Journey

If cancer is a bitch, so is radiation therapy.  It is considered the ‘big gun’ treatment for many types of cancer.  It saves lives, but at a cost.  For some the cost is considerable.  Radiation treatment can kill or damage healthy cells.  While healthy cells can recover from the damage radiotherapy has caused them over time, they will never fully recover.  Your tissues can only tolerate a limited amount of radiation over your lifespan.  Radiation therapy has been implicated in inducing accelerated aging and survivors remain at risk for shorter lifespans.  We gave approval for high dose radiation therapy for Rory when he was seven years old because there was a very high probability he would die without it.  The cost has been considerable.  Although I am incredibly relieved Rory’s recent CT scan and MRI were free of disease (cancer) I feel angry at what the MRI reveals about the state of Rory’s spine; degeneration of vertebral endplates, bulging discs and compression of spinal nerves.  None of which would be present in a ‘normal’ 22 year old, and none of which is treatable.  Rory has the spinal issues of an old man due to radiation treatment.  It is another thing he will have to handle, and we will have to manage, in the coming years.  We will fight back, like we always do.  This week there was wonderful news - ACC have approved the purchase of the Overlander 4WD powerchair so Rory can return to the outdoors with us (as much as possible given the nature of many tracks and trails in Aotearoa).  Rory is very excited.  Currently he is getting slightly rougher areas on a mobility scooter like a little old man.  He can’t wait to have a ‘cool’ vehicle to be seen in and for it take him on more stimulating adventures.  The planning has begun!