Radiotherapy

Oh Ruth,i can feel your sadness...and i only can hope the radiation gives you some relief. Don't understand that you have to wait for weeks to get MRI...not right!!

Hi Ruth, 

So sorry to hear this, that you have some months left. And I can hear that the radiation is going to be hard, I have an ex who had a brain tumor and did the whole 6 weeks so I know kind of how it goes. Hopefully though it will allow you to take fewer pain meds? And so be more alert and aware during the time left? 

Can I ask a question, one that I only ask because I may soon be in your shoes... In treating the brain mets palliatively, is the idea that dying of lung mets is less painful than dying of brain mets? So they sort of slow the brain mets down, while the lung mets go on? I believe lung mets are going to be the cause of my death, unless something else pops up. 

PatriciaV

Hi PatriciaV!

I think they do the brain mets because you can get seizures and or go blind etc...it's more about quality of life.

Yes that is what he said .you get a better death from lung mets you just slip away. He thinks I will die from lung mets eventually. The radiotherapy won’t extend my life but will help the quality of my life 

 Let you are right He said I will lose the sight in my right eye and it could then start to affect my left eye.

seizures is a risk of radiotherapy as well.

thank you for your support xx

So very sorry to hear this Ruth. Struggling to find words of comfort but I hope you won't be in pain. xxx

Thanks Pet and Ruth. That always confused me. I get the quality of life issue in that brain mets (or other things) make you feel bad, but didn't quite "get" how treating them would still lead to the same prognosis time but help you feel better. That is actually somewhat good to hear, that they can help you die from x and not y, I never thought of it that way.

I'm thinking of you Ruth, hoping the radiotherapy gives you the "slipping away" we all would prefer (I think). But not yet!

Patricia

Yes that’s right.

I had a shock yesterday when the hospital was on the phone asking me to come in for the planning scan this Friday. I thought there was a several week wait for the MRI. 
my oncologist told me I could go ahead with the CT planning scan and mask being made and then the actual treatment which they said would be 13th October will be delayed until I can have the MRI.

I really didn’t think it would happen this quick. Anyway Boots rang me yesterday and told me the lorazepam would be delivered this morning to my house. So all is happening now. I felt tearful but put on a brave face xxx

Thinking of you Ruth, so sorry you have to go through this, but I think you have made the right decision for you. Sending a hug xx 

Thank you x

Hi Ruth,

I hope the radiotherapy does away with the headaches without too many side effects and with better quality of life.

Hugs and best wishes