Ticking away ... Day 921 ~ the further tales of a man and his own personal cancer.

Yesterday, Day 920, me and my Stage 4 cancer as well as my son travelled to Chesterfield Royal for another 28 day check-up ... though perhaps I should call it a follow-up appointment. Anyway, you get the idea.

I got weighed and my blood pressure was taken. The Atenolol I have been given for the last 28 days has done the trick ~ my blood pressure is down ! I've been having a weekly check on my blood pressure though I haven't told you. Even I know there's a limit. [I'm thinking of you. I don't want to labour a point].

I've not even told you about my mallet finger ... what's that ? You'd like to know ? OK ... well, I went to the Pulvertaft Hand Clinic within the Royal Derby Hospital  where, after eight weeks, the doctor asked me to take off the plaster around the splint ... "Don't you want to do it ?" I asked ... "No, I might hurt you if I did it ..." he replied. So, gingerly, I unwrapped my middle finger and, lo and behold, it stayed straight ! I think the next thing he said was "Don't bend it !" I didn't bend it but you know what it's like sometimes when you know you mustn't do something ... you do it ... but not this time ... so far. The next stop was the therapist who told me that for another four weeks at least I have to keep my splint on though now it will largely be held on with velcro with a bit of plaster. I have to perform two exercises ten times at one go to build up the strength in the tendon. These exercises have to be carried out eight times a day. One involves squeezing a tin of mushy peas very gently. [Note : it doesn't have to be mushy peas. Any can or aerosol will do but I mustn't grip and lift. I go back in ten days for a check up as regards the finger].

Meanwhile back in Chesterfield yesterday, I saw the doctor who seemed happy enough with how things were going. I did mention that I had some discomfort in my groin especially when I walk. It wasn't pain ... just discomfort. I can feel something in there. It could well be that the pelvic bone has been affected by the cancer or the drugs or the chemotherapy ... or all three for all I know. Anyway, radiotherapy may be an option further on down the line. In the meantime I can resort to painkillers though [as mentioned] I have no pain at present.

He did say though that he would like me to double up on the Sando-K, a potassium supplement. However, just in case it increases my potassium levels too much [which can be as dangerous as having low potassium levels] I've got to have some more blood tests ...

As long as they keep me pegged together though I'm happy enough.

A photograph was taken in the car park ...

Keep smiling folks.

Ticking away ... Day 809 ~ A is for Abiraterone ...

You may have already seen my comment elsewhere as regards yesterday's trip to the hospital with Jamie.

We got there early because sometimes you can get in early to see the doctor. This was not one of those occasions and we were still in the waiting room an hour later.  Then we were called into a side room where we met a new doctor, the fourth so far in this adventure of mine. And she was very nice, asking me how I was doing ... so I told her about my discomfort in the left side of my groin and that also in the last couple of days I was feeling discomfort in my left armpit.

Then she told me the results of my CT Scan by and large confirmed what my discomfort was all about ... but she said there was no sign of cancer cells in the pelvic bone. She had also mentioned that my PSA reading was up to 55 !

So good on one point not so good on two. Still I expected bad on all three fronts.

The doctor suggested that I start taking Abiraterone, a newer type of hormone therapy. Before I can start this though I had to have my blood pressure taken and undergo a bloodtest. Once these had been undertaken I was told the Abiraterone would be delivered direct to me at home. I then have to have a bloodtest in a fortnight so the hospital can see it's all going well and then go back in a month for another checkup.

On average Abiraterone prolongs a man's life by four months more than a man who isn't on Abiraterone.

Whilst I was there three or four of the nurses who looked after me [and Jamie] when I was having chemotherapy came and had a chat with us to see how we were doing. That was good of them.

At 9am this morning my Abiraterone arrived and I will start taking it early tomorrow morning. Four tablets have to be taken at least an hour before eating [or two hours after eating].

There's a warning with the tablets that Abiraterone should not be handled by pregnant women or women who could become pregnant. They should use gloves. 

It will be interesting to see what it does to me.

Incidentally there is no photograph of me because although we took five or six, they have all been swallowed up in my camera ... somehow.

Can it really be a year ?

I retired a year ago today. 

This was because my PSA reading had gone up to 26 and Dr. K wanted to put me on chemotherapy. I certainly wasn't going to have chemotherapy and work ! So although I didn't know it, on the 13th September 2011 I walked out of the office at 5pm not realising that I would never go in there again as a working man ...

... and it's been the happiest year of my life. 

I know ... it sounds weird. It's hard to believe. Bear in mind though that I don't have to listen to anybody unburdening their woes on me. There's no need to have to listen to people whinging and moaning ... ok, my family and friends do that but I don't mind listening to them [most of the time].

I don't have to worry about 'targets'.

I now have the [relative] freedom to do what I want. OK, visits to the doctor get in the way now and again. The ten sessions of chemotherapy didn't help either as they left me feeling a bit rough some of the time but mainly I've not felt too bad ... and heck, I still go walking.

The story goes that some men suffer loss of self esteem when they retire. They need to be needed. Some men [and probably women too] don't think they'd be able to cope with sitting at home ... but who said anything about sitting at home. There are so many things to do and be done.

I've become one of those people who says "I've not got enough time to do everything I want to do ...".

OK my future isn't assured but whose is ?

So one year after leaving work I raise my glass to you * and [note I don't make any mention of next week, next month, next year] wish you well.

  Of course I still have to put up with problems like no landline or broadband for most of the day ... hence me posting this now at 5.40pm rather than 10.00am this morning. Some things never change.

* photo taken on the 15th September 2011 in the Old Poets Corner in Ashover, Derbyshire.