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'My 33 Days with Cancer'- radiotherapy following removal of prostate in 2017

User
Posted 17 Nov 2021 at 19:29

Thanks very much for the information Keith.

A quick glimpse at my profile would tell you that my PSA was recently measured at 0.35 ug/L, after being 131.0 on my first ever test and <0.03 post op. If you don't mind me asking, how high was yours to precipitate such urgent measures.

Jim

 

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one - Albert Einstein
User
Posted 17 Nov 2021 at 19:32

That may well be true Chris, but my previous consultant didn't seem keen on HT given my stats. See above for a brief overview.

The new one didn't either until very last minute!

Jim

 

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one - Albert Einstein
User
Posted 17 Nov 2021 at 19:49

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Thanks very much for the information Keith.

A quick glimpse at my profile would tell you that my PSA was recently measured at 0.35 ug/L, after being 131.0 on my first ever test and <0.03 post op. If you don't mind me asking, how high was yours to precipitate such urgent measures.

Jim

PSA doesn't have a direct correlation with severity; in Keith's case, the first information was that bone metastases in his spine were critical and so palliative RT was needed without delay to prevent spinal cord compression. His PSA might have been anything from 3 to 13000. The medium and long term treatment plan came later. 

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 17 Nov 2021 at 22:43

OK - Thanks Lyn,

I guess that information must have been revealed somewhere other than Keith's profile?

Jim

 

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one - Albert Einstein
User
Posted 18 Nov 2021 at 00:51

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

OK - Thanks Lyn,

I guess that information must have been revealed somewhere other than Keith's profile?

Jim

 

No, it is in his post to you above.

"Had MRI, next day called in for urgent RT to spine ....."  When someone gets urgent RT to bones before the biopsy has even been done, that is a pretty late diagnosis. 

Edited by member 18 Nov 2021 at 00:54  | Reason: italics

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 18 Nov 2021 at 09:51

Good morning Lyn,
 
I am willing and able to reveal that I've had 2 MRIs, as mentioned in my profile, which was the point I was endeavouring to make.

Duly completed profiles save time and obviate the need for idiots like me to ask dumb questions!

Which has the added benefit of not requiring folks in the midst of physically and/or mentally exhausting treatments to answer them.

Jim

 

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one - Albert Einstein
User
Posted 19 Nov 2021 at 21:04

hope you are ok peter you have gone quite 

User
Posted 19 Nov 2021 at 22:54

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Good morning Lyn,
 
I am willing and able to reveal that I've had 2 MRIs, as mentioned in my profile, which was the point I was endeavouring to make.

Duly completed profiles save time and obviate the need for idiots like me to ask dumb questions!

Which has the added benefit of not requiring folks in the midst of physically and/or mentally exhausting treatments to answer them.

Jim

🤣

There are no daft questions here, Jim 

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 19 Nov 2021 at 23:06

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

hope you are ok peter you have gone quite

forget Peter, I wanted to know what has happened to Shaun the sheep. Stay tuned for the next installment ...

Dave

User
Posted 21 Nov 2021 at 14:34

Hopefully you are ok peter looking forward to the resumption off your story and hope Shaun the sheep is ok too 🤔

User
Posted 21 Nov 2021 at 15:46

He is still updating his blog elsewhere, now on day 22.

Thanks Chris

User
Posted 22 Nov 2021 at 11:10

My 33 Days with Cancer

Day 9

Ok day 9 and I can honestly say its feeling like Groundhog Day and becoming very monotonous. Problem is now that I am on this train there is no getting off although I would dearly love to.

I have had a bad, and seriously emotional morning this morning. Waiting in ‘the line’ I started talking to a young woman sat by herself looking at her phone. “Waiting for someone to come out” I asked. No, she said, “I’m in next” What!! I really didn’t expect that coming from such a beautiful, young woman when the majority of people I come across ‘in the line’ are elderly. Curiosity got the better of me, why? “I have cervical cancer” she replied. She is 34 and her name is Jenny.

