[2022-03-19] Radiation oncology check-in #6
I had a follow-up with my radiation oncologist today.
I explained to Dr. Jin that my skin has healed completely, but that I continue to experience internal discomfort—to a small extent with urination and to a greater extent with bowel movements. She prescribed new medications to help reduce internal inflammation caused by radiation. She was not surprised by my description of continued side effects from radiation, and indicated that I was where she expected me to be in my recovery. She expects me to be feeling back to normal when we chat again in a month.
She will continue to do visual exams every 3-4 months. And she will order an MRI in six months, followed by another one a year later. She expects the MRIs to be fine and maintains that my chance of being cured of perianal skin cancer is better than 85% now that I've gone through radiation.
Dr. Jin noted that I would be followed for five years. I told her that this level of ongoing surveillance doesn't bother me. In fact, I welcome it. I am followed very closely in relation to ovarian cancer. So it feels quite normal to have regular follow-ups for my second cancer. I'd rather have good news than no news. And even bad news is better than no news, as I can take action should that come to pass.
It's been a long haul—already two and a half months since I began radiation. But I was reassured by my conversation with Dr. Jin today. Onwards and upwards.
