September 2009.
Once I had completed my biopsy, my urologist, Dr. R. Singh made a follow-up appointment to be told of the results and Oh, by the way, bring your wife with you! That alone scared the H out of me, thinking he already knew the results and wanted her there for my support on what I assumed would be the telling of my death sentence.
So ten days later, we walk, hand in hand into his office to be told I had aggresive prostate cancer.
YES, there is was, that most dreadfull word: CANCER.
I have CANCER!
Dr. Singh ordered a bone scan plus a CT scan for me, to help decide on our next move.
We didn't talk much on the drive home but we certainly both had tearful eyes, in fact Debbie cried and sobbed a lot during the next days. She had done a round of breast cancer a couple of years ago, including surgery and never, ever cried through that but somehow she felt this was going to be much more serious.
Both scan results were negative and in a follow-up meeting with Dr. Singh, he recommended surgery as soon as possible. I agreed that this was likely the best, next course of action but I did feel I needed to hear that from someone with another opinion. I had heard good reports from friends that a Dr.J.Chin from London might just be able to offer that second opinion and to my surprise, Dr. Singh agreed and made it possible for me to meet with him.
By now, time is moving on and it's already Mid-September. My appointment in London was scheduled for late December but a few days later, we get a call that it was now moved up and changed to late October. Dr. Chin took a lot of time explaining to Debbie and I what was going on in my body with charts and his own drawings and when all was done, we agreed to open surgery and he agreed to do it. Robotic was not an option because of my high Gleason Score of #8 and advanced stage of 3TA. Surgery is to be early in the New Year.
But first . . . . . . I'm to go on Hormone Treatment, consisting of a daily Casodex pill for 30 days and a Lupron (the chemical castration one) injection that will totally mess up my body for the next 90 days plus. Hot flashes, no libito, fatigue weight gain plus muscle and bone density loss are to be some of the side effects and YES, I got them all. This to stop the growth of the cancer until a surgery time became available and this will happen on January 20th. !!!
January 12, 2010.
A week prior, we went to London's University Hospital for several tests to determen my health status and make sure I would be a suitable patient. On the big day, best friend Tommy Chesher drove us (including our daughter Chantale) from Sarnia to the London hospital. Debbie and Chantale were going to stay in a lodge, just for members of patient families for the next three days, a place they both enjoyed.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
After my Surgery.
Not a pretty sight, I must say.
and I'm waiting for Tommy to take us home.
January 23rd. 2010.
Surgery went well, according to Dr.Chin, but I really did not have a good time during my three day stay. I did write a letter, describing my stay and handed it to Dr.Chin at a later time so I do hope it was followed-up on by the hospital board.
February 8, 2010.
Catheter removed by Dr.Chin and the surgery pathology report gone over. Dr.Chin is concerned that a bit of cancer might have escaped and is recommending an appointment with a oncologist to discuss a radiation treatment. Side effects from the surgery include incontenence (total lack of control) and more fatigue.
Here is my pathology Report, from after surgery:
Gleason Score: cannot be determined due to hormone therapy effects.
Extraprostatic Extension:
present, left radial, multifocal
present, left basal, multifocal
Resection Margins:
Apical: involved by invasive carcinoma, multifocal
Bladder Neck: involved by invasive carcinoma, unifocal on left side.Other: non-tumoural prostatic present at resection margin.
Perineural Invasion: present.
Seminal Vesicle Invasion: absent
Lymphovascular Invasion: absent
Lymph Node Status: no malignancy in regional lymph nodes
Additional path. findings:
high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia
Pathology Stage: yp T3a NO MX
February 26, 2010.
Appointment with a likable Dr. G.Bauman who did suggest radiation but my concern with that was my still ongoing incontinence. It seems that whatever level I'm at (still leaking quit a bit) that it could remain that way for the rest of my life, once radiation is started. Based on that, we agreed to postpone the start of 33 treatments until May 10th. Meanwhile he did give me another 90 day Lupron shot. More hot flashes, more fatigue, more weight gain, more mood swings but hey, were on the right track to kill this cancer, or so I'm told.