Her mother joined us with her coffee. Now Jenny like nearly everyone else I meet around here is more than willing to discuss why they are having treatment. She has had her cervix removed but the cancer has spread into other parts of her young body. She is a lovely outgoing person and I instantly liked her she tells me that she has a 4-year-old child at home oh and not forgetting her new recently born twins. Jenny has 2 weeks left of an extensive course of treatment. The main problem for her is the fatigue. She is finding that basically all she can do is sit on the settee all day she has it that bad. As Jenny shares her story you can tell looking into her eyes that she is frightened, frightened of what the future might hold.

This affected me if I am honest as I cannot imagine what she must be going through mentally as well as physically at such a young age with such young children. I admit to ‘having a moment’ when I got back to the car.

A clear message here to all women putting off having a test, thinking you will be ok because it always happens to someone else doesn’t it?..... Go get tested!

I think for anyone contracting Cancer the problem is (generally speaking) there is no quick fix you can be living with it for months maybe years before you know whether the treatment you have undergone has been successful. As I mentioned previously, I won’t know until 11th January so it’s vital that you keep your head right otherwise, I can imagine the whole process could become a nightmare for you especially if you let your mind run wild in imagining what might happen. Personally, I have trained myself not to think about it as there is no point worrying about what ‘may or may not happen’ I can imagine it would only serve to drive you mad although I admit it’s not easy, I have had my moments.

However, it is ‘pretty fkn difficult’ not to think about it when you’re having to get up to go to the toilet literally 6 times in a night every night over the last three nights for a pee. Anyone with Prostate cancer will tell you that it really messes with your ‘Willy function’ and over the last three days this has got worse, much worse!

“Your drinking enough aren’t ya” asked nurse Rachet. They advise you to drink loads but at first, they didn’t explain why, it’s to help stop infection when your immune system is struggling to keep up with the damage done by the Radiotherapy and they don’t want stale urine sitting in your bladder, so you need to constantly flush it out. So, you drink a lot and then pee even more…a vicious circle. Needless to say, I can never make it home now without a stop at one of my pee stops, and guess what? more bad news, my mate Shaun’s gone missing. However suppose I can finish with some good news, at least I am not a sheep!

How am I feeling?

Ok well having to increase to 1.5 / 10 today because of the toilet problems I am having otherwise much the same apart from a dull continuous ache in my lower left groin area.

NB: I have changed the names of all the people I meet in my blogs.

#prostatecancer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My 33 days with cancer

Day 10

I can honestly say that my Willy has never been’ tugged’ so much in its life, which would under normal circumstance be a good thing. It’s in constant use now overlooking the abyss of the toilet. He must be wondering what the hell is going on, on Monday he looked up at me with his sad eye as if to say wtf’s going on here then. I understood the look instantly, we’ve always been close.

As a rule, men don’t really like to talk about their Prostate’s it’s a bit of a taboo subject within the male population but if you ask a man what’s involved in having his prostate checked believe me he knows.

That’ll be a ‘finger up the bum’ then.

Now if your doctor is a ‘little bit chubby’ with ‘BIG FAT FINGERS’ then you dropped unlucky! Because this will naturally become a little bit more of a concern for you especially if like me you are or were a virgin in that area.

Let me take you back to 2016 when all this began. I was visiting my doctor for something totally unrelated when towards the end of the appointment he asked, totally out of the blue “Do you want me to check your Prostate while you are here Peter” I immediately replied “No, I’m ok thank you”

Now I remember thinking for a minute and saying to myself, Pete if you don’t do this now you won’t be coming back for it. “Can you do it right now I asked?” “Yes, get up on the bed”

I have to say at this point that some, not all doctors will give you a choice of standing or lying down but a bit of advice for any ‘first timer’s’ here standing is ok but don’t let him go in from the front as squatting down in front of you when you have your pants down can feel a little awkward especially when he has his face in close proximity to your Willy.

I’ve seen a few different doctors in my time, and I remember one time having been escalated to see a consultant, him asking if ‘HE’ could check my Prostate I reluctantly agreed.

