I am 70 and 10 days ago (day 1), I started a 30 day course of radiotherapy supplemented by a weekly dose of chemotherapy (cisplatin). Following my head and neck surgery (removing everything relevant including secondaries and a full tonsillectomy) and a mucosectomy, NO primary cancers were found.
By the 5th day of my therapy, I was being increasingly and quite literally, overwhelmed by side effects including:
By the 8th day, I was in such a state that I called the emergency oncology line and, as a consequence, I was ‘blue-lighted’ to hospital and was given a wide range of blood tests and other core tests. 7 hours later, the consultant concluded that I was “fit” and that any of the symptoms were caused by the therapy.
As I was only one full week into the therapy (6-week cycle) - I was not able to get to day 8/9 - there was NO way I could cope physically and emotionally with things getting worse - potentially up to 6 times worse...or more. In addition to the 'brutal' trauma of the well-documented side effects, I had been faced with a 3-5 hour round trip to and from hospital each day. I drove the 60 mile round trip to hospital (in my current state that would now be wholly irresponsible and my wife is unable to drive), I was strongly advised not to take a taxi and any hospital transport would have lengthened these visits further. Additionally, I had to wait for up to 3 hours for a 15-minute radiotherapy ‘appointment’ on each occasion, which is not a good benchmark for the NHS.
Following a challenging weekend discussing options with my wife, on day 9 I called the oncology team and advised them that I could not continue with the treatment. They reiterated the downside(s) of this decision, which I already knew, in broad terms. I must admit I felt a little better in myself having made this decision. I realise it was their job to explain the consequences of my decision, but I will admit it was a little ‘heavy handed’.
After, my decision, late on day 9, I was again contacted by the oncology consultant who ‘laid it on thick’ with regards to the consequences of my decision which shook my resolve and the ‘pressure’ to resume surprised me. My wife and I discussed this and decided to stick with my decision to stop the treatment. The consultant or his team agreed to call back on day 10 (today) to hear my final decision.
Following the cessation of treatment, I will need to find out what actions I will need to continue (mouth and jaw exercises, teeth, maintenance of there PEG etc).
Stopping the treatments altogether and, as a consequence no potential “cure” - which of course would in the event, I have been advised, only be up to 5 years ahead anyway - I will now move into a ‘watch and wait’ phase.
