date with a deadline - Facebook posting to friend - January 2018

FACEBOOK ENTRY - January 12, 2018 -

Here is a copy of a letter I sent to a dear friend today - she has endured weeks of chemotherapy - was told she was cured of cancer. But felt undermined and helpless recently when her doctor's followup suggested the cancer may return in the future. Some of her human support have become weary (which happens) so she is feeling let down and very much alone in her struggles .....
........................................................

Dear Rosemary:
I am glad you have gotten through the turmoil of your chemotherapy sessions and the resulting diagnosis of being cleared of cancer. I am sorry that in your discussion with your doctor the aspect of the cancer coming back in the future has affected you.


My mother had cancer in her 40’s. They removed most of the right side of her back ( described as fatty cell cancer), and was in remission for over 40 years - but still dealt with the cancer possibly coming back. She died of respiratory failure.
I had prostate cancer surgery in 2009. Told it was gone. It came back in 2013.
Had daily radiation therapy for 7 weeks (radiation treatments and then off to work later that day). Told it was gone and I was “cured”.
In 2016 the numbers started changing. More PSA tests. Told they did not get all the cancer and it was back.
Now we are doing more tests to see what the velocity of the disease is.

My Dad had prostate cancer but died of Parkinsons. My paternal Grandfather had prostate cancer but died of heart failure. I have prostate cancer and ….
I could have one year - five years or twenty five years… who knows.
One thing that has helped me through this journey in my life is a website of survivors at “ healingwell.com”. It is a support site for people with chronic illnesses.
People there are long term survivors - new recruits - people starting therapy and those who have just completed their treatments. All sorts of people who you can share your journey with - seek help and advice - hug - cry … and get support at the same time.

I highly recommend you check out the site and see what area - group - would be of benefit to you. You can remain anonymousif you wish, since job security is an issue for many people.
I will be starting a new blog soon about what I am going through once the doctors / Steve and I have a discussion of the PSA numbers for my prostate cancer. What treatment / treatments are available and what would work best for me. That discussion will be with my oncologist in February.

Once again, check out this site. I feel it can be of benefit to you. They can be real-time supporters for you. People who are outside the experience can become war-weary even though they still care. They just run out of things to say and are lost as to what to do. This place can help.
https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx
Lots of love and support and hugs and best wishes and a bit of silliness thrown in for good measure.

Love,
Bronson ( aka Tatt2man on the prostate cancer support group)

date with a deadline - PSA numbers and history

 PSA RESULTS HISTORY
                                  PSA    ESTRODIEL    TESTOSTERONE    FREE TESTOSTERONE
2007
SEPTEMBER            1.68                    …                               …            …

2009
OCTOBER                 3.86
OCTOBER 16 -BIOPSY - 2/12 cancerous, 5% - Gleason 7 (3+4)
NOVEMBER 18 - Radical Prostatectomy - PRHC - Dr Elharram
Pathology - pT3a - Gleason 7 - extraprostatic extension - perineural invasion - weight - 34.1 gm

2010
APRIL                     < 0.05
SEPTEMBER         < 0.05

2011
MARCH                < 0.02
NOVEMBER        < 0.02

2012
MARCH               < 0.02
NOVEMBER           0.10
DECEMBER           0.09

2013
JANUARY           0.11
APRIL                  0.18
JULY                    0.19 / 0.23 / 0.24
AUGUST             0.35
OCTOBER 2 - NOVEMBER - 19 - Radiation Treatments - PRHC -
DECEMBER        0.038

2014
MARCH        < 0.010
APRIL           < 0.010
MAY              < 0.010 - “Cured of Cancer” - DR. Elharram - May 21, 2014
JUNE             < 0.010
AUGUST - Started hormone treatments for gender identity  issues
- anti-androgen (Cyproterone 50 mcg) & estrogen -(Estrogel 0.06%)

                                  PSA    ESTRODIEL    TESTOSTERONE    FREE TESTOSTERONE
2015 

JULY                     <0.010        454                 1.9                             …
SEPT                     <0.010        1839             <0.1                             …

2016
JANUARY            <0.010        <70                 9.0                            …
FEBRUARY                …        103                  0.8                             ...
MAY                            …        260                  0.2                            …
JUNE - Stopped hormone treatments for gender identity  issues
- anti-androgen (Cyproterone 50 mcg) & estrogen -(Estrogel 0.06%)
JULY                    <0.010        <70                 15.0                           …       
DECEMBER          0.009        …                   12.8 (range 8.4 - 28.8)    149 (range - 179 - 475)
DECEMBER - started supplements to suppress testosterone

2017
JULY                      0.085           …                 12.3                                  136
JULY -  stopped supplements to suppress testosterone
JULY 31 -  met with Dr. Mui - Oncologist - PRHC - admitted they did not get all the cancer out
OCT PSA (Dr. Tilley)    
                                  0.28            46              15.7                                161

2018
JAN PSA (Dr. Mui)   0.97           <40             13.2                                135
FEBRUARY 5 -  meeting with Dr. Mui - Oncologist - PRHC - update - testing every 3 months 
 APRIL PSA (Dr Tilley) - TBA
AUG PSA (Dr. Mui) - TBA
…………………………..
SPECIFIC LABS/METHODS USED
………………………………………………………..…………
JULY 2016
Prostate Specific Antigen   
<0.010 < 4.0 ug/L
 Total PSA is assayed using Roche Cobas.
…………….
DECEMBER 2016
Prostate Specific Antigen       
0.009  <4.0 ug/L
Methodology: Abbott Architect immunoassay.
………………..
JULY 2017
Prostate Specific Antigen   
0.085 <4.0 ug/L
 Methodology: Abbott Architect immunoassay.
………………….
OCTOBER 2017
Prostate Specific Antigen   
0.28 <4.0 ug/L
Methodology: Abbott Architect immunoassay.

Prostate Specific Antigen Free
0.02 ug/L
Prostate Specific Antigen Free/Total Prostate
Specific Antigen
0.07
………………….
JANUARY 2018
Prostate Specific Antigen
0.97        <4.0 ug/L
 Methodology: Abbott Architect immunoassay.

Prostate Specific Antigen Free
0.06 ug/L
Prostate Specific Antigen Free/Total Prostate Specific Antigen
0.06

.............................. 
PSA - INCREASE IN NUMBERS
…………….
2016
Jan -  <0.010
July - <0.010     
Dec -     0.009   
2017
July -   0.085
Oct -    0.280
2018
Jan -      0.97
…………….

date with a deadline - posting

Prostate Cancer update - Feb 5, 2018 -

Today’s meeting was basically a rehash of the last time we chatted with the Oncologist six months ago -
I had prostate cancer - I had surgery -2009 - it went away
- it came back in 2013.

I had radiation treatments (5 days a week - 7 weeks) - it went away
- it came back in 2016

We are plotting the PSA numbers to see the trajectory of the cancer and will wait until the numbers are in the 6-10 range before doing any hormone treatments.
- I am currently at 0.97, so no need for worrying for a while - just putting that on back-burner and enjoying life and doing what I do.

We will be doing blood-work every 3 months now and I see the Oncologist again in August.

We are all surviving, in a manner of speaking, and it all relates to how you approach each day, each week, each month - good days and bad - bad days and good.

Best wishes to you, one and all, and I hope you can find that “quiet spot” in yourself to help you get through the trials and tribulations of life.

Lots of love,
Bronson