Starting treatment

Hi Peter r , that all sounds good so far.  Not sure what you know about the RT but it is all fairly straight forward once the planning session is out of the way.  Any questions, please ask away.  Best wishes, David

Hi Peter R

Not long to go then until your RT starts & you will soon get into a routine of daily hospital visits & whilst the 4 weeks initially seems to be taking an age, it's surprising how quickly it actually passes by.

I would love to have seen you juggling with chain saws, but if you are giving up that sport, how's about trying piranhas instead (much smaller to handle)?  I'm sure Britain's Got Talent  would be interested.

All the best for your treatment

Brian

Hello Peter r 

Well you look like you have got everything sorted!!  The 20 Fractions on "The Sunbed" are easy - the hardest part is getting to and from the hospital. 

Whilst I appreciate your lifestyle changes and applaud you for it, yes exercise is good for you (ADT and Radiotherapy does take it out of you at "our" age) you can still enjoy some of the "finer" things in life.

Perhaps juggling with chainsaws is not the best idea idea with issues with balance - I am only 68 but I have had to give up riding my bike as I kept falling off (whilst sober I should add!!),

I wish you well with your Radiotherapy - please let us know how you get on.

Best wishes - Brian.

Many thanks for that David. I’ll update about planning this Friday.  Best wishes.

Many thanks for the reply.  The positive replies that I’ve received increase my optimism for the future, I’m very grateful that people take the time to help.  I’ll update after my planning on Thursday .  Best wishes.

Many thanks for the reply Brian.  I’m fortunate that the hospital where I’ll be getting my RT is only 5 miles away through light traffic, it also has on site parking.

on the RT free weekends I intend to enjoy some of the finer things, still happily married with children and Grand children.

Again, many thanks for the reply, I’ll keep posting about my progress.  Best wishes.

Hmmm, ever considered the issue is that you are sober when riding a bike?   Could always get some stabilisers fitted, or Mrs Millibob could join you on a tandem.

Ah well!! I will stick to driving, walking, the bus or the tram.

However don't laugh, I was at an airshow yesterday where the RAF Falcons Parachute Display team dropped in. As I took a video on my mobile telephone looking up to the sky I set off vertical but 10 seconds later I was horizontal on the ground. I just leaned back and bang - gone!! As luck had it I landed on soft grass no damage done apart from my pride. My children (adults) and Grandchild thought it was funny!! .

I only said to Mrs Millibob last week too - I feel really well and am loving life!!

I think I need to slow down and watch what I am doing!!

Best wishes - Brian.

(oh - I did suggest a trike but that got shot down!!)

Good morning everyone.

 Had my planning session on Thursday.The whole procedure was explained to me, including how the markers were used, the preparation for each RT session etc.  got to say it helped me prepare myself for the weeks ahead.

I start 20 sessions on the 3rd of October in my local hospital and because of the posts on the forum from people who have experienced RT I now feel more relaxed about the ‘sunbed’

As I mentioned in my first post I had the spacer gel injected to protect my rectum from the RT, did anyone else have this done, did it work?

I’ve got used to the idea of having treatment and the fears about it have largely disappeared, but something else has hit me now which I didn’t consider before, the chance that it doesn’t work, despite the fact that I’ve been told my treatment is curative. Get rid of one worry then another worry takes its place. I’m an optimist by nature … but I’ve never had cancer before.

I’ll post again after my treatment has finished.

Best wishes.

When you start your treatment remember that any changes in your bowel bladder or anything like that should be reported immediately to the radiologists so that they can either get something prescribed for you or get someone to see you.  You should be OK until about half way through and then you may find you have some problems with either your bladder or bowel - you may not.  I myself only had one night when I probably got up 30 times to urinate but other people have bowel problems - either constipation or the diar horror  or wind, trapped wind etc.  As I said report that as soon as you can and they will either prescribe medication, get someone one to see you or suggest things you can do to alleviate the problem.  If you have any questions during treatment - like in the middle of the night when you can't sleep and there is no one to ask then come one here.  Even if someone is not here to answer you sometimes just setting the question out makes you feel better.  It may be that by the time someone answers on here in that case you have already spoken to the radiologists but you also may get some info or suggestions that are worth sharing on here for others.

As for worrying that the treatment will not work just try and put that out of your mind.  If your cancer is confined in the prostrate then the HT and RT will work.  It did for me I was diagnosed at 72 and am now 81 and cancer free.  They weren't sure if any microscopic cancer cells hadn't already escaped from the prostate as the tumour was pushing out into the rectum but HT for 9 months (Prostrap 3) and 20 sessions of RT did the trick.  For info my stats were PSA 13, Gleason 7 (3+4) and T2/3 N0 M0  as you cans see they wouldn't settle to either stage 2 or Stage 3 due to the tumour pushing out.  My Rad.Onc planned the RT so that it would cover the area get any cells that might have escaped but be too small to be seen on PET Scan.

Good Luck