Hi everyone,
just a wee update. As you know husband aged 56 diagnosed in May with PSA of 252, T3, N1, M0, gleason score 3 +4=7. Bone scan clear. Started on Bicalutamide for two weeks then Three monthly Prostap injections, Abiraterone also added in due to high PSA with a view to being curative. Had dreadful hot flushes but tried sage and fans etc to no avail so Consultant started him on Cyproterone tablets and has had no flushes since. He got three gold seed markers implanted last week as preparation for radiotherapy and said it was every bit as uncomfortable as the biopsy but perfectly bearable. Today he got his planning CT scan and three tattooes, one on each hip and one on the pubic bone (ouch) lol. starts four weeks of radiotherapy on 27 th November. PSA down to 24. Just wanted to do a wee update in case any of this info might help anyone just beginning their journey. My husband i has always been relatively fit and although all of this came as a shock and he was extremely distressed by it all, he is taking it one step at a time and we are getting through it. One thing I do find challenging, as well as amusing I might add, is how bloody awful the HT has played havoc with his emotions, he was almost hysterical at the thought of having to self administer a micro enema before the planning scan today and has to do a further 10 for first 10 days of radiotherapy. There was an extra one in the box so he had a wee practise last night and realises it was ,not that bad,. The amusing part is that the other day he told me, and I quote, “I’ve done something, now don’t get mad” I was thinking jeez what could it be. He then went on to tell me he was watching a wildlife programme about Pangolins, which is one of the most trafficked little creatures, almost to extinction, so has decided to pay monthly to adopt one. Maybe the upside of emotions running riot on hormone therapy? Seriously he was in bits over the poor wee creatures fate. I might bloody well adopt one myself! Lol. I was also surprised by the bruising he has from the tattooes, although he never felt a thing. What a journey this whole thing is, I don’t know who is more exhausted me or him!
Love to all
Linda 
Hi Linda,
The first thing I noticed after my husband started his hormone injections was that he had a sudden urge to make apple pies!! I had to teach him how to make the pastry from scratch etc and he turned out a couple of terrific deserts, before his interest waned. However, he did decide that his foray into the female world would be a step too far when it came to dress making!! I was quite relieved as, either I would have been forced into wearing some weird unfashionable garment, or even more worrying that he would start wearing one 
.
As for mood swings and tears, don't get me started but I think we all should adopt Pangolins, but not sure my dog Sidney would be too happy sharing his bed with one! .
Gina
Hi Brian,
Thank you once again for your encouragement. He is actually really diligent with exercise , he manages 20,000 steps a day between work and dog walking. He is tired though and realises best not to give in to it. He was more stressed about the enemas than he was about the biopsy but he has managed two now so he not so fazed, until he has to do it again lol
The tattooes are pretty cool, I can play join the dots now Brian 
hugs Linda
p.s. c’mon now you know you want a Pangolin (wink)
Hi Gina
Oh you did make me laugh, thank goodness for light relief. A few months ago I thought I’d never laugh again but with the support of all you guys I feel so much better. I like the idea of him baking apple pies tho, might make a subtle suggestion.
The hormone therapy does have quite an impact tho and he can be in tears at the drop of a hat, but he understands why and we have a laugh afterwards, otherwise we’d be adopting every stray kitten, pigeon, or lost gorilla and I’d need to start a zoo!
Wishing you both well
Linda
It's no problem Linda - I feel like the people on this Community are like an extension to the family and I just want everyone to be where I am 22 months on from diagnosis.
As you know I've gone from near death to almost a full recovery and I just want that for us all - I know in my mind it won't happen and as a Gleason 9 I am a lucky boy. I've got another 12 months on HT and hopefully that's me done with treatment.
As for the tattoo's -I have always said I will never have one and now have 3 - I can only see 2 (one's hidden by a HT induced shelf - that I am working to reduce). but I love the idea of "join the dots. My radiologists tried that a few times with a thick black marker!!
