Hello

Hi

Although not female, you will get many replies, try to be patient as there on line at different times, although my wife does not chat on here, she’s the backbone keeping me going, stress for her is a major thing, worrying every day, but we get through things together hope you get many replies.

Stay safe

Joe

Thank you Joe. The key is for us too is to work through this together and although we have both worried, we have actually found ourselves laughing together more than we ever have in our 53 years together. 

Stay safe too

Hello GRI,

As a fellow wife supporting my husband through recent diagnosis and start of treatment (he decided on HT with 20 sessions of radiotherapy booked for November) I completely understand the need to reach out for support. I have many friends around who support to some extent but it’s only really the lovely people on this forum who understand the daily stress of living with PC and all that it may or may not bring. Although I don’t post here very often I read most conversations on a regular basis and have found great comfort, lots of valuable information and humour here. As many here say, welcome to the club you didn’t want to join. Together we will be here for our other halves and one another and will get through this as best we can.

Stay strong,

X

Hi

Everyone on here always has a good word to encourage people when their down, or need a friendly chat, I’m the silliest person always ready to make my wife smile, even when I’m down or in pain, eg when we had torrential rain a week or so ago, I stood in the garden in shorts and t shirt singing, take me dancing in my shorts and rain made my family laugh when I sent it them.

Stay safe

Joe

Hello GRI,  Just like Roselove, I too don't post very often although I do read most contributions.  I'm distinctly aware that everyone's journey is different and I don't wish to make anyone feel worse by inadvertently saying the wrong thing.  You can see members' different profiles by clicking on the icons at the top of their posts,  ours is a butterfly.  Our experience initially was being frustrated by the waiting, but we have come to accept that this is a 'marathon rather than a sprint'.  Everything takes time and there is no point in worrying about that which one cannot change.   That said there is a lot to be said for being proactive in chasing up appointments and test/scan results or asking for advice when needed. 

My husband, Ted, is feeling particularly tired, weak, tummy rumbling & burping, dashing to the leau at present (3 days after 5th chemo session) which have become the norm.  Gradually he feels much better and able to live normally for the 2nd & 3rd weeks after chemo, only to have it start over on the 3rd week.  On the positive side,  he has had no nausea nor sickness (we bought anti-sickness wristbands), very minimal mouth soreness, no neuropathy so far (bought cold therapy freezer socks & gloves, but husband finds them too awkward whilst having treatment, so not using.).  His hair and beard are thinning now, too; hot flushes from hormone therapy seem to have dissipated. 

I would say that having a positive attitude and not expecting to react to circumstances/diagnoses in the same way as anyone else is essential, for your husband's peace of mind, and your own.  Everyone is different.  That said, the support,  humour, patience and understanding shown by others on this forum is incalculable and appreciated so much,  although I do filter what I relate to my husband (he doesn't read the forum) when content is distressing,  so as not to worry him unnecessarily.

(For someone who doesn't post often, I've surely made up for lost time with this epic!!)

Hi GR1

Welcome to the club you didn't want to join (I notice Roselover has stolen my thunder there!!)

I have gone down the other route HT/RT so am no expert on prostatectomy - although bring on HT for 19 months do I qualify to be connected as "almost a wife?"

No, you are in the right place for help, advice and general discussion - the only people who understand this dreadful cancer are the blokes who have it, their partners and family and some medical professionals. When you mention the big "C" outside that circle lots of folk just write you off!!

I am a catheter expert, I had one for 11 months - great fun when you want to fly through International airports with one!!! Also interesting when you get a faulty bag - usually walking the dog miles from home - twice!!

I hope his PSA results are good -if you live in England and the test is being done at your GP surgery if you have the NHS app with FULL access you can view his test results at the same time the surgery get them.

Hope all goes well - keep us posted and a warm welcome (you also get that with a leaky bag!).

Kind regards

Brian.

It's good to have a sense of humour in times like this. My husband didn't have a leaky bag, but on his second night home from hospital, after being told by the SMART team nurse that night stand bags aren't provided, I decided to improvise to keep the bag off the floor. The spare catheter bags came in strong plastic carrier bags that were just the right size to pop the night bag into and hand from the frame at the end of the bed. This worked brilliantly, but on the third night I left the tap open and the contents ended up in the carrier bag. Luckily it didn't leak or the contents would have gone through the floor and my living room ceiling.;

Your idea for checking the PSA test on our GP online account sounded good until I realised that although the test is being done there, the blood test form was printed out by the urology department so the results will go to them. Our GP's record keeping isn't the best and none of the letters from the hospital have been added. We have both found that some of our previous test results haven't been added and just as worryingly we have found other patients results on our records.