first three days isn't all that bad. It's day seven through fourteen that should suck major ass crack dilemmas.