LifeNow

Last week was my first week of radiation therapy – though not a full week. The first session was Wednesday, so I completed three sessions. Today I completed one more, so I've finished 10% of the required sessions – four of forty. Yay!

On Friday I finally had my 'radiology simulation,' which resulted in a plastic cast of my pelvis. Then I spend a long time getting MRI scans. Finally, when at back at home Friday evening I saw that I now have forty radiation sessions scheduled, starting on June 16.

Summary: As of today, May 28, I have completed the first of six months of hormone therapy. Two months of radiation therapy will begin in June. I have no problem sharing this with anyone as long as it is not taken as a life-threatening issue in front of me now. It's not – it's the distant future I'm dealing with. I'm taking a gamble aimed for both longer and better quality of life in the next decade or more...unless I get hit with a car while crossing the street tomorrow. :–)

On Wednesday (Apr 28) I got a lot more info during a telehealth call with the radiation doctor. Dr. Shasah was following up on prior Wednesday's three tests – a full-body MRI, a pelvis CT scan and full-body nuclear medicine imaging.

It was Wednesday afternoon when I finally got back from MSK, where I spent the morning and early afternoon either in a diagnostic machine or just walking around the East Side enjoying the weather and wondering if I could eat anything. The three tests I had Wednesday were tests I had had before, initially simply to prepare for my January 2019 prostatectomy. I also had them again when my PSA reappeared, suggesting that there were still some leftover prostate cells somewhere in my body.

In short, I've agreed to start with two standard therapies for recurrent prostate cancer – eight weeks of pelvic radiation (five times a week) – and six months of hormonal therapy (i.e., testosterone suppression). Several more tests are scheduled, so the start date will likely be early May.

...but the Old Banana don't believe in me.” (I originally wrote “doesn't believe in me, but then remembered it actually comes out with “don't” for no reason I can think of.)

This evening I started getting ready for several days of Covid-19 vaccine symptoms from today's second vaccination. If I'm going to be under the weather for a day or two, I'll alternate between reading articles and finishing the excellent Netflix series, Fauda.

Almost noon and I had only just started my 750 Words exercise. That actually made me feel a bit guilty as I had gotten so used to doing this exercise before even getting out of bed. At least, while writing, I hadn't dressed for the day yet. ;–)

Another sunny cold winter day. I woke up with Frankie sleeping next to me.