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My husband was a Vietnam Veterans and developed esophageal cancer. He had no risk factors at all for the disease except his agent orange exposure. Are there any other widows out there that have experienced the same situation > If so please contact me
Judy in Massachusetts
Cancer Surgery Pain Uterine cancer Esophageal cancer GERD Heartburn Prostate cancer
Hi Judy,
My brother had esophageal cancer and was stationed in Viet Nam from September 1966 to September 1967. We suspected that his cancer was related to agent orange and his time in Viet Nam but we were never able to confirm it. Mary
Hi Mary
Sorry to hear of your loss. There have been quite a few cases of esophageal cancer related deaths due to agent orange. The hard part is getting them approved. I belong to a group of widows online that have all lost husbands from EC and they were all in Vietnam around the same time frame. They all have cases filed with the VA.
Hope your doing well
thanks for your reply
Judy
Hi Judy,
Thank you for your reply. Oddly enough, my brother passed away three years ago today at the age of 59. He had an appointment with the local VA hospital but was about a month away from the appointment when he passed.
It's so sad that these guys did so much for their country and yet they were barely recognized for their service in Viet Nam. Since my brother was under the care of a local surgeon and oncologist, they didn't see the need to give him an earlier appointment.
I certainly understand what you are going through. Good luck with to you and your husband.
Mary
Judy, my sincerest condolences to you. I too lost my husband in 2003 after an 8-month battle with EC. He was 55 when he passed away, and had been "boots on the ground" in Vietnam from 1968-1969 with the 82nd Airborne. A rep from the 82nd came to his wake and whispered in my ear, "Check out Agent Orange." I told him I didn't think that applied to him, but he said, "You'd be surprised--check it out." It was only after my husband's death that I realized how much he may have been exposed while on daily patrols. When I looked at the VA site, I only saw that esophageal cancer was not one of the covered diseases and so never applied for compensation. Now I see on another site that new AO claims will cease because this has not been renewed by the present Administration. I'm not sure where to turn next or even how to begin this. Any help out there would be appreciated.
Judy in CT
JudyS,
Sorry to hear about your husband. I lost my husband to EC in 2004. He was 57 and a combat vet in vietnam 1967-1969. I have applied for benefits but been denied by the VA. I will continue to fight them.
Where did you see the site that says AO claims will cease?
Unfortunately, I believe the widow only has one year after their spouses death to file a claim. See a Veterans Service Officer at your local VA office. He might be able to direct you in some way. Good luck and let me know if I can be of any help.
Susan In SC
My husband died last year[June 07] from laryngeal cancer. He was in Okinawa, Laos then Vietnam in the early part of the 60's. I have even had to give them any pictures my husband may have had while there, as part of my appeal. My husband died 3 months after he was diagnosed. It had spread into the lymph nodes ,esophagus, muscular tissue on both sides of his neck, even up into his face. He was on chemo. and radiation. My local V.A. representative has been trying to help me submit all the paperwork. I guess we will see. I miss him so much.
how do i get to read all my reply's on this board..cant access them?
Hi
Yes. My husband has been diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, distal third, from Barretts. Vietnam 1968-69. It would be interesting to determine just how many Vietnam vets have EC. Any ideas how to collect this data?
LUc
LUc,
The VA states that they do not keep records of specific cancers from veterans. I do not believe this to be true. If you do find a way to get this info please let me know.
I am one of a group of widows whose VNvet husbands died from ec. Would you like to join our group?
Have your filed a claim for compensation with the VA?
If so, get your husband's "C" file. It will have all info that the va has used to deny your claim including their doctors opinion.
They stated that my husband had GERD and then used that to deny my claim. He did not have GERD and I'm now trying to prove that. With your husband having Barrett's it might be a battle for you but with your husband's doctor's letter's it might be a win.
All depends on the wording...you need "more likely than not." from them.
Susan
VIETNAM VETERANS..SEE MY POST REGARDING
H. R. 6798 TO ADD ESOPHAGEAL AND ALL GASTRIC CANCERS TO PRESUMPTIVE LIST FOR AGENT ORANGE EXPOSURE.
WE ALL NEED TO E-MAIL OUR CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS AND INSIST THAT THEY CO-SPONSOR THIS BILL.
