My 6-month post LDR Brachytherapy follow-up and PSA

CT Ump - great move making an appointment with your rad-onc to go over the plan and post treatment CT results. For me it provided another level of understanding for how successful my implant procedure went - and think you'll find the same. Little things like this make me continue to believe my "Pay Forward" mentality is workin'!

CT Umpire said...
mmmmmmm..... Stella. (say it like Homer Simpson (aloud) and see how it sounds.)
In this case, I think "Stella" is short for Stella Artois, a really great beer and a tribute to the Italian brewing craft!
I hear Marlon Brando loved the stuff............

I am 3 weeks + 1 day post brachy and doing extraordinarily well. First post-op PSA is still 3 months out and on one hand I am SO thrilled that my life is nearly normal but on the other I hope they hit me hard enough to kill this cancer. I'm confident, optimistic and looking forward to clinking a Stella with my buddies, even if not in person. And I am looking forward to baseball season!!
Thanks (again) for sharing your insight into the post treatment CT evaluation and consultation about placement. With direct thanks to you for bringing it up, I just called the rad-onc and we have an appointment for 4/3.
I had low density Gleaon 6 (I love using the past tense when discussing my cancer) and your comments make me think that maybe the reason I am doing so well is that I had physicians that knew what they were doing and, like yours, limited the "friendly fire."
This is a difficult and scary path, but thanks to guys like you and other thoughtful contributors, we are not alone.
I'm confident in my docs and expecting to be sharing Stellas with my buddies for a long time to come!

Hi there - so glad you're doing well. I am a week post-implant and feeling pretty good myself.

Hey GF/Bill, good to hear from you and thanks. Yup, I'm pretty fortunate that Dr. Moran is so accessible and willing to spend time. Actually my primary care Dr is the same way, she spends a good 30-40 minutes with me during my annual physical, and is the reason my PCa was caught when it was!

I'm willing to stay in "flatlandia" (Illinois) after work to buy Clock a beer, although like you said the beer is MUCH better in Wisconsin! Spotted Cow sounds pretty good about now!!!!!

Thanks GOP - you were (are) one of my early "Seed Sensai's" and I very much appreciate that. . . . Hoping I can follow your PSA path for sure!!!!!

Hoping I can follow your PSA path for sure!!!!!
You're right there, Buddy (Yoop). I am so happy for you.

Buddy(Blank), I must have missed the details of your procedure. How did it go, and how are you doing?

Yoop,
With all the Northern Yankee "beer loving" men on this forum, maybe Dan Cary--New Glarius owner--could invite us to his brewery for an afternoon..Then we could go ice fishing while our Southern brothers eat "crawdaddies" at Baton Rouge..No, i haven't been drinking.
Bill

GOP said...
Hoping I can follow your PSA path for sure!!!!!
You're right there, Buddy (Yoop). I am so happy for you.

Buddy(Blank), I must have missed the details of your procedure. How did it go, and how are you doing?

Went great GOP - hoping to follow you and Yoop down down down to PSA zero land.

Thanks for asking.

Thanks again all for weighing in! erBob - my plan is to continue to have my PSA checked at the Chicago Prostate Center, at least for the first year and then see how it goes from there. In addition to getting my PSA checked - AND getting the results while I'm there as opposed to prolonging the agony of waiting - I also like the opportunity to meet with Dr. Moran as part of the follow-up. Adds to my PCa education which will hopefully benefit others.

GF-Bill - (In my best "yooper" typing) - ya hey, yous guys are welcome up here in da nort any time ya want. Beer is always cold and da ice fishin', ya hey der she jus don't get no better en that!!!!! And BTW New Glarus does offer beer tasting tours. . . . just sayin.

Yooper,

My My how far you have come in 6 months all down.   I think we need to start a  new threshold for zero club membership for the seeds guys who will probably never get undetectable PSA's but maybe a .2 or .3 is the equivalent.

Terry

Bob, congrats on getting the go-ahead to move on to the 1 year testing club - good for you!

Terry, yeah, these past 6 months went by so fast it's incredible. . . . and somewhat mindboggling to think that a mere 7 months ago I knew absolutely squat about PCa . . . . But thanks to you and all of the other "regulars" out here I have come along way! And, I have wondered what the criteria is for seed guys to be considered in the "Zero Club?"

Hey Yoop,

I fixed the profile, thanks for the heads up. Shaken not stirred, a little dirty and lot's of olives!!

Great report on the PSA, but the best aspect is the care that your docs are giving you. I have also been blessed with docs that really care about me and spend the time to make sure that I understand what is happening and why.

Expect continued good PSA results as you were a great brachy candidate for a cure. One of my business partners just crossed the eleven year mark post seeds.......undectible. Beware, though, of the radiation bounce in about a year. I didn't have it since I am fortunate enough to also be on HT. When it happens....don't stress.

Continued success,

Jack