March 18th.
First PSA test since surgery with the results of ;0.03 !!! YAHOO !!
Started a Facebook page for bikers with prostate issues at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=382971347712
IMRT to start on May10. Going to get 33 units of "Intensity Modulated RadioTherapy" or IMRT. Often this is done with "Image Guided RadioTherapy"(IGRT)IGRT uses imaging tools like ultrasound to see exactly where the prostate was located. This is done each day before treatment.
**********************************************************************
Thirty three trips to London could get rather boring so I needed something to do while driving. Then it hit me, why not take a picture or two each day, sort of a travelogue of the daily journey. The intend was to take a photo every 3 kilometers but there just wasn't anything interesting at each 3 km. mark so I did have to make some allowences.
So here we go. Ready for the ride?
.
May 10, Week 1, Day 1 !!!
Debbie and I are leaving our apartment building at 6.30 am. heading for the London Cancer Centre for the first of 33 radiaiton treatments.
Middle left you can see the Michigan shoreline. (Port Huron).
Temperature is zero, or 32 in US.
Week 1, Day 2.
3 km into the trip. Turning on to highway 402 to London.
It's like a freeway, straight and boring.
Another Cool, rainey day.
Week 1, Day 4.
Overlooking a new motocross track being build at the Hiawatha
Sports and Casino Centre.
Where is that sunshine? This is dreary!
Week 1, Day 5.
Instead of driving, I could fly but my arms might get to tired.
Sarnia Airport and the sun is out and the temperature great at 18.
Week 2, Day 6.
The now closed UBE automotive wheel manufacturing facility.
Building is up for sale for a bunch of million dollars.
Week 2, Day 9
Debbie joined me for the drive today. Sign points to the area where oil was first
discovered in North America.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Week 3, Day 10.
One of many roads that used to go North & South but
are now dead-ended at the #402 Highway.
Week 3, Day 13.
Debbie joined me today and this is one of the many creeks
that flow under the highway. She is on the bridge waving at
me while I'm being devoured by bugs.
Week 3, Day 14.
Best friend, Tommy,needed to take his car to the dealership
in London, so I went along for the ride including a
sidetrip for my radiation.
Week 4, Day 15.
A side effect from radiation is fatigue so I need to know
where I can have naps. This one looks handy.
Just a spilt second after this was taken,a huge double tractor
trailer blew my tripot over, knocking my camera lense first into
the pavement. I picked it up like a wounded animal. It had turned
itself off, the lens was smashed and would not restart.
Oh dear. Had this one for about 5 years, taken thousands of family
and trip pictures and I was not planning on buying another anytime
soon. Now no choice if was to continue this little project but,
no time for research, so off to Walmart for their current
adverstised special, a cheap Sony Cybershot,advertised
at $ 108.00.The roll-out price was down to $ 98.00, but
it doesn't have a time/date stamp on each picture. Also,
changing the software from my previous Cannon to the Sony
is driving me nuts. Having problems finding my pictures
once they are downloaded.
Week 4, Day 16.
.Great day for a ride to London but I didn't dare tell Debbie
about it until I got back home. The ride home took me through
back roads and little towns and was most enjoyable.
Week 4, Day 17.
After 17 trips, I still haven't spotted a single plane.
Wonder where they hide them?
Week 4, Day 18.
Crabby Joe's is a restaurant chain. Look closely as I have added
my name under Joe's but the print is way to small to be effective.
and YES, I did leave it on there.
Week 5, Day 20.
Needing a bit of paint, this jewel is hidden
behind trees and a wire fence at Km.90.
Week 6, Day 25.
Now who would park a schoolbus here? Wonder if the
kids are still locked up, inside ?
Week 6, Day 27.
Speeding can get expensive here in Ontario.
The limit on this highway is 100 km. or about 63 mph.
Week 6, Day 29,
. . . . . . . or we could end up here, a place we are trying to avoid
for a while as we are going through our various radiation treatments.
Week 7, Day 30.
My first, daily morning view of the London's Victoria
Hospital and Cancer Treatment Centre.
Week 7. Day 31.
