LifeNow

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. In my case, Sunday a week before, my throat was so sore I could neither drink nor eat anything – it was just far too painful to swallow. Surprisingly, however, radiation therapy does not affect one's immune system so one can continue with the therapy even if one has flu or a cold. So the next day Kate took me – via taxi — for session number thirty-eight. She wanted to do that because she had seen me walking very slowly and rather wobbling the night before.

Basically last week the main thing I accomplished was the last three radiation therapy sessions. Now at least I am recovered enough to do simple things like write this update – but the projection I got from my radiation oncologist was not to expect much recovery for the next several weeks because the body will still be dealing with the impact of radiation on the targeted tissues in my pelvis. After that, only after the a hormone expires in October will the body slowly start to get me back to a normal testosterone level – which is key to having the level of energy one is used to for daily life. It could between six to twelve months – from April to October 2022 – before I get back to what feels like I was before it all started. Also there is a low risk of permanent effects due to the therapy, which could take up to four months from the end of therapy to show up.

At the moment, I seem to be having a hot flash – I now seem to get those at least several times every day – and that won't stop till my testosterone starts to recover. Oh well.

At least now I don't have to spend a half day going and coming from Memorial Sloan Kettering – a nice change even though the therapy staff were all very affable as well as extremely professional.

So, life goes on, just rather slowly for a while now....