I'm trying to reconcile the fact that tubes, fingers and lasers were ok and yet, your anxiety of needles is palpable. I can imagine the beads of sweat!
I'll say these numbers fast because I don't want us to be defined by numbers - monthly bloods & consult, plus regular contrast CTs and MRIs since 2021...(thank you NHS💙)
To be monitored to catch any change early has been a BIG blessing (despite the constant limbo of uncertainty) esp when compared to caring for dad, which was fraught and reactive (at the mercy of) the unpredictable nature of congestive heart failure impacted by bladder cancer (anaemia, UTIs, lymph edema in legs, blood clots, etc..) I won't give you nightmares about his needle journey.
Does your PSA have to go through an MDT (Multidisciplinary team discussion) each time as a protocol or only if it oversteps a threshold?
Lol...I know I shouldn't be so scared of them, but there is something about a piece of metal being inserted into any part of the body 😳. PSA are just with the Oncologist for now and then I am sure will go through to the MDT when they start really misbehaving.
I have had the same adventure with a March 2018 surgery and PSA for some 7+ years now with regular follow-up quarterly sensitive PSA readings. I had a Gleason of 6 and PSA that went up from 4 to 9 so that started my wake up & journey in 2018.
MRI and biopsy that showed a 1 cm contained lesion, so extraction w/ monitoring. Now too after 7 years POST I was left with an umbilical hernia from the 2018 laparoscopy and they said PSA has slowly now creeped up from 0.04 to 0.09 so they started the same great hormone shot after Christmas and then 8 weeks of M-F daily pelvic floor radiation. WHAT FUN! Got that finished up then went in March for that hernia laparoscopy and a nice piece of Kevlar mesh. Felt like I was in a knife street fight for about 8 days post that secondary surgery. So now I wait like always for quarterly new sensitive PSA tests in late May to see results and what the tea leaves and journey bring next.
Wow Dennis...that sounds like an epic journey that you have been on! Sending over some strength and do let me know how you get on with the next round of PSA'🤞
I couldn’t have written it any better myself. My thoughts and feelings word for word. God bless
Oof, the PSA dance. I'm pulling for you, brother!
Cheers Anthony!
I'm trying to reconcile the fact that tubes, fingers and lasers were ok and yet, your anxiety of needles is palpable. I can imagine the beads of sweat!
I'll say these numbers fast because I don't want us to be defined by numbers - monthly bloods & consult, plus regular contrast CTs and MRIs since 2021...(thank you NHS💙)
To be monitored to catch any change early has been a BIG blessing (despite the constant limbo of uncertainty) esp when compared to caring for dad, which was fraught and reactive (at the mercy of) the unpredictable nature of congestive heart failure impacted by bladder cancer (anaemia, UTIs, lymph edema in legs, blood clots, etc..) I won't give you nightmares about his needle journey.
Does your PSA have to go through an MDT (Multidisciplinary team discussion) each time as a protocol or only if it oversteps a threshold?
Lol...I know I shouldn't be so scared of them, but there is something about a piece of metal being inserted into any part of the body 😳. PSA are just with the Oncologist for now and then I am sure will go through to the MDT when they start really misbehaving.
MARK.. I feel your pain in the arm brother..
I have had the same adventure with a March 2018 surgery and PSA for some 7+ years now with regular follow-up quarterly sensitive PSA readings. I had a Gleason of 6 and PSA that went up from 4 to 9 so that started my wake up & journey in 2018.
MRI and biopsy that showed a 1 cm contained lesion, so extraction w/ monitoring. Now too after 7 years POST I was left with an umbilical hernia from the 2018 laparoscopy and they said PSA has slowly now creeped up from 0.04 to 0.09 so they started the same great hormone shot after Christmas and then 8 weeks of M-F daily pelvic floor radiation. WHAT FUN! Got that finished up then went in March for that hernia laparoscopy and a nice piece of Kevlar mesh. Felt like I was in a knife street fight for about 8 days post that secondary surgery. So now I wait like always for quarterly new sensitive PSA tests in late May to see results and what the tea leaves and journey bring next.
Wow Dennis...that sounds like an epic journey that you have been on! Sending over some strength and do let me know how you get on with the next round of PSA'🤞
Let you know the new PSA disposition in about 5 weeks!