Ticking away ... Day 1007 ~ what happens next ...

A week after finishing radiotherapy I'm still feeling its effects and it may be another week before improvements are felt.

 

Today though I was back for my four weekly appointment. I've been taken off the Abiraterone which has served me well during the last seven months and I'm being weaned off the steroids. Abiraterone doesn't work for everyone. Someone we met today for the first time in over a year only had two courses [I had eight] and he is now probably worse off than me.

I have a number of options open to me :~

[1] Enter a clinical trial with new medication that is showing encouraging results. I have to meet certain criteria ... and even if I'm accepted I may get the placebo ! The clinical trial is finishing soon so I need to get in quickly if I'm going to get in at all. Paperwork explaining the trial will be sent to me in the next few days.

[2] Another course of chemotherapy. This won't be as effective as the previous course but could keep me going for longer than not having it at all ! It wasn't available ten years ago.

[3] Bone strengthening drugs. These may well be needed as the cancer appears to be attacking my bones. One drawback is that I need my teeth to be in good order and they aren't. A visit to the dentist may be needed. [I think the doctor has seen my smile.]

All these three courses of treatment have to be provided in the city hospital an hour away rather than the town hospital twenty minutes away.

The doctor mentioned in passing that the limp that I have may be caused by one of the bones in my pelvic area that is as good as broken. This is due to it being bone/cancer/bone. The radiotherapy may resolve this ~ the next week may tell me more. There's no wonder it hurt a few months ago when I missed the step on that stile ... and when I roll over in bed every night.

Here I am after the visit ...

 

On a positive note the bacon baps were as good as ever and the social side of visiting hospital continued when I met someone I'd been talking to just yesterday. I hadn't seen her for months before that ...

One negative note ... I'm not sure they do bacon baps in the big city hospital.

This photograph has already appeared on Facebook and someone has said that judging by my smile the news must have been good. I wouldn't go quite that far but again it's been a case of me getting what I expected.

Ticking away ... Day 750 ~ the very latest ...

Since my last update I have been fitted with a third stocking and by third I mean using a third set of measurements. This latest stocking is ok for walking once my leg gets a bit sweaty [there's no other way of putting it]. Then if I'm out walking it will stay up.

There may be another solution though ! Glue ! Yes, there is a type of glue that could work but I will be encouraged to make a donation for it as I can't get it on an NHS prescription. I think I might have to try the glue because on shorter walks [before my leg heats up] I have taken to dropping my trousers in secluded places and hoisting up my stocking as far as it will go ! If I get arrested for a public order offence I will be referring the authorities to this blog.

What else ?

I've had a pneumonia injection and a flu injection. I knew you could have the latter but had never heard of the former. Well, it seems because I have a weakened immune system [due to the chemotherapy I had] it is best I have them both. I didn't have them together though. I waited a week between them and had what felt like a bruised arm for a few days after each of them.

Two weeks on Wednesday I go back to the Cavendish Suite to have a check up it being three months since my last one. Bearing in mind that the doctor said the chemotherapy could work for just a few weeks or as long as 12-18 months [if I was lucky] I feel pleased that it is now some 7 months since I finished my chemotherapy and I feel ok. Still, a visit to the Cavendish Suite always gets my heart a-fluttering slightly. I won't be spending the next 16 days worrying about my next appointmenr though. I know it is a case of 'when' not 'if' ... and there are things to be done !

Anglian Man

Since I retired I have been beset by telephone calls and knocks at the door from people who think I want to spend my life insulating my loft, putting in [even more] double glazing and suing people because I have been sold various [what they think are dodgy] insurances ...

Take yesterday ...

I was feeling fairly drained after visiting hospital to learn the results of my latest PSA bloodtest when a knock came at the door.

I answered it to be met by a young man looking very smart with a shirt and tie and gel in his hair ... though I did notice his shirt sleeves were too long.

He was from the Anglia he said ... "I see you've got double glazing but I wondered if you had any other doors that wanted doing ..."

"I've just come back from hospital to be honest and I'm not really in the mood ... I've been having chemotherapy * ... "

Did he pick up on the hint that I couldn't really give a toss ?

No ... he soldiered on ...

"Do you think there might be some work you want doing in the next six months ?"

 I let him have a barrel.

"Mate ... I could be dead in six months so double glazing is the last thing I'm thinking of ..."

That did the trick. He said he was sorry [in a bumbling sort of way] and went.

I shook my head, smiled slightly and went inside. 

* Well I have had chemotherapy ... he just didn't know it was five months ago. I do feel slightly bad about that.