This was another fine day to ride the Goldwing to London
and Debbie came along making the day even better.
June 24, Week 7, Day 33.
Debbie is in the waiting area, waiting for
me to come out from my final treatment.
Week 7 and we're going home!
Finally, after 35 trips to London for the radiation
treatments, we are now going home for the last time.
Hopefully it's over for a long time.
Not having to get up and make ready to drive to London today is almost like the first day of some scheduled summer holidays. Apparently it will take a couple of weeks for my body to settle down as it attempts to get back to normal, whatever that is supposed to be. My next appointment with Dr. J.Chin will be in August and I'll do a PSA two weeks prior, so we should have a pretty good picture of what, if any, needs to be done next.
Meanwhile, Debbie and I can continue to spend as much time on our sailboat and ride our Goldwing when the weather permits.
I can't believe it. I'm DONE !!.
No more daily trips to London, Ontario !
Ask me if I'm happy. Yes, go ahead and ask.
This week went well. Only a bit of bowel problems, some fatigue but not enough to stop me from driving myself. Still NO libito, NONE, still have hot flashes and I've got no zip, likely caused by my testosterone level of 0.6 instead of being inside a range of 7.0 - 38.0 nmol/L. Just another result from being on the hormone treatment of Lupron.
Speaking of driving, the hospital is 220 km. round trip. Total trips were 35, as in, 33 for radiation, 1 for the initual consult with the rad. guy and then the one for the tattooing marks.
Out of the 35 trips, 31 were in my car, 2 on the motorcycle and two in a friends car because it needed servicing in the same city. My car shows 6940 additional kilometers since the start of the radiation.
Debbie went with me on Thursdays, including the last day today. Went for a nice lunch and she had champagne on ice for that evening. Her support has been so vital during this last year and now hopefully we can start relaxing a bit more.
Life will soon be good again !
A few after thoughts:
My overall experience, although quit frightning at first, was not as bad as I first imagined. Never having been inside any hospital in my first 71 years was scary. The operation to remove my prostate, most certainly was not enjoyable, but in all cases, the dedicated people who work in our healthcare system, really do care. In particular, I would like to thank all those who were involved in my radiation treatment. Right from Dr. Glen Bauman, the reception ladies at the check-in, to all those who work in the radiation department.
You are always smiling and I've got to tell you all:
That is so much appreciated
and Jerry Baljeu, Thanks You Very Much!
Meanwhile, Debbie and I can continue to spend as much time on our sailboat and ride our Goldwing when the weather permits.
I can't believe it. I'm DONE !!.
No more daily trips to London, Ontario !
Ask me if I'm happy. Yes, go ahead and ask.
This week went well. Only a bit of bowel problems, some fatigue but not enough to stop me from driving myself. Still NO libito, NONE, still have hot flashes and I've got no zip, likely caused by my testosterone level of 0.6 instead of being inside a range of 7.0 - 38.0 nmol/L. Just another result from being on the hormone treatment of Lupron.
Speaking of driving, the hospital is 220 km. round trip. Total trips were 35, as in, 33 for radiation, 1 for the initual consult with the rad. guy and then the one for the tattooing marks.
Out of the 35 trips, 31 were in my car, 2 on the motorcycle and two in a friends car because it needed servicing in the same city. My car shows 6940 additional kilometers since the start of the radiation.
Debbie went with me on Thursdays, including the last day today. Went for a nice lunch and she had champagne on ice for that evening. Her support has been so vital during this last year and now hopefully we can start relaxing a bit more.
Life will soon be good again !
A few after thoughts:
My overall experience, although quit frightning at first, was not as bad as I first imagined. Never having been inside any hospital in my first 71 years was scary. The operation to remove my prostate, most certainly was not enjoyable, but in all cases, the dedicated people who work in our healthcare system, really do care. In particular, I would like to thank all those who were involved in my radiation treatment. Right from Dr. Glen Bauman, the reception ladies at the check-in, to all those who work in the radiation department.
You are always smiling and I've got to tell you all:
That is so much appreciated
and Jerry Baljeu, Thanks You Very Much!
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