thanks Todd -- I knew it did amazing things for you, and it's good to you still see a benefit...
Union98 -- what an encouraging post! What determination -- what he's doing is hard for anyone, to be doing it even as he deals with cancer and all the treatment effects is especially impressive!...
My husband never came to this site but I filled him in on all the goings-on, and he was definitely happy to use GFMPH on me a few times! JNF, thanks for the info. And I've been a lurker fan/follower...
I definitely hear you on the trade-offs, and the treatment side effects. I think you're wise to focus on good days now. I used to be too good at "saving for a rainy day" but cancer definitely made me...
Thanks for the speedy and very helpful feedback. Since no good deed goes unpunished, I'll ask a follow up question: Does trying Provenge limit subsequent treatment options? It sounds like it's...
Hi All -- I was a regular visitor to this site years ago during my husband's PCa ordeal, and am back now because a friend of a friend is dealing with a new, scary metastatic PCa diagnosis. They asked...
1Deadeye -- In your summary above, is uncontrolled decline the beginning of the terminal stage, or are you thinking of a phase of decline but not yet acutely terminal? Once I'm sure I'm clear on your...
I'm so sorry to read this. Life can be so unfair. I hope it helps a little to know how many are pulling for you....
I just put that book in my amazon cart last night, without having seen any prior mention of it on here (I've missed many postings lately). I'd love to be able to discuss it with the thoughtful people...
Snowcake my husband was a G9 with mets to spine, pelvis, ribs, arm, leg -- at each location they were described as "innumerable." We saw Dr. Kwon shortly after diagnosis, and were impressed with his...
I will create a separate thread, but I was going to do that when I pulled together a few more facts -- the timing on various treatments. I know I found it helpful to look at people's timelines and...
Hi All -- I just wanted to apologize for going missing on this discussion. As it turns out, I was too busy living that book to discuss it. My husband died nine days ago. Worth noting: the nurse who...
Although I probably already wrote at too much length, I'll still add that it's made me think about my death-avoiding ways. My family has never done the open casket thing, which I think is just one...
So I'm a little behind, but will catch up now: Did you find the book worthwhile? Are you glad you read it? Do you think my comment that some topics were "a bit difficult" was accurate? In our...
The anticipation, this still-a-decision-time, is often the worst -- you keep weighing the pros and cons, checking in with your gut, etc. Maybe that's over for you since you said you're determined,...
Beth -- thanks for resurrecting this thread: I'm glad to see it back in use. I rarely posted previously but read it pretty reliably, for the view it provided of the road ahead. Now I'm on that part...
Hey sorry to bring up the rear, but I'm still in! I've got the book, and I'll be better about checking in regularly during our discussion month :) I appreciated the little tangent about the memory...
I'll join you. It sounds like a really thought provoking and relevant book. I've considered it from time to time but never made the leap because I wondered if it was a little too relevant to me right...
Hi Tamara I can't tell you how many times I've had the same question -- uh oh, is this new ache the cancer or something else? It's difficult, since it COULD be a new or newly-symptomatic met, or...
I agree with the comments above and will add: -- there's room to increase the amount of morphine...my husband takes two 60's every 8 hours (he was on the 100, but the next size up was 200 -- don't...
Hi -- I just thought I'd post this so that anyone searching fentanyl on the future might have a chance to see this and possibly avoid a little pain. Fentanyl doesn't work well on the very skinny --...
xtandi -- they didn't give me any real rationale for why not, just said that's an option, some ammo we should feel good about still having available to us, but for now they recommend chemo. His...
I'm so sorry to see this. I hope it helps to know how many people are pulling for you. Sorry this seemingly unending ordeal is happening to you...
We haven't done xtandi. I'll ask about that. I am at his appointments, but they are very low on information. I think our doctors see his emotional style (for example, he sometimes cries), and are...
