I've been coasting. The whirlwind time after getting the cancer diagnosis from the prostate biopsy has been replaced by a sort of reprieve. The past six weeks I've been living life as usual, taking antibiotics to treat what may be a chronic prostate infection that has been raising my PSA levels. And I've stopped riding my bicycle, because I fear that bicycle riding, too, may be contributing to my high PSA.
Why do I want my PSA down? Because if it is high, the docs who are reviewing my case will feel my cancer requires the most aggressive treatment -- two years of hormone therapy called testosterone deprivation therapy. I'm not really interested in losing my testosterone for a couple of years. Testosterone is what makes a man feel like a man. Without it, I'm not at all sure how I'll feel. If my PSA is not so high, they may recommend only six months of this deprivation treatment. We'll have to see.
The second thing happening tomorrow is an MRI with an endorectal coil. The "coil" is a piece of wire that is placed in the rectum and held in place by a balloon inflated with liquid. Essentially like having a full rectum for the hour or so that the imaging takes. If you think a TSA pat-down might be invasive, this seems much worse. At least the balloon is all inside, and the rod that protrudes from my ass for an hour will be small. See the accompanying picture. It shows the device inflated. The patient information they handed out says it's uncomfortable for only 10 minutes or so. Later the sensation is dulled by the anesthetic that is in the lubricant. Sounds great!
Purpose of the MRI is to see if there are any signs that cancer has gotten outside the prostate itself, particularly to the seminal vesicles. This specific issues controls how extensive the surgery will be. Or, if radiation is to be done, how big an area they need to treat.
I won't get any answers tomorrow. But in about a week I'll be back with the doctors at NIH who will then have all the data they feel they need to understand whether the cancer has spread beyond the confines of the prostate itself, and can make their treatment recommendations.
After that my wife and I will have to think about what to do, and who to have do it. Hopefully we will be able to make all the decisions quickly, so that we can enjoy Christmas.
So, right now things are feeling pretty up in the air. The holiday season is upon us, but it's hard to make plans. Some pretty big changes loom ahead. I guess one-day-at-a-time will have to be the rule.
Wish me luck.
Why do I want my PSA down? Because if it is high, the docs who are reviewing my case will feel my cancer requires the most aggressive treatment -- two years of hormone therapy called testosterone deprivation therapy. I'm not really interested in losing my testosterone for a couple of years. Testosterone is what makes a man feel like a man. Without it, I'm not at all sure how I'll feel. If my PSA is not so high, they may recommend only six months of this deprivation treatment. We'll have to see.
The second thing happening tomorrow is an MRI with an endorectal coil. The "coil" is a piece of wire that is placed in the rectum and held in place by a balloon inflated with liquid. Essentially like having a full rectum for the hour or so that the imaging takes. If you think a TSA pat-down might be invasive, this seems much worse. At least the balloon is all inside, and the rod that protrudes from my ass for an hour will be small. See the accompanying picture. It shows the device inflated. The patient information they handed out says it's uncomfortable for only 10 minutes or so. Later the sensation is dulled by the anesthetic that is in the lubricant. Sounds great!
Purpose of the MRI is to see if there are any signs that cancer has gotten outside the prostate itself, particularly to the seminal vesicles. This specific issues controls how extensive the surgery will be. Or, if radiation is to be done, how big an area they need to treat.
I won't get any answers tomorrow. But in about a week I'll be back with the doctors at NIH who will then have all the data they feel they need to understand whether the cancer has spread beyond the confines of the prostate itself, and can make their treatment recommendations.
After that my wife and I will have to think about what to do, and who to have do it. Hopefully we will be able to make all the decisions quickly, so that we can enjoy Christmas.
So, right now things are feeling pretty up in the air. The holiday season is upon us, but it's hard to make plans. Some pretty big changes loom ahead. I guess one-day-at-a-time will have to be the rule.
Wish me luck.