Hello,
My name is Kristine. I am so sorry to hear of your loss and diagnosis. I hope we can help each other somehow. I am writing to you on behalf of my Mom. I have been researching the agent orange/okinawa connection. My father passed away in 2004 of EC. We almost lost my Mom to Uterine cancer. She is a one in a million survivor. We believe we have all been affected by exposure to agent orange in Okinawa. My Mom remembers shaking out his uniforms because they were so covered with orange dust that she couldn't get them clean after 3 washes. I think that you and my Mom should get together and help each other win your cases. She is now a 20 year survivor of uterine cancer. You can survive too. PEACE. email: areukind2@hotmail.com
My husband was in Vietnam 69/70 he also died from EC in July 2000 at the age of 52. After he passed VA said his cancer was not related to agent orange. Couldn't find any real info on this cancer he did not have any kind of symptoms usually associated with gerds or barretts syndrome.Stomach and throat cancer are so whats between them the esophagus. Found this group by accident and sure would like to find out how this terrible disease can be linked to agent orange my husband would be alive today if not for his exposure.
Hi Judy,
My dad passed away from EC and he was a Vietnam Vet. My mom would like to contact you but does not have any e-mail. Her address is 940 Spruce Street, Hammond, Indiana 46324. Her name is Gail. She is trying to get the VA to also knowledge Agent Orange culpability. Please send her any information you might have.
Judy
My husband was career Army. Vietnam 68 & 69. 9th Inf Div, has many medical issues, including esophageal cancer -adenocarcinoma. We continue to fight the odds. He cannot have surgery due to many issues. We are also in the battles with VA. Not sure who will win there....time is limited. Many are fighting both battles...
Stay in touch? Together, perhaps we can do something to help?
Please let me know any and all information on how to help my mom join your group. My dad died at 57 almost 4 years ago. He was in Vietnam in the late 60's but I don't know much more than that. My mom would know more. She has been devastated by this and desperately needs some support. My dad lost 100 lbs in a month, was diagnosed in January at Stage 4 and died after surgery in May. She and my dad made the claim while he was still alive and she has been fighting ever since they denied her the first time. She is getting ready to go in again. I work with computers and too would like to gather the data on the number of Vietnam Vets with EC. If we had a database this could help all fight the VA. Anyone please contact me at: ddyczko@gmail.com
very sorry about your loss i had esophagus cancer in 2004 and operated on in 2005 so far so good but still can't get va to acknowledge it i was in nam 1967 south in the delta where alot of spraying was going on i also had prostate cancer in 2001 which they did acknowledge have you anything new about this.
Hello;
My husband was not in Vietman, at all. he was in the Air force from 1957-1961, nothing at all with any war. but now in Oct 9, 2008, he was dignosis with Esphageal Cancer, He is now 70 yrs old, I am sorry to hear about your lost, I also am scared, Can someone tell me what to expect? and how long do they survive?
He went threw chemo in dec to Marc, then had surgery, then back to chemo & radiation. he has a eeding tube, but he constantly loosing weight, So what i'm reading is it comes from the War, Like i said he was not in the war, he did have gerd, heartburn, it is in stage 3, he is on a break now, and then they are going to start some testing.I really need to know, this is breaking my heart seeing him suffer so much, I am exhausted doing it all by myself. so can someone lighting meup on this, Plz I need some answers.
Jackie
GOD BLESS YOU ALL
YOU WILL ALL BE IN MY PRAYERS.
I'm looking to unite all Vietnam veterans/widows who were exposed to agent orange and now have esophageal cancer. The government is dragging their feet on adding this and all gastric cancers as presumptive. It is time for us to fight the VA.. together we might make a difference. Alone we will be denied.
You can contact me through this site or e-mail me at sjhill4951@charter.net
I am just trying to decide to open up my can of worms. My husband died of esophageal cancer in 1994. I was encouraged by the VA to file a claim since it could have been service connected but was later denied because we "didn't have the correct tests ran". Since then I have began working at the VA and realize that they turn down almost everyone the first time. I believe that this cancer was linked to AO exposure while he was servicing aircraft in Thailand. Anyone else have similar experiences?
I think there are too many of us to count. My husband is also EC stage 3 dx 7-17-08. He's survived chemo/rad/surgery. It's the treatment that's gonna kill him, but the CT came back clear, so we're happy today. We have applied for VA benefits back in Dec 08, still pending. They are trying to verify he was even IN Vietnam. Can you believe it?
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