Keeping good medical records

As much as you might want to put the experience behind you once treatment is completed, it is also very important to keep good records of your child's medical care during this time. Eventually, your child will grow up, be on his or her own, and have new doctors. It is important that your child be able to give the new doctors the exact details of the cancer diagnosis and treatment. Gathering the details soon after treatment may be easier than trying to get them at some point in the future. There are certain pieces of information that your child's doctors should have, even into adulthood. These include:

• A copy of the pathology reports from any biopsies or surgeries.
• If surgery was done, a copy of the operative report.
• If your child stayed in the hospital, a copy of the discharge summaries (forms that doctors prepare when patients are sent home).
• A list of the final doses of each chemotherapy drug or other drug your child received. (Certain drugs have specific long-term side effects. If you can get a list of these from the pediatric oncologist, this might also help any new primary care doctor.)
• If radiation therapy was given, a final summary of the dose and field.

It is also very important to keep your child's health insurance. Tests and doctor visits cost a lot, and even though no one wants to think of the tumor coming back, this could happen.