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Posted 10/11/2008 11:44 AM (GMT 0)
On Monday I will undergo with 7th chemotherapy treatment for PCa. This marks the half way point as I am participating in a clinical trail (Atrasentan).

So far the results have been 'mixed' at best. Though my PSA went down by 25% after the third treatment, the last two have only remained stable. When we set out, I was hoping the get my PSA as low as possible, perhaps back into the low teens. There is still hope that the remaining treatment will have an impact and the resulting test scores will show more of an impact, but sometimes I grow a little impatient.

Overall chemo has really been a breeze, seriously. With treatment ever three week I usually just miss one day of work. This is a timing issue not because I'm wiped out. Sleep the first night does not exist due to the steroids. After that I have a few days of 'chemo brain' [lack of concentration etc.] and a bit of fatigue by day 4-5. Metallic mouth had been the only real side effect and again, it is bad for the first week or so.

I don;t post here a lot, usually just provide updates via my blog but thought I'd chime on this gorgeous fall day in Kansas City.

I'm off to play disc golf, everyone have a blessed and beautiful day!
Posted 10/11/2008 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
David,
I love you buddy! When I set out on this trek I was a bit afraid. I searched this web long and hard and found this site, where I met so many wonderful people, including Susan and Don. It was Susan that sent me the link to the best site on the web that to me was about grace, courage, and dignity ~ not cancer! When I wrote you to invite you to join us here, I felt it was because I already knew you as a friend. Now you are a great friend. I can't say enough about what you bring here. But I can say I walk tall in this ordeal because the grace, courage, and dignity you display for all of us is contageous.

We wanted to get out this weekend to the mountains, but high winds stopped us. So no fall colors for me today. But if I could I would rather dig out my disc's from my RV and meet you on the course.

God bless you, David. And your wonderful family!

Peace be with you.

Tony
Posted 10/11/2008 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
Nice to hear from you David, you are an inspiration to us all. Glad you are able to get out and enjoy this beautiful day, it is pretty darn nice in TN today.
Take care of yourself my friend.

peace and love
Dale
Posted 10/12/2008 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck to you Pal and hang in there!!!

Mika
Posted 10/14/2008 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
Here is today's update:

PSA down to 34.47

I'm a pretty happy guy right now, not much else to day......I think 34.47 says it all!!
Posted 10/14/2008 12:57 AM (GMT 0)
Hello, Dave,
First time responder having now read your post and blog. Atrasentan/Xinlay is a medication we have hope will add to the arsenal of treatment for advanced PC. Appreciate that you keep us posted as to your diagnostics and I am sure it is encouraging for those anticipating a move to chemotherapy treatment to read your report that you have been able to deal with your treatment quite well. You might do a write up as to just how you go about your treatment days, what you take with you, how you pass the time, what you experience. I've read that ice chips are handy during treatment. I'm sure having a better handle on what to expect would be helpful to patients. I'll be watching for your future posts.
Chuck
Posted 10/14/2008 4:46 AM (GMT 0)
Great news David!
I am thrilled you keep a trend headed downward. I like that you also added your name to your handle here. Keep it up, buddy! Er, I mean keep it down, buddy! I'll talk to you soon.


Chuck,
You are on my radar now. This site is lucky to have you here. Your contributions to teh PC community have been a true blessing. I wil call you tomorrow so just to say hi and maybe get some advice on that other deal we are working on together. Also, I will change my advocacy post here to include your screen name as well. You sent me a bunch of great documents earlier today. It would be great if you could do a post with links to those documents for the membership here. I haven't finished reaing them all yet, some I saw before, but all are great for any prostate cancer group.

Tony
Posted 10/14/2008 6:41 AM (GMT 0)
It is great news the PSA trend is continuing on the downward journey and I sincerely trust it will keep headed that way. I often find myself hoping the the guys with somewhat more advanced cases of PCa would post more often. Their information and feedback on their particular journey is every bit as important to us all as discussions on the relative merits of surgery, radiation etc. But I understand the reasons why they have more important things on their minds. On a side note, what is "disc golf".........it conjures up visions of some sort of golf on ice?
Take care,
Bill
Posted 10/14/2008 1:24 PM (GMT 0)
BillyMac - disc golf is played like ball golf only with frisbees, modified frisbees. Just to give you an idea the world record for throwing a disc is about 825 ft.! ANyway most disc golf courses are located in public parks, here is Kansas City the construction of disc golf course has really help turned blighted parks into useful areas.

If you want to find more information go to www.pdga.org (The Professional Disc Golf Association). It's a great sport, cheap, fast to play and the learning curve is fast.

I could go on and on, but this is a PCa forum!!
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