Well I like the prostatitus idea -- fingers crossed that this is a blip and this therapy continues to work. I think your plan to make it easy for him to eat whenever he can is a great idea....
I forgot to answer why they ran the test. I think it's solely because I sent another email pleading for more information about his status. It's at a point where I think it's a disservice to him,...
Thanks TA. I knew it was not under control, but being so far above the break they use to predict lousy prognosis scared me. I found a chart online that plotted outcome by CTC and it at least made me...
Beth, I'm really sorry to hear it might be failing now. Maybe you can pull another rabbit out of the hat -- you've done it before. Thanks for answering my questions and better yet, telling me what I...
they can probably increase your Lasix dose. My husband had swelling and they just kept increasing the Lasix until it worked -- that and compression stockings got his legs down to manageable size....
I am surprised to find myself writing this, because I've read so many "am I sunk?" posts over the years, and read (and offered) so many "never give up, there's hope, look at Todd for god's sake" type...
What a fantastic post -- boy have you two deserved some news like this! I missed your post last month (I'm not on HW as often these days) but I searched for mitazantrone today and up popped this news...
Todd -- on several occasions I have shown my husband your blog posts, the pictures of you waterskiing, to give him hope. On several occasions, reading about your success has been the brightest and...
I'd guess it's a technical problem and maybe you fell off his list or he's forgotten to distribute that way. He's a brilliant man but maybe not the best manager -- I find his technology and office to...
I'll join the chorus -- I've thought about a thank you posting like this many times, but I think I was too shy as an infrequent visitor to do it (if online shyness is possible...the comments section...
I wouldn't rush to the assumption that taxotere is failing. In my experience, PSA is a wiggly thing during taxotere, and projecting a trend is risky business. My husband has been on taxotere for 11...
Patiently1 -- thanks for the detailed list of options. We tried many, and have gotten relief (which is great, although if we were more scientific, we could figure out what the difference-maker was,...
I think its also worth considering that some women may worry about the emotional impact PCa has on their partners, with those partners losing not just their ability to feel invincible (we all know...
If your doctor does recommend chemo, and you and your husband decide to take him up on that recommendation, I would think it would at the very least affect your trip. I think Taxotere is often the...
Todd, regarding the impact you have -- my husband, who I have never been able to get to login to HW, who has never read a single post on this site, has seen pictures of you water skiing, and it made...
The taxotere is working, but not well enough. His cancer is definitely sensitive to the taxotere -- he had a month-long interruption while he tried to beat a stubborn infection that really knocked...
I've been away from Healingwell for a little while, so just caught up on the past two pages of posts to this topic. So I know I'm quite late in posting this, but Antonia, it breaks my heart to think...
Fantastic news! enjoy.......
hmm, interesting -- he's said almost exactly that (about wanting to peel off his skin). I hope it isn't the pain meds, since I think it'd be a close call to decide which is worse, the pain or the...
thanks everyone for the responses. We still don't have a solution, but we have some new things to try, and if there's one thing this cancer journey has taught me, it's that sometimes the hope that...
Hi People so my husband is constantly miserably itchy. I know in the grand scheme of cancer, this seems like a minor issue, but it's really bothering him and starting to scare me. He is a mass of...
I hope your visit today was reassuring... worrisome number, but maybe a blip? either way, talking it through and knowing you've got options or even a tentative plan can only help...
Prayers and good vibes en route In the meantime I'll echo the hopeful comments others have posted -- I too would think trouble would show up in the blood work first. My husband has had tons of...
I think it's fantastic that this was emphasized as a priority, and that Joe Biden has adopted it -- I agree that he's very likely to continue to work on this after he leaves office. I personally...
Lisa I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm glad for his sake and yours the end was peaceful and he was surrounded by love. I hope the great memories are a comfort during these difficult days....
I don't have any great advice for you, but wanted to be another voice telling you you're not alone. I feel for you, I feel for your husband. I can imagine how scary it is to be him, to have to wonder...