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I caught the cancer


Burt

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Good luck SB. Patients with a better outlook respond to treatment better. Keep you head up.

1 hour ago, Sbbruin said:

Of course all I can think about is my family.  Son is graduating HS in a week.  I don't want this to fuck him up, so may wait to tell the kids until afterwards.  And he's planning on spending his first year of college in London.  I don't want this to fuck it up.  And, well, they really need me around.  

That's a natural concern but you need them right now, too. Let them be there for you. 

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@Sbbruin  Hard to find anything original to say.  So here it goes.  Fuck cancer.  You got this.  Beat it!  As I'm fond of saying after going through it with my wife, who had breast cancer, it's always best to get it two years later than you did, but at least you didn't get it two years ago.  That's all to say that research pushes along at a frantic clip, and they're always on the cutting edge with new techniques and treatments.  It won't be pleasant, but it sounds like you have all the resources at your disposal to kick its ass to the curb.  Also, know this: once they get your team assembled, the process of treatment and surgery, whichever comes first, is going to move quickly---they will come up with a plan and things are scheduled for you.  I know you don't want this to get in the way of your kid's lives, but it's going to happen quickly.  So best to get them in the loop soon, even if you don't know all the details yet.

 

All the best to you and your family, from your Surly family.

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Eight years ago, my PSA (prostate) blood test was elevated.  Referred to a urologist who performed a transrectal biopsy.  Samples came back negative.  Since then PSA values have oscillated up/down ... old urologist retired, new urologist did a urodynamics test with an ultrasound and determined BPH.  During my initial cystoscopy, found a small carcinoma on my inner bladder wall.  Had a trans-urethral resection of the prostate for restricted urine flow & bladder tumor removal.  Since then, I've had cystoscopies every 3-4 months.  Last week, had another trans-urethral resection for another bladder tumor.  Catching these early, but I'll most probably have these quarterly cystoscopies for a while to stay ahead.  BTW ... post-op catheters are a bitch.

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Mother fucker, @Sbbruin, I'm really sorry to hear that.  I have no first-hand experience with what you're going through, but my dad has been in remission from bladder cancer for about a year.  As a son all I could do was be there for him, keep up our sports talks, and make him laugh.  Hope your kids can do the same for you.

My only advice is that you find Jesus.  Or Allah.  Or Buddah.  Or Springsteen.

We're here for you.

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2 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

Well, other than my wife, and my doctor, you fuckers are the only ones to know.  I had an endoscopy last Thursday as I have had increasing difficulty swallowing food.  The scope showed a stricture (narrowing of the esophagus near the stomach that he stretched out.  As a matter of course, like a colonoscopy, they took a few biopsies.  I got a call last night from my GE.  I got the cancer.  He's not an oncologist, so doesn't want to try to paint to much of a picture, but it's in the esophagus, so likely esophageal cancer.  That's not a good cancer.  Referred me to a top thoracic oncology surgeon at City of Hope.  Haven't yet connected.  Until the tests are done, really won't know the stage or any of that.  I've been literally having an out of body experience the last 18 hours.  Like it's somebody else.  But it's me.  Not sure how to process it.  Of course all I can think about is my family.  Son is graduating HS in a week.  I don't want this to fuck him up, so may wait to tell the kids until afterwards.  And he's planning on spending his first year of college in London.  I don't want this to fuck it up.  And, well, they really need me around.  

I'm having lunch with a few buddies today, one of which has brain cancer that is terminal.  He and I have been friends since we were kids.  I'll be driving him home.  He'll be the 2nd person I tell.  Figured he can relate.

 

I had a Surly response ready initially...but I just can't.  I'll save that for when we get all the good news.

Very sorry you and your family have to deal with this.  When I had my significant medical issue in 2012 being able to share here (or the Shag) and get supportive comments and some appropriate "toughen up" comments really helped.   You want to be strong for your family, but you are still reeling.   Looking back I said it took me a 2 days of my pity party before I could better understand the situation and focus on it.  Not that I was good then, but just that I could focus on what I needed to know and what was next.   The uncertainty for me was the worst part throughout, so pull whatever strings you have to get in with the GOOD and RIGHT doctors as quickly as possible.  Ask your medical/doctor friends or your current physician to call and help you get in quick with the needed doctor.   Good or bad, knowing what the mountain you need to climb is and what the options are makes it better because then you can plan and attack the problem.   The unknown leaves you reeling.

Also remember your family loves you and they are also going through this with you, so you have support and also need to be understanding of their fear, pain, love etc.

Thoughts and Prayers to you and your family.  

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Bruin - my heart goes out to you.  I'm sure right now you are trying to solve all of the problems that could occur with every possibility.  Take it one day at a time - don't spend your mental and physical energy planning for every possible scenario. Wait until you are presented with a plan of action and work from there. 

