Blog 6 – Radiotherapy, chemo’s less popular sibling!

Blog 6 – Radiotherapy, chemo’s less popular sibling!

“When it comes to cancer treatments, radiotherapy is the lesser-talked-about sibling of chemotherapy. It doesn't have the reputation that chemotherapy does, it isn't perceived to be as blatant in the way it goes about its business”.  (Alice-May Purkiss talking to breastcancercare.org.uk)

This quote, to me, sums up radiotherapy in a nutshell. I kind of knew what to expect from the chemotherapy, it’s certainly showcased in enough films and TV shows to give you an idea of what occurs, and the impact of the surgery was obvious enough, but when it came to radiotherapy I was kind of clueless.

Despite being the “lesser-talked-about sibling” radiotherapy is still an integral part of the cancer treatment plan for many, me included. My radiotherapist has recommended 25 sessions and as of Thursday 16th August I will have completed 18.

Radiotherapy takes its toll, but in a very different way to chemotherapy and surgery. It is draining in a mental way, rather than physically from side effects. Each treatment is 15 minutes long, but daily. The hospital is a good 30 minute drive away and this is where it is psychologically taxing as every day is consumed with cancer and treatments and hospitals and nurses and machines.

I was apprehensive ahead of my first session but mainly out of fear of the unknown. Whilst I’d had the planning session, had my measurements taken, had the tattoo markers put on and even had a practice round of holding my breath in the machine, the first session was still daunting. I have to lie on the bed in the machine and hold my arms above my head as if I was holding a netball and about to shoot (often this is the little daydream I have, reliving the Netball Europe games back in May). The nurses then manipulate me into place, lining up my tattoo markers with the machine and in line with a mirror above my head. The nurses leave the room, which always offers a very harsh reality as to how potent the radiotherapy actually is. I then lie very still whilst the machine clunks, clicks and whirrs round my head. I use the mirror to hold my breath keeping my lungs at optimum capacity, so the radio waves hit the tumour area and not any vital organs! If I’m honest I quite like this bit, I challenge myself to get through each session with minimum number of breaths possible (perhaps I am a little competitive!!)

Radiotherapy is exhausting, and misunderstood. Onlookers seem to view it as the easiest bit of the treatment, and whilst I’ve not had any side effects, there was still a long list that I had to be aware of. Onlookers also seem to think it signifies the end of the cancer journey, but I'm not quite ready to do the victory lap just yet.  

That said, radiotherapy is the final hurdle in my pre-arranged treatment plan, and the end of this marks the beginning of something else…
I’m hoping it’s the ability to get back training a little bit more vigorously than mall walking (my innovative way to clock up the kilometres and avoid the Dubai heat - if you see me with my trainers on marching round the mall, feel free to join me for a lap!).

Keep your eyes on my Instagram: s_donovan78 to see how my treatment and training progresses, as well as photos of my new chemo-fuzz hair do!