About 6 weeks ago, I got downgraded from seeing my oncologist every 12 weeks to seeing him in 6 weeks because of my less-than-perfect CT Scan result. So the 6 weeks came and here’s the update.
I went to the hospital early for my appointment for the first time since Nov 2016! That’s simply because my appointment time got pushed back from the usual. But yeah, I was still early.
I wasn’t sure what the agenda for the visit would be and how long it’d take because it was not my routine visit. Meh.
After some asking around (doctor assistant and doctor), I figured I was meant to spend another long day waiting for appointments. Actually there was only a small crowd in the hospital that day but the waiting time was equally long, if not longer. About 40 minute wait to get my blood drawn. 20 minute wait to have my weight recorded. Then 2.5 hours to see the oncologist.
So 3.5 hours after registering myself at the hospital, I met my oncologist. It was…alright.
Since the liver specialist and gynecologist were not concerned, I wasn’t concerned either before meeting my oncologist to discuss the result. We reviewed my ovary cancer marker blood test result (I never had ovary cancer but just checking because I had a “complex cyst”); no problem. We reviewed my colon cancer marker blood test result; no problem.
Yay.
Then I asked him 2 questions I meant to ask him 6 weeks before, if not because of the CT scan distractions.
First question: When can I remove my chemo port? When I completed my chemotherapy in Sept 2016, my oncologist recommended me to keep the chemo port for 5 years, just in case cancer comes back. As much as I hate to keep the chemo port in case cancer comes back, I obliged because as a young survivor, I do have higher risk of recurrence. I have more living years left for cancer to come back. And cancer tends to be more aggressive for young patients. His answer: End of this year. Yayyyyy! I don’t care if I’m actually removing it end of this year. I’m just happy my oncologist suggested perhaps I don’t have to keep it for 5 long years anymore since I’ve been good for the past 1.5 years.
Second question: When can I start trying for pregnancy? When surgery was offered to me in Jan 2016, infertility risk was one of the things discussed. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the option to go for fertility treatment prior to my cancer treatment. My surgeon wanted me to wait 2 years post-surgery to allow my abdomen (where the surgery was) to heal prior to pregnancy so I suddenly felt my right to be pregnant was taken away from me. My oncologist wasn’t particularly opinionated about infertility risk from chemotherapy because only minority are affected. But I’m concerned of course. Because I’m also a minority who got colon cancer under 50 years old. His answer: Anytime. Yay! Actually he still wasn’t opinionated about pregnancy post-cancer for me so I liked how chilled and slightly confused he was when I asked.
See you again, doctor in 6 weeks for our usual quarterly consultation!
Oh yeah. I’m supposed to still book myself a PET scan end of this year, just in case. Meh. No one is eager to do this scan now. Why do I still have to do it le? Meh.
