The call came, a week early, for an appointment with my radiation oncologist (RO) for the following week. How could anyone not feel positive and looked after with the speed at which things were moving for me?
A further positive was when we drove to Welland Hospital to meet with my RO and discuss my diagnosis and the way forward. Welland Hospital and not the cancer centre in St. Catharines? Because for this first meeting my RO drives down to Welland once a week to hold a clinic for his new cancer patients and save them having to drive to St. Catharines.
Not the best of days for driving, and when we arrived and located the clinic, just a small area close to the outpatients department, it was to find this very pleasant young man, my RO, left to conduct that day’s clinic on his own. The weather had created an issue with his assisting nurse, so she had to stay home with her family. My impressions of this future treatment team were getting better all the time!
From the moment I met my new cancer doctor it was obvious that I could not be in better hands. He sat my wife and me down then talked us through the entire scenario, and proposed treatment for my cancer. He kept asking if we wanted to ask questions, and on those occasions he would answer them until we were satisfied. Far more importantly he refused to sugarcoat anything, and I have to say the long list of potential side-effects was pretty alarming, until I realized that the probability was that though there would be some I would experience there were more that I might not.
His complete diagnosis showed a slightly higher risk than the initial one, which was not so good, but still low enough for me to expect a complete remission after treatment.
He kept assuring me that it was up to me to decide just how we should proceed and knowing that there was an option for a mere five days of treatment I asked him about that.
His complete diagnosis showed a slightly higher risk than the initial one
Now I’m not stupid all the time, and having understood what treatment he thought best in my case, and also, that my age would probably be a big factor, I was quite impressed when he again still suggested it was my decision to make! At that, I was even more convinced he was someone who would look after me as best he could, under any circumstances. Of course, I capitulated and said I would follow whatever treatment program he recommended. As I said, I only look stupid.
So the radiation treatment seems straightforward and will last for five weeks, five treatments per week. Although the literature I’ve received talks of being positioned before radiation, apparently all I have to do is lie on my back. Easy.
However, to protect my entire pelvic area I will also receive hormone therapy. That doesn’t really sound much fun at all but is just something else to deal with as I go through this necessary experience to get back to normal.
As we drove home, I think my wife thought the same as I did, that we had just shared some time chatting to a doctor who is about to plan my treatment, who, we both felt, is as good as it gets.
His last words were that I would be contacted about a further appointment next week. There were two e-mails, with attachments, waiting in the Inbox when we arrived home!
At an appointment next week with my treatment team at the cancer centre, I will be shown exactly how my radiation treatments will be carried out, and when I will receive my first-ever tattoos. They will be the target spots for where radiation is directed, to allow only low radiation to pass through healthy tissue whilst pinpointing higher radiation directly at those pesky cancer cells.
The following day more phone calls, this time regarding the hormone therapy to confirm the script had already arrived and that I had begun popping the pills, then a call from the nurse who arranged a date in two weeks’ time when she will come to our home to administer an injection.
I have nothing less than total admiration for this particular part of the Niagara Health System and I feel so fortunate to be a part of it at this time in my life.