He was from the bend forward over the bed school, I reluctantly complied (having said that I have never heard of any man willingly complying) I closed my eyes, whilst he ‘applied gentle pressure’ from behind. Marilyn my wife was with me on this visit. When he had finished, I pulled my pants back up and sat back down with Marilyn at his desk whilst he washed his hands at the sink. “He didn’t use his finger” she whispered and laughed like a demented idiot.

I am making myself laugh now as I recount this.

“Yes, it appears to be enlarged Peter” he said, not something you want to hear. “ok we need to do a biopsy”. We all know what that means, “we will need to take six samples from your prostate via local anaesthetic”, “Can you do it now” I asked because I am certainly not coming back for that one either. “Yes, we can do it now” That news didn’t make me feel any better. Subsequently I entered a room for the said procedure and believe me I can still see it as clear as day. I was met by two very nice gentlemen, “on the bed” is a common cry you hear when you have problems with your Prostate it seems everyone wants to have a look, “lie on your side away from me and raise your legs to your chest”. I gingerly lifted my gown.

Unfortunately, as you will all have gathered by now, I have rather an inquisitive nature and made the mistake like an idiot of ‘looking around’ to see him holding the longest needle I have ever seen in my life, this was a real wtf moment. “Now I want you to relax Peter” what a stupid thing to say as liquid spurted out the top of the needle…sound’s funny now wasn’t at the time. He applied the local anaesthetic up INSIDE my bum 4/5 times. “Got to make sure it feels numb” I feel fkn numb I thought.

The next stage he inserted ‘something else’ I don’t know what because by this time I’m definitely not taking a look. He proceeds to snip off 6 samples from the prostate, I know because I could hear the distinct ‘CLICK’ every time he snipped off a piece, ‘thank God that’s over’ I thought fully expecting him to tell me to pull my pants back up but to my consternation he carried on…as you can see there have been one or two wtf moments during this process and this was yet another one. Obviously, I questioned this, “the doctor told me 6” I said, now feeling desperate “No sorry 12” he said, ffs I wasn’t prepared for that as the jaws clasped together again to take yet another chunk of flesh. But it was far from over after 9 the anaesthetic had worn off and now, I felt every one and I let him know, “I don’t want to disturb you but that fkn hurts” (I didn’t swear) He told me he could inject more anaesthetic into my prostate if I wanted him to… “carry on I said”

When finished I had to go to reception to arrange my next appointment to get the results. By this time having been first in that morning I walked out to quite a ‘number of men’ still waiting to be seen by the consultant. It’s strange but I noticed all of them were accompanied by their wives. All of them turned to look at me.

I was going to pretend to fall on the floor in agony, but the receptionist said, “I am glad you didn’t do that otherwise they would all be jumping out of the windows.” Just like in the film Porky’s I thought.

Ok I’ll carry on this story later but right now I need to stare into the abyss with my mate again.

How am I feeling today?

Bit of a dull ache again in my lower groin area, seems to be more prevalent straight after treatment has been applied and then tends to fade off as the day wears on.

Still at 1.5

 

User
Posted 22 Nov 2021 at 11:39

Glad to hear your reports.

I felt that every time I walked in to a hospital, the doctors had a bet with each other, to see what was the most unusual piece of medical equipment they could shove up my arse.

 

Dave

User
Posted 22 Nov 2021 at 11:41

We could compare notes Dave bet I would win LOL

User
Posted 23 Nov 2021 at 07:45

My 33 days with Cancer

Day 11

Well guys I am officially a third of the way through my treatment a good milestone, only 22 to go.

Ok where were we. Oh yes, I had just finished my appointment with the ‘butcher’ taking chunks out of my arse. The samples were sent off for analysis, we returned the following week for the results, a time when we were just about to fly out for a two-week holiday at the time. “Come in sit down Peter” I had naturally been thinking about it a bit not knowing what the result would be, and here at last was the moment of truth. “It’s all clear Peter go and have a nice holiday” What a relief, I remember those words clearly and went away on holiday happy and relieved. “I’ll see you in six months and we will do another blood test just to make sure”

Six months later…. They’d missed it. My PSA levels had risen.

