Yesterday, Tuesday 6th July, I went to the hospital early as arranged the previous day. This idea of this was to get me to talk to Dr L and agree to continue the Radiotherapy treatment - 7 more sessions to go - after letting the oral morphine kick in and help with the pain.
Got in to see Dr L within 20 minutes of arriving (*weird really, you usually wait at least 2.5 hours in this particular department - I think they were scared I'd just disappear if they left me there too long*)...
He greeted me with 'Hello my most problem patient' and a big grin....I actually really like Dr L, he's down to earth and 'tells it how it is'.
He then said I usually see patients before their treatment starts and then catch up with them again after it all ends - you I'm seeing every flippin' week...
I told him 'You know you like to see me and you'd only be bored if I wasn't here' to which he laughed and agreed.
We then had a short chat about how the pain has been, what I'm most concerned about (internal and external burn damage), the fact that the ongoing Radiotherapy treatment makes no difference to whether I end up with the Stoma and colostomy bag. I said I'd felt really stressed yesterday when everyone was trying to get me back onto the zapping table - at one point suggesting that they could dose me up with morphine and get another session 'out of the way'...
He asked to see the burns and afterwards said 'No more Radiotherapy for you'... I was sooo relieved.
He said that after seeing the burnt area he's more than happy to draw a line under the treatment and accept that my body has taken as much as it could or should.
He also said that he admired me for continuing this far because I'd been in constant discomfort since the 3rd session and somehow I'd managed to get to the 18th session which is no small achievement.
Dr L feels that the important thing is to rest, repair and get the operation out of the way in September - further Radiotherapy is no longer important enough to continue with considering the external damage and probably internal damage caused.
He then said I'll be in for a painful few weeks now whilst everything heals up - but that I can cope with because at least I'm not allowing them to cause further daily damage to me now. At least I've got a chance to start healing now.
Feel happier and looking forward to getting back on top of things again.
About Me
- Carole
- I'm Carole, living in London, happily married and mum to two amazing boys.I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Rectal Cancer in April 2010. Surgery took place in November 2010 and I now have a permanent colostomy...Spinal mets were then diagnosed in October 2011...In January 2012 I was told of further spread to the hip area (multiple lesions)..My life expectancy is now 6-9 months. Walk alongside me on the last part of my experience with this..
So relieved for you sis. Make yourself an wristband for hospital visits, "no more poison allowed"! xxxxx
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