With this cancer you need a bit of humour to get through some of the "darker periods" and I try and use that in my posts to lighten the load - but I do need to be careful - some people don't see it that way!!
Daughter Number 3 works with animals (she's an environmentalist) and tells me the Pangolin is the most poached animal in the world - so get your husband's tagged!! 
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Best wishes as ever - enjoy the weekend - Brian xx
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Hi BarryW
You are so right, he is already tired with the HT so he’s a bit daunted about the radiotherapy but he will be off work then and hopefully get to rest a lot. He is anxious about it but looking forward to getting the treatment over before Christmas, it will then be a bit easier as we have to travel an hour to Edinburgh at the moment but his follow up after Christmas is arranged for the local hospital which is about a five minute walk from us, which is where he currently gets his 12 weekly injection. I think he is calling his Pangolin Humphrey by the way 
Sending you both big hugs
Linda
Hello Spirit,
I know how you feel, it’s not easy at times seeing your loved one so upset but at least we know it’s just the hormones playing havoc and and I think you learn to cope with it when you know the cause. I hope your husband does well on his treatment for many years but I am optimistic that each year science will bring us even better treatments and we all pray that one day a cure for this horrendous disease. I agree that keeping a sense of humour and trying to be positive is what helps get you through. I actually learned that from Brian (Millibob) when I first joined the forum and for the first time in weeks I felt myself smiling, his positivity rubs off on me and I think he does a grand job, although today Gina made me laugh out loud, it’s lovely to come here and receive support and most definitely the love and camaraderie.
Much love and best swishes to you both
Linda 
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Hi Seamus
Thank you for your reply. My husband was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and during routine bloods had his PSA checked and that’s how we found out about the prostate cancer. He was started on Metformin but was determined to lose weight and has lost three and a half stone since May and latest bloods show him now to be pre diabetic, but the Consultant is keeping him on the Metformin as he knows the Cyproterone can raise blood sugars, so at the moment so far so good. He is 6 foot 2 and carried the extra weight well but he feels so much better for shedging the pounds and pushing back the diabetes. Once he can stop the HT and hormone treatment they said hopefully he can stop a Metformin too.
Best wishes and take care
Linda
Hi Alwayshope,
I love your sense of humour, I read the posts every day but don’t take part much but I feel comforted watching you all progress and overcome hurdles and it feels like a wee family here. The exhaustion is real, i too haven’t slept well since diagnosis as I hear him get up several times a night to the toilet, then we have the times when his emotions overcome him and then the organising of ordering his medications, coordinating his blood appointments and hospital appointments and it sure does pretty much take over all our lives but I agree you look at them and realise you are so lucky they are still here, driving us nuts, and keeping us on our toes and doing crazy dances and antics to make them smile through the tears.
Much love to you both.
Linda
Hello WW
Thank you for your reply. I can empathise with so much of it. It does help knowing we are all in the same boat and I gain so much from all the tips and advice I get from all you lovely people on here. It seems so daunting, in May when we were diagnosed and they said two years of HT and Abiraterone and four weeks of radiotherapy it was like looking at a huge mountain to climb but almost 6 months in I’m more optimistic and a lot of it’s down to all you guys in the forum. It is exhausting tho, when he gets fatigued he can at least snuggle up in bed and rest watching football or drift of to sleep but the tears and mood swings are more tiring for me to deal with. If I try sympathy it makes him worse so I find comedy, mainly at my expense, lol with making silly dances up with a colander on my head or just being goofy helps him stop the tears and just shake his head at me, then a quick hug, but I have to admit it’s hard being upbeat all the time and trying to inject a positive energy, but I know he’d do the same for me tho, but late at night once he’s fast asleep I can just collapse in a heap and be exhausted. I take great comfort from the fact we are all in this together and it’s great to have people like you to talk to and help keep our spirits up.
Wishing you both all the best.
Linda