If you get cancer of the Prostate it occurs generally ‘within’ the prostate gland itself (please remember I am not a medical expert as you read this) this is known as being ‘cancer contained within the prostate,’ this is relatively good news because it means that it hasn’t yet burst through the wall of the prostate which is dangerous because the cancer cells can then leave the prostate via the lymphatic system and these bad cells can travel around to other parts of your body, trust me you don’t want that to happen.

This is the main reason for getting checked out guys to catch it before it bursts through the walls and leaves the prostate, it can happen to you so go get it checked because in the words of my consultant one of the world’s leading authorities on the subject “Peter if you live long enough, you’ll get it”

So, they take 12 random pieces from the wall of your prostate in the hope of hitting the cancerous cells if there are any but bearing in mind, they cannot snip from the back of the prostate only taking samples from areas they can reach, it really is hit and miss whether they land on a bad cancerous cell and snip off a sample. In my case the cancerous cells were still ‘contained within the prostate but we didn’t know this at the time hence the initial conclusion that I was ok.

I remember the ‘butcher’ at the time saying “it’s a good job you came in when you did Peter because I can see that your prostate is very firm”

Following the fact that we had seen a rise in my PSA I was referred for a scan which revealed two cancerous ‘looking’ Lesions contained ‘within my prostate’ GREAT NEWS But although they were cancerous looking were they in fact cancer?

So

“ Just to make sure Peter, I want you to undergo a ‘Transperineal 3D mapping biopsy” Here we go again another wtf moment a ‘Transperineal 3D biopsy this didn’t sound good to me, I replied “I don’t know what it is, but I don’t think I want one”

Now this in my mind led me to where I am today, let me explain. A Transperineal Biopsy is performed via general anaesthetic where you are placed in the same position as a woman would be if she was having a baby with your legs open wide up in the air supported by stirrups. This process is otherwise known as ‘mapping.’

This is a much more detailed biopsy in that they take a sample every 5mm throughout the prostate in simple terms they stick a needle right through your bum and then right through the prostate the same as coring an apple they then pull the needle out and there they have a sample from within the prostate itself not just from the wall of the prostate. This they do many times which when finished leaves a lovely perfectly square ‘map’ of some 50 needle pricks patterned across the underneath of your arse just under the Willy area leaving you seriously black and blue. I do have a photo in case anyone is interested. 

This subsequently confirmed for sure that I had cancer of the prostate.

In my mind I believed that this biopsy allowed some of the bad cancerous cells to escape the prostate as the needles were extracted out through my body a bit like blowing a dandelion into the air. If the cancer was contained within the prostate how else could these bad cells have escaped, cannot be proven but that’s my theory.

I later questioned my consultant about this and the answer I received was “Peter we have no evidence of this” which to my mind is not conclusive and leaves serious doubts in my mind but who knows.

The story continues but for the moment it’ll be another visit to the toilet then.

How am I feeling?

Ok I’m at day 11 a third of the way through, treatment and remember Tony said that side effects normally show up between 7-10 days so far so good, fingers crossed. Feeling good today.

Still at 1.5

Pete

#prostatecancer

 

User
Posted 23 Nov 2021 at 14:00
Pete, just to be clear - the cancer can be entirely contained within the prostate and still spread to bone or lymphatic system. The risk once cancer escapes from the prostate (in the way that you have imagined above) is that it spreads to other close organs such as the bowel or bladder but the spread to bones & lymph is through the body fluids flowing in and out of the prostate .... blood and lymphatic fluid.

