July 2, 2010
As most of you know, Lee was diagnosed with prostate cancer in early March 2010. My daughter who is a nurse tells us if you are going to get cancer this is the most treatable one there is. We were getting ready to go on our Australia and New Zealand trip. His Urologist told us to go and enjoy the trip and deal with the cancer when we come home so this is what we did. Home again we set up an appointment to see Lee’s Urologist, Dr Baker who also referred us to an Oncologist, Dr Steele. Dr Baker discussed his options and we decided to go with radiation and seed implants, the recommended treatment. In addition to the radiation the patient gets massive dosed of hormones. This has had a really funny result. Lee now gets hot flashes which while I certainly sympathize with him I think it is funny to watch my husband who is always cold and fussing with me that I keep the house like and icebox now suddenly asking for the fan on and wiping sweat from his brows. Well the good news for him there is that "this too shall pass" for me it is an ongoing thing that never seems to pass. The other good news is that Dr Baker tells us that the hormone therapy works to kill the cancer cells and it is really working. When Lee started this whole process his PSA reading was 7.5 and his ultrasound was 65. His last tests have shown his PSA is now 0.09 and ultrasound reading is 38.2. Both a drastic drop. We are extremely optimistic that Lee will come through this with flying colors and In November we will be "On the Go" once more with our Trans-Atlantic cruise. Today we go see Dr Steel for his gold marker training. We are not too sure what this means but at 10:30 today we will find this out. Check back with this post as I will update it on a regular basis.
July2, 2010 in the afternoon
We saw the nurse at Dr. Steels office who explained the next few steps. July 16 will be marker placement. July 23 will be CT simulation where they locate the markers to determine where the radiation will go. Then the radiation will start the first or second week in August. That will be a long drawn out procedure. Five weeks five days a week. Stay tuned for updates.
July 16, 2010
Yesterday Lee had his second hormone shot. Today he went in for his "Gold Marker Placement" things are finely starting to move along. We have appointments on the 22nd and 23rd of next week for various things. Will be glad to just get the actual radiation started. Lee is becoming more and more tired. And has lost 2 lbs. BUT that's OK I found them.
July 23, 2010
This whole process has been dragging on (or so it seems) since Early March when Lee got his diagnosis of prostate cancer. We went on to Australia knowing this was to be facing us when we got back. Then the dragging began. However this is how the process works so we just had to be patient. His first step was the hormone shot which left him having hot flashes. So now he knows what we women go through. He had two shots and is supposed to get another one. Yesterday he had an ultra sound to measure the gold markers. Today there was the CT scan and he was fitted into his leg forms (to keep him always in the same position) Now the main event is about to start. Aug 6, he goes in for Verification films (whatever that is) then on Aug 9 we begin the process of radiation for five weeks five days a week. That is our next step. Lee should be finished with radiation by the middle of September God willing and the creek don't rise. He is also becoming more and more tired.
August 9, 2010
So today is August 9 and the day Lee was supposed to start his radiation. Big problem and big decision. Lee's sister Nancy (lived in Missouri) passed away on Saturday. Of course the very first inclination is to drop everything and go to the funeral. But after careful consideration, Lee decided to continue on with his timeline. so off he went to the Doctor today. He talked to the radiologist about the merit of postponing the radiation. The Radiologist said if he drops his spot he probably would not get back on the schedule for 5 or 6 weeks. I think he made the right choice. Nancy would not want him to jeopardize his health or treatments to come to Missouri. The first treatment was uneventful and now the long wait of 5 days a week for the next 5 weeks so we are pretty much tied down now for a while. Will keep you all posted.
August 10, 2010
Day 2 over, 23 more to go. All is well.
August 16, 2010
Week one is complete. Today Lee starts into week 2. Still feeling very well. A bit tired is all but very very determined not to give into it. We still excercise every day except Sunday we took off.
August 20, 2010
Week two down. Lee is still doing good. Just getting more and more tired. We are still going to the pool every day to excercise and either walking or going to the gym.
August 30, 2010
September 11, 2010
Lee is very tired these days and I have slackMonday September 13 will be Lee's last radiation treatment. It would have been yesterday but for Labor Day when the Oncologist office was not open. So it got pushed back to Monday. This will end that phase of of the treatments. Then we have a three week break and will take advantage of the beach for a five days with Jim and Alma on the first week of October. Can't wait for that. After that in 3 weeks from his last radiation he will go in for outpatient and have radiation seeds implanted. From what he is telling me he they will work for 3 months. Hopefully after that all the cancer will be gone and we can get back to our life of travel. NOVEMBER THE CRUISE. I have been helping him on his chores around the house. What a guy! He still does the laundry and his dishes. But I am helping him with a lot of it.
October 20, 2010
Yesterday was a long long day. We had to commence with prepping at 8:30 in the morning for Lee's surgery with cleaning out the system, various pills etc. We went to the surgery center at 10:30. Lots of paper work and preparing for the surgery. He was checked in taken back to the pre-op and then we waited while Nurses and Doctors and everyone filling our more and more paper work. They finely came in and took him back to surgery and I went back to the waiting room. The surgery took about an hour and they came and got me. Both Doctors, Steel (the Oncologist) and Baker (the Urologist) talked to me to let me know how every thing went and what to expect. The bladder had to be flushed out and when I went in to recovery Lee was hooked up to two BIG bags of fluid that was flowing in and then flowing out a catheter. After all that they removed the catheter and then the big thing was to be able to pee on his own. They guy in the next bed did fine and he was discharged. He had his procedure after Lee. But Lee just couldn't go. Finely his nurse brought him a urinal and he finely managed to go maybe 6 drops. She said that would qualify him to leave. So we went home. Once in his own environment he managed to go just fine. There is still a bit of blood in the urine but they said that was to be expected. All in all he is doing good. He just got up and said the pain is almost gone and the bleeding is subsiding. So now we wait for the seeds to do their job.
November 28, 2010
We have gotten through the big trip, Lee fared very well except couldn't get very far from the bathroom. We stayed on the boat the entire trip which suited me very well as I haven't been up to snuff lately and for some reason when I am on a cruise my legs and ankles swell. But back to Lee. He caught a bad cold while on the trip and is still recovering from that. The girls knew how sick he was when he went to bed after Thanksgiving dinner for a nap and let them do the dishes. He usually screams at them "Get out of my kitchen I'll do the dishes" This year he gave them the job. Other than his internal plumbing problems and the cold he is doing pretty well.
March 4, 2011
I haven't posted on Lee's page for some time so it is about time I did so. Lee's last PSA test was a remarkable 0.01 which is about as good as a body can get. He is doing very well and back to normal. He is still suffering from his Hot Flashes but the Dr. assures him "This too shall pass" As for me it just gives him an insight of what us women suffer. All in all I would say he is doing great and just chomping at the bit to get behind the wheel and start off on our long trek to the North country. Stay tuned to the main blog for the details as we travel along. Surly we will have some interesting stories to tell..
