Radiation Therapy Meeting

Today we had a meeting with the radiation doctors at Princess Margret Hospital close to the SickKids facility.

The meeting was to discuss the outline of Abdullah's radiation plan based on all the information so far. The doctors are planning 12 radiations to the left side of his belly and spine. The area potentially to be covered on the belly would be approximately 15cmx15cm.

The produre would require a cast created specifically for the contours of Abdullah, so that the radiations can be applied accurately and would be x-ray guided.

Abdullah would be awake during the produre, but alone for the period of time when the radiations are applied. The procedure length would be approximately 30 mins.

It would happen consectively every day at Princess Margret Hospital for 5 days in the 1st week post transplant, 5 days in the 2nd week and 2 days the following week.

The doctors explained the short term and long term side effects of the radiation.

Short term side effects;

• Nausea and vomiting
• Loss of appetite

Long term side effects;

• Left side would be shorter than right. Slightly but visible.
• His height would be about 2 inches shorter than his actual height, because of the radiation on his spine.
• Atleast half of his left kidney will lose function as it would radiated. The function will automatically be compensated by the other kidney.
• ~10% cases develop secondary tumors.

I signed the consent form today which would allow this procedure on my child post transplant. It is such a contradiction trying to cure by poisoning, that too trying it with a child who doesn't understand or know that certain things in his future are being written off to preserve his today. I hope he will understand our obligations to preserve his life under these circumstances.