[2022-02-07] Radiation oncology check-in #5
This morning, I received my 24th radiation treatment.
And because it was Monday, I met with my radiation oncologist, Dr. Jin. She had no significant concerns; treatments are progressing well. I described my pain management regime: acetaminophen and ibuprofen every four hours around the clock. She offered one additional medication that I could take to help reduce nerve pain: gabapentin.
I will next see Dr. Jin in six weeks when she will verify whether my skin has healed.
I took the opportunity to give Dr. Jin a small box of chocolates (sealed and individually wrapped) for her, the nurses and the reception staff. I also gave a box of chocolates to my radiation therapists and one to the people who screen patients and visitors at the entrance to the Irving Greenberg Family Cancer Centre. With few exceptions, I remembered the names of every individual who has served me at the Cancer Centre. The recipients of my tiny gestures of gratitude accepted them with surprise, delight and humility. It felt wonderful to recognize and thank all the wonderful healthcare professionals who have greeted me with warmth, kindness and compassion.
I wish that I had done the same after my chemotherapy treatments for ovarian cancer. Perhaps I wasn't organized enough or I was too shy (I didn't know whether COVID protocols would prevent the acceptance of gifts). While I did thank the nurses who administered my chemo, I wish that I had given them a more concrete token of my appreciation. I live and learn.
On social media today, a contact announced that she had just completed a planning CT for radiation. I replied that I had had a planning CT scan in December and had had radiation treatment #24 of 25 this morning. I wished her luck, noting that, like me, she would be through her treatments before she knew it. She welcomed that news and responded: "I’ve heard it goes by quickly compared to other elements of treatment." I agreed, saying that because radiation treatments are so concentrated, they do go by quickly. My radiation treatments were every weekday for five weeks, taking about 10 minutes each time. By contrast, even though I had only six chemotherapy treatments, they were spread out from October 2020 to January 2021, once every three weeks. Each chemotherapy treatment also took much longer—about five hours—than my radiation treatments.
Having now gone through both chemotherapy and radiotherapy, I'm glad that I didn't need both for the two types of cancer I've faced: ovarian cancer and perianal skin cancer. Both treatments are challenging, though in different ways. Chemotherapy causes nausea and hair loss, while radiotherapy causes pain. I hope that I will not need to repeat either treatment.
24 down, 1 to go.