And Fuck Cancer!

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PSA for any of you assholes dealing with GERD.  Go get it checked out.  GERD leads to worse things than heartburn and there are things that can be done to prevent it.  I had a surgery 21 years ago to deal with GERD and I likely wouldn't be around here today otherwise.  There are several medications that help as well.  Don't waste years eating Rolaids or Tums.

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40 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

PSA for any of you assholes dealing with GERD.  Go get it checked out.  GERD leads to worse things than heartburn and there are things that can be done to prevent it.  I had a surgery 21 years ago to deal with GERD and I likely wouldn't be around here today otherwise.  There are several medications that help as well.  Don't waste years eating Rolaids or Tums.

About 2-3x per year I do a round of nexium, keeps things in check overall. 
 

and damn sbb, you’re one of the good ones on here. 

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4 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

Well, other than my wife, and my doctor, you fuckers are the only ones to know.  I had an endoscopy last Thursday as I have had increasing difficulty swallowing food.  The scope showed a stricture (narrowing of the esophagus near the stomach that he stretched out.  As a matter of course, like a colonoscopy, they took a few biopsies.  I got a call last night from my GE.  I got the cancer.  He's not an oncologist, so doesn't want to try to paint to much of a picture, but it's in the esophagus, so likely esophageal cancer.  That's not a good cancer.  Referred me to a top thoracic oncology surgeon at City of Hope.  Haven't yet connected.  Until the tests are done, really won't know the stage or any of that.  I've been literally having an out of body experience the last 18 hours.  Like it's somebody else.  But it's me.  Not sure how to process it.  Of course all I can think about is my family.  Son is graduating HS in a week.  I don't want this to fuck him up, so may wait to tell the kids until afterwards.  And he's planning on spending his first year of college in London.  I don't want this to fuck it up.  And, well, they really need me around.  

I'm having lunch with a few buddies today, one of which has brain cancer that is terminal.  He and I have been friends since we were kids.  I'll be driving him home.  He'll be the 2nd person I tell.  Figured he can relate.

 

All the best and sorry to hear that. Let me know when you make it over to London to see your son, pints are on me.

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5 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

Well, other than my wife, and my doctor, you fuckers are the only ones to know.  I had an endoscopy last Thursday as I have had increasing difficulty swallowing food.  The scope showed a stricture (narrowing of the esophagus near the stomach that he stretched out.  As a matter of course, like a colonoscopy, they took a few biopsies.  I got a call last night from my GE.  I got the cancer.  He's not an oncologist, so doesn't want to try to paint to much of a picture, but it's in the esophagus, so likely esophageal cancer.  That's not a good cancer.  Referred me to a top thoracic oncology surgeon at City of Hope.  Haven't yet connected.  Until the tests are done, really won't know the stage or any of that.  I've been literally having an out of body experience the last 18 hours.  Like it's somebody else.  But it's me.  Not sure how to process it.  Of course all I can think about is my family.  Son is graduating HS in a week.  I don't want this to fuck him up, so may wait to tell the kids until afterwards.  And he's planning on spending his first year of college in London.  I don't want this to fuck it up.  And, well, they really need me around.  

I'm having lunch with a few buddies today, one of which has brain cancer that is terminal.  He and I have been friends since we were kids.  I'll be driving him home.  He'll be the 2nd person I tell.  Figured he can relate.

 

sorry to hear about this.  
 

I assume this is adenocarcinoma of the GE junction.  I’m Assuming you have only locally advanced disease and hopefully not distant disease.  At MD Anderson, for something along those lines, you’d probably get concurrent chemo (likely FOLFOX) and radiation (likely protons, although I have no idea how they get insurance to agree to pay for that).  Assuming a good response on follow up PET scan, you’d then look at potentially surgery (esophagectomy).  But I’m just some dope who slept at Holiday Inn last night.  I mostly know about blood stuff.    

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1 minute ago, Heme Doc said:

sorry to hear about this.  
 

I assume this is adenocarcinoma of the GE junction.  I’m Assuming you have only locally advanced disease and hopefully not distant disease.  At MD Anderson, for something along those lines, you’d probably get concurrent chemo (likely FOLFOX) and radiation (likely protons, although I have no idea how they get insurance to agree to pay for that).  Assuming a good response on follow up PET scan, you’d then look at potentially surgery (esophagectomy).  But I’m just some dope who slept at Holiday Inn last night.  I mostly know about blood stuff.    

Oh and post surgery there might be a role for immunotherapy (Checkmate 577 trial).  
 

Disclaimer:  I’m not a GI oncologist but watch a lot of TV doctor shows

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2 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

PSA for any of you assholes dealing with GERD.  Go get it checked out.  GERD leads to worse things than heartburn and there are things that can be done to prevent it.  I had a surgery 21 years ago to deal with GERD and I likely wouldn't be around here today otherwise.  There are several medications that help as well.  Don't waste years eating Rolaids or Tums.

