I got my diagnosis just before Christmas 2019. A great Christmas present that started the rounds of Drs appointments then hospital appointments.
Options were limited so radiotherapy and hormones it was - the delights of taking tablets with the first injection followed after a month by the start of the 3 monthly bloods and injections routine familiar to many.
I guess I was lucky as it was only stage 2 grade 5 when it could have been so much worse - well apart from Covid coming along. Treatment by radiotherapy started bank holiday week 2020 for 37 sessions which appeared high compared to most others on the group having their treatment although I did meet one other on 37 there was 1 who had 40.
Thought I had it cracked in terms of side effects for the first 2 weeks then cane the tiredness which doesn't really appeared to have gone and the feeling hungry well more hungry than usual but not really fancying eating.
The delights of pointless enemas, slow filling bladder and endless movements to try and get rid of or move gas to have enough space for the treatment to hit the spot and not fry the bowels became a daily way of life. Decaf and no alcohol, no spices or fizzy drinks and making sure you drink the requisite amount before, during and after became the new mantra.
Work was good with the treatment, managers couldn't fault but here I am with the treatment almost a year ago, PSA levels at 0.03 and I cannot help thinking that while things appear to have settled and life can continue as normal I am in mind that 'it' is just waiting the time to reappear worse than it was before...then having to see what the options are.
I thought I had got through this and was just happy the treatment had worked...just finish the injections and the 3 monthly calls an I can be free. No it feels anything but. Others think nothing more about it and I am happy for them but I don't - and for, as I was always told, a young person I feel old and tired and exhausted.
The care by the radiotherapists was one I could barely fault but for now I just feel quite negative.
