December 2024

Christmas of 2011 I was diagnosed with Stage 3B Anal Cancer. I had a tiny sore on my backside removed by a surgeon and after the path[ology] report came back, I was told it was cancer. Immediately tests were run, and I found out it had already spread to my *iliac chain.

The first week of January 2012 I was in the hospital and started chemo for 5 days and radiotherapy every day for 5 weeks. In February I was readmitted to the hospital for another 5 days of chemo. My body was so wiped out and weak at the end of treatment I ended up in the hospital for another 2 weeks.

My intestines couldn’t tolerate food, and I had chronic diarrhea and needed to know where a bathroom was at all times. Many accidents occurred over the years. This has been the most difficult side effect.

In 2019 and 2021 I had to have bilateral hip replacements. In 2023 I found out I have chronic bone infarcts* vs stress fractures* in my sacrum. My legs are affected because they are weak and feel like they are buzzing.

In the last year if I didn’t have explosive diarrhea, I couldn’t move my bowels and felt like I couldn’t pass stools. In the last week I was told by my colorectal surgeon that I have severe stenosis in my rectum and there were 2 options, both of which require surgery. I’m not ready to do that yet.

Even though radiation has done a lot of damage to my body, I am grateful to be alive. I would do all of it again, but I had no idea about the late side effects of radiation. I have struggled with depression at times but always come back to being happy to be alive. I just wish I had known about the long-term effects of radiation. It certainly has been a journey!

 

Footnote information
*iliac chain – a group of lymph nodes in the pelvis that includes the external, internal, and common iliac lymph nodes.
*chronic bone infarcts – also known as osteonecrosis, or avascular necrosis. A rare bone condition that occurs when blood flow to a part of the bone is disrupted, causing bone tissue to die.
*stress fractures – when related to radiotherapy are also known as Radiation-Related Insufficiency Fractures (RRIFs).

You can find information relating to Bone Symptoms from page 91 of the Pelvic Radiation Disease Best Practice Pathway.

 

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