SRT 39 of 39 - I am finished

Friday 1000 - completed the final and 39th radiation treatment.  Took 25 minutes.  Severe burning again at SP site, had to be helped up again.  Then they gave me  a Bachelor of Perseverance certificate, all signed by the staff, and sent me on my way.  They did give my wife a tour of the console and the IMRT machine while we were there, she had never seen it before.

I see the Radiation Oncologist in four weeks, to go over a new base PSA, best be a zero.  See my Uro/Surgeon Dec. 7th to change out the SP cath for a new one.  And suppose to meet with the Oncology Rehab people on Tuesday, December 1st.

Back home, in a lot of pain, but I did it, its over with, just used up my second line of denfense against my PC, and I can only hope and pray that this worked, as oppose to my surgery failing.

David in SC

Glad to hear that this misery is done.

Is your experience with IMRT typical, or was it worse for some reason?

I have a friend who has IMRT (I believe as a primary treatment for PC that was not super advanced). He has not indicated that it was this bad, although he doesn't say much about it.

Mel

Congratulations on completing your marathon, David. I hope you can recover and enjoy the upcoming holiday season, without any more problems. Hopefully, the next appointment will be all good news, and you can continue to move beyond this thing.

David, Your are done with this RT!!!!!. Now time to heal up a bit and start feeling better. It was great talking to you yesterday.

Chat with you soon. Time to celebrate.

Jeff T

David, congratulations on the end of this particular journey and I know from your posts that it has been a tough one. Hang in there and start working on your recovery.

David,

I am as happy for you as you are for yourself. You've had a tough time of it no doubt. Zone out and check out from the world for a few days and let the healing and recuperating begin.

Consider the IMRT Torch to be officially passed (unlike the Olympic team we didn't drop the baton) and accepted. I begin mine Monday at 1:20pm.

Hope to see more of the old David on HW in a few days. One who is not in pain.

Way to hang in there brother,

Sonny

Congrats David, I have dusted off your stool and placed it at the front bar of the zero club, there is a reserved sign on it for your arrival. See you soon...........................Rgds Kev

Oh wow, I have never been so happy to have someone announce that he was not going to post about a topic anymore.

Bob reported that he was going out and would offer up a toast to you. Tonight is our traditional post-Thanksgiving dinner of grilled turkey sandwiches -- a different kind of toast, but we will remember you in it.

Fantastic David. No more dreading the end of the weekend. You left it all on table my friend so take time to rest, heal and then on to your next journey and hopefully that will be a non-medical journey.

Michael

Hi David,

Happy that this was the last RT session. You've had a tough run and made it through. Now, you'll be looking at zeros...permanently.

Way to hang in there!

Mike

kev, save that seat for me, i hope i earn that spot soon.

jake, either that, or i am too stupid to quit, lol, but made it, that is what counts

jennifer, thanks, and hope your husband is doing well too.

thank you geezer, least i was a faithful reporter, no matter how i felt, our thanksgiving dinner still waits for sunday

thanks too, michael, your encouragement has been great

jeff, no worry, she knows that i am not a napper, i fell asleep sitting up watching tv, she covered me up with my Patriots blanket and let me be, lets talk again soon

david, thanks, i think i already do too much resting, but that is what i need right now, be so nice next week when i am not going to the clinic any more

thank you, brother mike, your encouragement has been great too, i would be there for you too, all the way if needed

gene, the state of maryland always has a special place in my heart, as one of the places i lived growing up. neat state. on your treatments, were they daily? how long did they take? any pain involved? just not familiar with them

thanks guys and girls, the support here at HW made a major impact on getting through an ordeal that I knew would be an ordeal for me, and it was.

Larry, I have heard your voice all along this rugged path, and it has helped, and I appreciate your care and concern. We need each other here at HW.

I did nothing special with this SRT. It was either agree to it, or wait and let the PC come back and get me. At 57, with a beautiful wife of almost 36 years, 3 great kids, and 2 grand kids, I was not about to give in or give up.

The radiation for me was a big deal to consent. i don't think some here understand fully, but what i went through in the past soured me completely on any type of radiation. It was a painful traumatic event for me back then, so when I knew my PC was back, I was mentally devestated. My radiation oncologist and my uro/surgeon knew that I was 100% against doing the the SRT.

But I had to look beyond my fears and apprehensions, look deep inside. I don't know when I will die, or how, I know that I could still die in a car wreck next time I leave the house, or have a massive heart attack, but we can't live thinking that way.

I feel I still have some good years left to me, got almost 30 years in the world of accounting, finance, and IT, somewhere, someone will want to hire a guy with my experience and reputation. I am not through with my creative side. I still have other books in my head waiting for me to write and get published. Really getting into the film making genre, still hoping to make a mark in the world that way.

And then when I look at my family, they love and need me, at least for as long as I am allowed to be here.

So saying all this, I had to bite the bullet, I had to do the SRT, and despite wanting to give up when it got hard, I suffered on with the pains and fears (and trust me, I am no superman, I don't play the macho man game, I am very sensitive to meds, treatments, and don't have a natural high pain tolerance) and just kept on keeping on, day by day, week by week. Determined, that I will not give up of my own free will to prostate cancer. If it ever takes me out for good, it will only because it beat me into the ground and there was nothing left I could do.

That is the message I want to leave about the experience I just went through. We have brothers here that have suffered all kinds of terrible setback and painful events. I feel and emphathize with each and every one. I know too, that their loved ones suffering too, watching their dads, their husbands, their lovers, etc as they endure what they endure.

We need to stick together. The depth and degree of true care at HW among us is special and unique. It's real to me, we have a lot of people that really care. There is strength in numbers, and we need to be as one, to help each and every brother through the twists and turns of prostate cancer. Excuse my French, but PC is a true ******, and I hate it for what it is and what it does to us, but we can fight it together, learn from one another, help one another, encourage one another, and claim victory when we can. That's what it is all about to me.

Peace be to you,

David in SC

You are right about that Bill, Sunday will be my congrats time with my entire immediate family, I am fortunate that we all live within 25 miles of each other. THanks for your care and concerns during this time.

David in SC