Your query re cancer spreading as a result of the biopsy - it is called needle tracking and there has been significant research all of which was inconclusive. There are no recorded cases of needle tracking from a TRUS biopsy and only a tiny number of suspected (but unproven) cases following template biopsy, all of which are in America where litigation is rather popular. Considering the number of biopsies done each year, the data suggests that needle tracking is not a real thing and microscopic spread had probably already happened before the patient was referred for biopsy.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 23 Nov 2021 at 22:22

Lynn is right cancer can spread even if confined to the prostate we take nothing for granted but all hope are treatment path will be curable if possible 🤔

User
Posted 24 Nov 2021 at 06:46

My 33 Days with Cancer

Day 12

Saved a life this morning. A Pheasant ran straight across the road a little distance away in front of my car, now from experience I know that where there is one there is normally another, so I eased off and sure enough here he comes straight out of the bushes like an Exocet missile didn’t look left or right, neck erect, head up, eyes front staring at the prize.  

See how dangerous it is chasing about after women I thought.

He should have concentrated as I do when I have to put an Enema in every morning.

I am happy to report I think I’ve finally cracked it but took me a while. Lying on the bed is definitely the way to go, the key is to RELAX totally because if you tense up even a little bit it’s very difficult to apply. They can work very quickly and as I found out on the way to the hospital this morning they can also work twice. I knew I was in a bit of trouble sat at the lights at ‘Lidl’ I wasn’t looking left or right either as I was begging the lights to change.

Just made it to the hospital toilet to be greeted by a sea of urine all over the toilet seat, what is wrong with people I hate this because I cannot leave without cleaning it up in case someone sees me coming out and thinks it's me. How do these people live at home? No respect for other people or themselves.

I have explained how we must have emptied our bowels ready for the treatment and after 12 enemas since we started plus a couple of practice ones your stomach does start to feel odd, I have been 5 times today, so I hope it settles down soon. Sat on the toilet having to expel as much wind that you can is very difficult especially when people are sat right outside the toilet door. I can hear them so they can sure as hell hear me. I had to let it all out though as no way do I want to be sent off the table for having too much wind in my body as I’ll be there then another 30 / 45 min possibly.

Head up, chin up, eyes front. Not looking left or right “morning” I said in my in a loud clear voice as I quickly emerged from the door and sat and joined them thinking I should take the bull by the horns. They’ll get over it!

Derek was in this morning a very jolly, pleasant rather large man. “Couldn’t have Hormone treatment cos am tu fat,” said Derek. “Makes you put on weight apparently, and I don’t need any more of that do I Ho Ho Ho Ho” ….Now wait, was that a question or a statement I thought?  What do you say to that? I didn’t know if I should agree or not so just let out an “oh” in acknowledgement to show I was listening?

You get a choice whether to take on Hormone treatment or not. I struggled with this decision greatly and to be honest it was amongst my top list of concerns, mainly because when the doctor first discussed it with me my immediate thoughts turned to growing a pair of tits.

“You don’t look too sure about this” the doctor asked. “Won’t grow breast’s, will I?” as I laughed nervously trying to disguise the fact that I was ignorant as to whether I would or not. I lamented my lack of education.

So, they offer you Hormone treatment to run alongside your Radiotherapy, but I didn’t know this at the time. Hormone treatment suppresses the testosterone inside your body which helps cancer grow and clinical trials in America have shown that Hormone treatment if given alongside Radiotherapy offers a 20% more chance of success. We weighed this all up carefully and finally decided as I can only have one go at this, we had better throw the kitchen sink at it.

I have six months of Hormone treatment and I had to have one injection about three weeks before treatment began, and I must have another very soon applied by your GP in my bum. No tablets. Some people are on Hormone treatment for the rest of their lives if the cancer escapes into their bodies as it helps to suppress cancer growth.

I arrived at the GP to find that he was fully expecting me as he had the box already sat in front of him with yet another needle inside, “Where do you want it then” he said, “Want what?” “Which cheek do you want it in?’ “The right one” I said, so he sticks it in the left. Couldn’t write it could you.

Never used to like injections was always fearful of them but since my stroke I’ve had more pricks than a dartboard, so I take them in my stride now.

Oh, didn’t I mention that? I might enlighten you with some of my stroke stories if you like that had some interesting moments.

How am I feeling?

Still good ’touch wood’ hesitate to say that but nothing hurts or can’t handle at present let’s hope it stays that way but still feels like a long way to go. 1.5.

