So I had my radiation consult yesterday, and had a few surprises. One was not really knowing about any of the possible side effects. Radiation is some nasty stuff! Just the highlights:
- Reduced function of salivary gland on that side
- Permanent hair loss on that side
- Sore throat from radiation burns
- Basically what appears to be a sunburn on that side
- Permanent reduced blood flow to that side of my jaw
Ugh, sounds lovely, don’t it? But honestly, those don’t bother me so much. Seriously. Here are the two things that bug me. Because of the last bullet in the prior list, I have to go see a dentist before radiation, so if I need any dental work, they can do it while I still have good blood flow. I hate dentists, and while I’m not proud of this, I haven’t seen one in years because of it.
But here’s what’s really sticking in my craw. Radiation treatments are every day for a month or more. That’s right, folks, every day. And the hospital where they do it is a 25-mile round trip from my house. That’s gonna suck.
Oh well, beats the alternative.