JC, did you have Barrett's Syndrome? I have a hereditary hiatal hernia. I don't get heartburn much, if at all. But if I eat too fast, or eat something hot, but with a really cold drink, it will get about halfway down and I have to go basically, throw it up? I never feel nauseous but the food and or drink get caught in my esophagus, it comes back up, and I spit it out. I may not have it happen for three or four months, then have it happen one or twice in a two week period. My mother thinks it's Barrett Syndrome, and keeps riding me to get it checked so it doesn't turn cancerous. Was wondering what all symptoms you had.

Sbb, I have a cousin that had Barrett Syndrome, it was pre-cancerous, so not quite as bad as yours, but if your issue hasn't metastasized to any other area, and you caught it early, there is a very good chance they can knock it out in one fell swoop.

CHIEF

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51 minutes ago, Heme Doc said:

sorry to hear about this.  
 

I assume this is adenocarcinoma of the GE junction.  I’m Assuming you have only locally advanced disease and hopefully not distant disease.  At MD Anderson, for something along those lines, you’d probably get concurrent chemo (likely FOLFOX) and radiation (likely protons, although I have no idea how they get insurance to agree to pay for that).  Assuming a good response on follow up PET scan, you’d then look at potentially surgery (esophagectomy).  But I’m just some dope who slept at Holiday Inn last night.  I mostly know about blood stuff.    

Appreciate it.  No idea what we’re looking at just yet.

just drove my buddy home and we talked a lot.  He’s 6 months into a worse situation than me, and is going to be a valuable crutch to lean on.

can’t reply to all of these, but appreciate the positive vibes.  My head is still swimming.  Hasn’t quite been 24 hrs.  Yesterday at this time I was blissfully ignorant.

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2 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

PSA for any of you assholes dealing with GERD.  Go get it checked out.  GERD leads to worse things than heartburn and there are things that can be done to prevent it.  I had a surgery 21 years ago to deal with GERD and I likely wouldn't be around here today otherwise.  There are several medications that help as well.  Don't waste years eating Rolaids or Tums.

It's what killed my great uncle. I definitely need to get it gone.

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4 hours ago, workswithseed said:

Same, but I figure I have it since about everytime I eat I throw up. Sorry this is happening to you man.

Dude, get it checked out.  This is not something you want to catch late.  No idea when I’ve discovered it, but too late is, well, too late.

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We all expect you to kick cancer’s ass and get back to the regularity scheduled installments of Sbbruin boat porn.  If there is anything your internet friends can do in the meantime just let us know.  This community can rally behind a cause.  Not just monetarily either.  I got referrals to a couple of great docs several years ago, that probably wouldn’t have seen me otherwise, because an internet friend made a phone call.

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Bruin, we're here for you man.

I have been through this fight vicariously too many times, lost some, won some.  But fucking cancer sucks, hard.  (Butt fucking cancer, get it?)

You've got this, hopefully you have a quick treatment and recovery but keep your head up.  

Please keep us updated through the ups and downs as we're looking forward to more UCLA disastrous football seasons as well as stories of salty sea captains.

 

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3 hours ago, CHIEF said:

JC, did you have Barrett's Syndrome? I have a hereditary hiatal hernia. I don't get heartburn much, if at all. But if I eat too fast, or eat something hot, but with a really cold drink, it will get about halfway down and I have to go basically, throw it up? I never feel nauseous but the food and or drink get caught in my esophagus, it comes back up, and I spit it out. I may not have it happen for three or four months, then have it happen one or twice in a two week period. My mother thinks it's Barrett Syndrome, and keeps riding me to get it checked so it doesn't turn cancerous. Was wondering what all symptoms you had.

Sbb, I have a cousin that had Barrett Syndrome, it was pre-cancerous, so not quite as bad as yours, but if your issue hasn't metastasized to any other area, and you caught it early, there is a very good chance they can knock it out in one fell swoop.

CHIEF

I had similar symptoms as you describe and basically acid reflux was irritating my lower esophagus. This led to frequent situations of food not emptying into my stomach. Basically I had to throw up or hope that the irritation quickly subsided. If I were you, I would see a GI doctor, maybe get a scope, but in likelihood you will only need a round or two of nexium to clear it up. Then it’s up to you to treat it with better diet and behavior or stick with medication. 

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Sure, I got Stage III colon cancer for the medical THC, but I live in Louisiana.  Sb, you California fucks have recreational weed. WTF man???

If you do wind up with Folfox, holla.  I can give you some tips.  

Finally, if you need someone to console the side piece while you and your family beat this, Surly is here for you. 