Pete

#prostatecancer

 

 

 

User
Posted 25 Nov 2021 at 17:13

My 33 days with Cancer

Day 13

The point about this blog is not only to raise awareness of Prostate cancer but also to diarise my 33 days of Radiotherapy and how it affects me each day as I progress through it, so that anyone following me can read a first-hand account of what might be expected if they find themselves in my position as unfortunately many do.

So here we go! Thought I was doing well but this weekend has seen a few changes and I must announce that ‘I’ve got piles,’ well not piles (plural) but a pile, old friend of mine not shown his ugly head for some years but decided to pay me a visit after Sunday mornings trip to the loo. Just what I needed. It’s a bleeder ‘literally’ and a painful one to. Rough weekend as over the past 3 or more days the number of times I have had to visit the toilet has significantly increased especially frustrating during the night as I have been going between 5 and 6 times this has meant that I am getting little sleep which in turn is making me extremely tired. The daytime is no better and I am seeing an increase in trips to the toilet all round which is quite debilitating. Sometimes I can go (we are talking about number ones here) and need to go again in a matter of minutes, very waring and I have seriously lost count how many times I visit the toilet each day, need to start a log.

Spoke to a specialist today who is prescribing me even more pills to try and counter this but been worst day so far. Bit of fun trying to get the Enema in this morning I can tell you it took some manoeuvring as he stood guard over the entrance shouting ‘thou shalt not pass.’ Specialist says it’s because the treatment is irritating the bladder and can take up to 12 weeks after treatment for it to settle down although this differs from person to person. Great!

As I think I mentioned before its catch 22 really as they want you to drink lots to counter infection so it’s a vicious circle got to try and figure it out.

Nearly fell out with the Radiologist today my time on the table was 01.42pm as I said before timing is crucial with all this. I was waiting my turn its 01.30pm the doors fly open, he shouts “Peter Mitchell” he’s looking up and down the passage when there’s only two of us sat there and ones a woman so that’ll be a bit of a fkn clue then…. it’s like he’s never seen me before in his life and I’m sat right in front of him. I stood up cup in hand “OH! you haven’t drunk your water yet’ this was a statement not a question and he said it in a condescending, exasperated manner which immediately put my back up. (p----d me off actually) especially as I wasn’t feeling well.

Now people that know me know that my pet hate is people being late absolutely no need for it ever and gross bad manners. “Du ya wanna meet next tut Lions in Market square at 7 tonight, Trace?” if what comes back is “yeah ok Brian” then that’s it isn’t it? you have made an agreement haven’t you? I would be there at 06.55pm and I’ll leave early so I don’t get caught up in any traffic to ensure that I am on time. If anyone used to arrive late into work I would ask “If I offered you an all-expenses paid trip to Barbados in a five star hotel for two weeks but the only downside was it was a 6am flight tomorrow morning from Heathrow would you be late for it?’ do you know what I ‘never’ got an answer ever just a vacant look on their faces, and there’s the thing!!!!

But I digress….I wasn’t late, I was on time, my water planning was impeccable. “Your fkn early mate” nearly came out. “We’ll have to give it another 10 minutes” he pronounced as he swung his shoulders around and walked straight back through the door’s I attempted to explain that I was in fact ready as….

He’d gone!

Now 01.42 is quite specific in my eyes wonder how many people would miss the plane to Barbados if it left 7 minutes fkn early?

Feeling slightly better now as I’ve had a 10-minute nod, and my pile is behaving itself for now, drinking less before bed to see if that helps. Report back tomorrow.

How am I feeling?

I suppose I need to put it up to 2/10 as things have shifted. I can always bring it down if things improve. No real pain apart from the pile which is a ‘pain in the arse’

Pete

#prostatecancer

 

User
Posted 25 Nov 2021 at 20:19
Pete, did you get a urine bottle as I previously suggested. It will help considerably with the frequent nighttime loo visits and the resulting tiredness. Believe me - I speak from personal experience!

All the best,

Chris

 
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