LifeNow

It's about ten weeks since the previous post, Recovery continuing as projected. Although my recovery from the worst effects of radiation therapy now feels largely complete, my hormone therapy continues for another two weeks or so. So what does that mean?

It has been a month since my last radiation therapy session. I had been advised that the first two weeks following would likely be the worst in terms of digestive symtoms – and that was correct. That meant that I could not return immediately to the food I'd been avoiding – coffee, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables.

You haven't heard from me because I got a cold. Normally getting a cold is not a big thing – but when you get a cold when you are already in the dump from radiation sessions and hormone therapy... Well, a cold can become pretty intimidating.

If the only thing that I'm talking about is the radiation therapy, I can count myself almost done – only three sessions left. However, I'm also in the midst of six months of hormone therapy – and I'm only slightly better than halfway done with that therapy.

That's where I am as of today's radiation therapy. Today I also got blood tests taken and my second – and last – Lupron pellet was inserted for the final three months of hormone therapy. Just before posting, when I checked the MSK portal, I saw that my PSA had dropped to zero – as expected, but nice to see!

As of today, I've completed 27 of the required 40 radiation sessions. On Thursday, the radiation therapy shifted from radiating the entire pelvis to simply radiating the area surrounding the prostate location. What that means is less radiation my tissues have to deal with and even somewhat shorter sessions. It also means a reduction in what my radiation oncologist, Dr. Shasha, calls 'the laxative effect' of radiation aimed at the pelvis.

As of now, I have completed 22 of the 40 radiation therapy sessions. The prior week of therapies has been very routine, and coupled with fewer digestive issues than I had initially.

Radiation therapy sessions are now pretty much routine and, to the credit of MSK, the sessions are

Of course, yesterday was actually Friday, July 2 – but for me it was radiation therapy session number thirteen.

As of yesterday I have completed 20% of the required therapies.