Gathering my thoughts
There are many things
to be grateful for: life, health, relationships, friendships, hope, faith, and the
love that conquers all.
It's now been over a year
ago that I began the twenty sessions of hypofractionated external
beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer, the aftermath of which includes an
extended time of monitoring and care. [NHS England: Hypofractionated
external beam radiotherapy in the treatment of localised prostate cancer
(PDF) 25 pages.]
After meeting with
the multidisciplinary team in March, in conversation, I was to be seen again in
4 months, but the letter to my doctor indicated 5 months. But I received no
appointments, so I had to consult the oncology department secretary about it.
It took her just over
three weeks to respond. That was after I placed a phone call to her number and
left a message that got a nurse to call and plan to be seen within three weeks.
Reviewing the process
Any appointment would
have required first doing a serum prostate-specific
antigen (PSA) test and getting the results before the appointment, and the
secretary gave me just 6 working days to my next appointment to get that done.
Thankfully, for my
Monday appointment, my GP surgery invited me on Thursday to provide a blood sample,
and I was able to access the result on the NHS app last night.
I was concerned
because the PSA results from February 2024 and the 5 test results altogether have
fluctuated in ways that if I had not taken decisive action to act on the possible
presence of prostate cancer by urging my doctor to be engaged, responsive, and
proactive, the malignancy would have continued untouched to a seriously life-threatening
situation.
This is because, in
early February 2024, the PSA was borderline high at 3.5, then 7 weeks later at
the end of March 2024, it had risen to 4.0 and needing further investigation,
that started with a Digital
Rectal Examination (DRE), through a multiparametric MRI
(mpMRI) scan in April 2024, an ultrasound-guided
transperineal biopsy of the prostate gland in May 2024, and a stage-2
prostate cancer diagnosis in June 2024 with the recommendation that I undergo
active treatment.
Making your decisions
towards the best outcomes
In July 2024, I made
the choice between a radical
prostatectomy and radical
radiotherapy, opting for the latter, though on seeking a helpful opinion
from Prostate Cancer UK, the nurse thought it was better to opt for active
surveillance or watchful waiting.
I was not going to
wait to watch what a clear diagnosis of cancer was going to do in my body, and
worry myself silly about what I could have done on the back end of having this
knowledge. That was the last time I called Prostate Cancer UK, because having
come this far, I needed encouragement and support, not dissuasion.
As I prepared for
radiotherapy, we had another PSA test at the end of August 2024, and it had
fallen to 2.0. That sneaky thing could have been a dangerous signal to abandon
treatment, as the reading had fallen below the danger zone into the normal range.
However, that did not mean the cancer had suddenly disappeared. Either way, I
was going through with the radiotherapy.
This began on the 12th
of September 2024 for every weekday until the 9th of October 2024,
and I worked through it, even as the side effects of chronic fatigue and
bladder issues took hold. A month after treatment, I took an extended sick leave
that lasted just under 2 months, spending most of that time with Brian, caring
for me in Cape Town.
After treatment
monitoring and beyond
When I went for my
first post-treatment checkup in early April 2025, the PSA test I took, the
previous week at the end of March, read 2.6 and this was the cause of my
concern and it led me to question the reliability of the PSA test as an
indicator of reduced prostate agitation, especially after radiotherapy, but
then I also realised that the period of recuperation could be long, as
exemplified in my strength, and voice.
My reckoning was that
if the PSA result did not fall at my next appointment, I would request a second
mpMRI scan. I am glad to say that on my receipt of the results last night, that
might not be necessary as the PSA has fallen to 1.3 micrograms per litre (µg/L).
However, for my
meeting on Monday, I am on alpha blockers since that regulates prostate
function, since October last year, and I might be on that for some time, and I
have had two episodes of epididymitis in May and August. We might have to
discuss the hows and whys of that.
Apart from the occasional
insomnia, the fluctuations in my voice, irregular occurrences of fatigue, and
some restlessness that besets me at various times, I am doing quite well and happy
with the improvements, grateful for the support from many people who have
helped me through interesting times.
When I am presented
with the opportunity, I talk about men’s things, the need for us to be
conscious of the health of our bladders, bowels, prostates, testicles, and
sexual organs. These things matter, and catching anything going awry early
is of the utmost importance.
Here’s to life and
living. Thank you.
References
Blog - Photons
on the Prostate - A year from starting radiotherapy
Blog - A
prostate cancer diagnosis, one year on
Blog - Photons on the Prostate - XVIV - I Just Can't Wait
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are accepted if in context to the blog, polite and hopefully without the use of expletives.
Please, show your name instead of defaulting to Anonymous, it helps to know who is commenting.
Links should only refer to the commenter's profile, not to businesses or promotions, as they will NOT be published.
Thank you for commenting on my blog.