Hi to anyone reading this. In May 2014 I got married to a wonderful lady, since then, she has become my rock. Four weeks after our wedding I started to have an irritating but mild back ache, no pain killers would ease it, anyway, two weeks on, I was told I had a gleason 9 prostate tumour, my PSA was above the norm but still fairly low at 14.75, they told me I needed immediate action.
I went into Addenbrookes hospital where the Da Vinci robot removed my prostate, nerves and lymph nodes, after lab examination, the pea size tumour was contained in the gland, all within margins and nerves and lymph nodes were clear, everyone seemed pretty happy with the results. My first PSA showed a small presence, the next one more, it turned out to be doubling every 2 to 3 weeks. I did some internet research and found that my gleason with the doubling time so soon after the surgery indicated a poor prognosis.
Anyway, Addenbrookes scanned me again and found nothing, I was put on hormone drugs and given 4 weeks of radiotherapy targeted at the prostate bed. My first PSA came back undetectable, second the same. The consultant was very pleased, my new wife overjoyed. The PSA results continued to come in as undetectable, my PSA nurse said one more 3 monthly test and we will move to 6 month results. Twelve months on from the radiotherapy, I developed a dry chesty cough, my gp suggests a few blood tests and my PSA came back at 0.18, there was some irony to this figure as it was the same as the first result after my surgery, which then doubled very quickly.
During the treatment after surgery, I found I was having problems with my speech, swallowing food and breathing, everyone thought I had had a stroke during the surgery but scans showed nothing. a few months later it was found that the drugs had triggered an incurable neurological illness called Myasthenia Gravis (MG), this is where the immune system attack normal signals from the brain stopping muscles from functioning, I now take medication to try to control this.
Before my cancer and MG was diagnosed I used the gym five days a week, Monday to Friday for about 2 hrs each session, I still do this regularly in order to keep positive but it is a fine balance in taking my drugs at the right time in order that I an achieve it. Today I have another PSA result to confirm the latest rising reading, my lovely wife is leaving work early in order to join me to collect the result. I have held her as she cries and she comforts me as my mood lowers. I hate this disease, this cancer, it takes then it gives back a little and then it rips it all away but rest assured I will fight this sadistic thug until my last breath, whenever that may be. Good luck to all on this site.