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Sorry to hear this @Sbbruin, I'm just a dumbass surly poster, so no actual medical advice. Other than see the best Drs who deal with this regularly.

My best life advice is, well you know, 2 chicks at the same time. Because why not, you should be happy... And if Mrs Bruin reads this, she can have 2 chicks also (so 3 chicks for you).

thoughts, prayers, sex, drugs, and rock and roll

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20 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

Well, other than my wife, and my doctor, you fuckers are the only ones to know.  I had an endoscopy last Thursday as I have had increasing difficulty swallowing food.  The scope showed a stricture (narrowing of the esophagus near the stomach that he stretched out.  As a matter of course, like a colonoscopy, they took a few biopsies.  I got a call last night from my GE.  I got the cancer.  He's not an oncologist, so doesn't want to try to paint to much of a picture, but it's in the esophagus, so likely esophageal cancer.  That's not a good cancer.  Referred me to a top thoracic oncology surgeon at City of Hope.  Haven't yet connected.  Until the tests are done, really won't know the stage or any of that.  I've been literally having an out of body experience the last 18 hours.  Like it's somebody else.  But it's me.  Not sure how to process it.  Of course all I can think about is my family.  Son is graduating HS in a week.  I don't want this to fuck him up, so may wait to tell the kids until afterwards.  And he's planning on spending his first year of college in London.  I don't want this to fuck it up.  And, well, they really need me around.  

I'm having lunch with a few buddies today, one of which has brain cancer that is terminal.  He and I have been friends since we were kids.  I'll be driving him home.  He'll be the 2nd person I tell.  Figured he can relate.

 

God Bless you buddy.  Thanks for the heartfelt sharing.  Given my daughter's esophageal issues since her birth, it's something that's always on my mind.  We'll be saying prayers for you.  Hope your results come back favorable and that your team gets you on a path to beat this bitch like a red headed stepdog.  Chin up brother.   

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On 5/25/2022 at 12:14 PM, Sbbruin said:

Well, other than my wife, and my doctor, you fuckers are the only ones to know.  I had an endoscopy last Thursday as I have had increasing difficulty swallowing food.  The scope showed a stricture (narrowing of the esophagus near the stomach that he stretched out.  As a matter of course, like a colonoscopy, they took a few biopsies.  I got a call last night from my GE.  I got the cancer.  He's not an oncologist, so doesn't want to try to paint to much of a picture, but it's in the esophagus, so likely esophageal cancer.  That's not a good cancer.  Referred me to a top thoracic oncology surgeon at City of Hope.  Haven't yet connected.  Until the tests are done, really won't know the stage or any of that.  I've been literally having an out of body experience the last 18 hours.  Like it's somebody else.  But it's me.  Not sure how to process it.  Of course all I can think about is my family.  Son is graduating HS in a week.  I don't want this to fuck him up, so may wait to tell the kids until afterwards.  And he's planning on spending his first year of college in London.  I don't want this to fuck it up.  And, well, they really need me around.  

I'm having lunch with a few buddies today, one of which has brain cancer that is terminal.  He and I have been friends since we were kids.  I'll be driving him home.  He'll be the 2nd person I tell.  Figured he can relate.

 

Love you bud (even though I don’t know you). I wish you peace, love, and the resolve of a teenage sbbruin chasing poontang all over SoCal. 
 

fuck cancer. It’s a little bitch. You got this. I’m not the praying type, but I’ll put whatever positive energy I can out there for you❤️
 

P.S. dibs on the boat and Dodgers tickets😉

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On 5/25/2022 at 2:40 PM, skeeter said:

Eight years ago, my PSA (prostate) blood test was elevated.  Referred to a urologist who performed a transrectal biopsy.  Samples came back negative.  Since then PSA values have oscillated up/down ... old urologist retired, new urologist did a urodynamics test with an ultrasound and determined BPH.  During my initial cystoscopy, found a small carcinoma on my inner bladder wall.  Had a trans-urethral resection of the prostate for restricted urine flow & bladder tumor removal.  Since then, I've had cystoscopies every 3-4 months.  Last week, had another trans-urethral resection for another bladder tumor.  Catching these early, but I'll most probably have these quarterly cystoscopies for a while to stay ahead.  BTW ... post-op catheters are a bitch.

Just out of curiosity, why didn’t they start with a prostate MRI before the biopsy?

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15 minutes ago, hookemATL said:

Love you bud (even though I don’t know you). I wish you peace, love, and the resolve of a teenage sbbruin chasing poontang all over SoCal. 
 

fuck cancer. It’s a little bitch. You got this. I’m not the praying type, but I’ll put whatever positive energy I can out there for you❤️
 

P.S. dibs on the boat and Dodgers tickets😉

I'm a bit surprised none of you have offered to "console" his wife, should it come to that.  I presume you made those offers by PM.

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