Well I have today received a date for a return trip to the ominously named Nuclear Medicine Department.
Looking at the schedule it will take half a day to complete. At least I know what to expect after the first time.
The same procedure to begin with; an injection of a trace dye into the bone blood vessels, then two hours for that to get around the system drinking a few litres of fluids to flush the excess dye in order to avoid over exposing the X-Ray.
Then it's into the machine for a full body X-Ray. Last time that took an hour or so.
This time there's an additional "localised bone scan" too. Presumably to have a close-up gander at the places they found Charlie lurking last time.
I'll expect a return to oncology to be advised of the results within a few weeks of the scans. I'll share them once I know.
Experience tells me that the speed with which things are being arranged is an indication that the news won't be good. It's serves to anticipate that.
Saturday 17 August 2013
Monday 12 August 2013
All the seven's, Sunset Strip!
Well that will date me if nothing else. Way back in the days of black and white TV, when cathode ray tubes and valves needed time to warm-up, there was an American TV programme (it would be a program to them of course) called 77 Sunset Strip. It even had a catchy tune.
http://youtu.be/weAIhNDn034
So what's with the 77?
Back in the earliest entry I mentioned that my PSA score was 55. Last September it had dropped to 1.75. Today, following another blood sample taken a week ago, you've guessed, it's shot back up. This time to 77.
It's no real surprise to me. The signals have been there for a while now, many of the earliest symptoms have been present (I won't reprise them, scroll back to the first entry if you need a refresher).
Whereas I'd been able to pop a double strength Ibuprofen once in a while and that's all it took to suppress the discomfort, these days I'm swallowing them like sweeties. I did take medical advice and I'm assured that it's actually quite safe to take double the recommended dose which would mean 8 per day. I'm not there yet, five or six a day at the moment and once I get to the maximum I'll see what stronger stuff can be obtained by prescription.
The cheapest source is Sainsbury's, £3 for 96 400mg tablets. I'm saving the NHS a bloody fortune.
At present I've been prescribed a course of Bicalutamide (Google it if you wish) to back up the injections. Basically it's more of the jollop that I'm injected with every three months. Belt and braces I suppose. The side effects of the injections have been becoming more pronounced in recent months. The prospect of more isn't exactly filling me with pleasure.
I have to see my GP to discuss the situation. Soon I'll be giving another blood sample for another PSA test to see if the added pills are doing anything. There's also a plan to put me in the machine that goes 'Ping' again, sometime in the next week or so (I think) to see how far the metastasis has progressed (or not). The thing is that "Charlie" has only been spotted once so far, that was on the occasion of the first X-Ray and scan. It could be that "Charlie", like his host, is bit of an idle bugger and dragging his (metaphorical) heels. It's equally true that he may be of a hyperactive bent and is charging about the place like a demented squatter poking his unwanted nose into every unoccupied nook and cranny. Until he's spotted again via X-Ray, we won't know into which category he fits. There are some indications that he might be a bit more active than I'd wish but I could be wrong (again).
All this was inevitable so it's not really causing me much angst. It's the hospital visits that I find the worst part. Parking is a nightmare (even for motorcycles) and the place is full of sick people!
I've decided that it's time to sort out my "bucket list". On the off chance that a reader doesn't know what a "bucket list" is, it's a list of things to do before kicking the bucket.
Anyone with an ounce of imagination or any sense of enquiry will realise that there must by default be things that cannot be achieved. So, with that in mind, here's my "bucket list":
My Bucket List
1. Have no bucket list.
That was easy and it will ensure that I achieve my goal.
Smile. Worse things happen at sea.
http://youtu.be/weAIhNDn034
So what's with the 77?
Back in the earliest entry I mentioned that my PSA score was 55. Last September it had dropped to 1.75. Today, following another blood sample taken a week ago, you've guessed, it's shot back up. This time to 77.
It's no real surprise to me. The signals have been there for a while now, many of the earliest symptoms have been present (I won't reprise them, scroll back to the first entry if you need a refresher).
Whereas I'd been able to pop a double strength Ibuprofen once in a while and that's all it took to suppress the discomfort, these days I'm swallowing them like sweeties. I did take medical advice and I'm assured that it's actually quite safe to take double the recommended dose which would mean 8 per day. I'm not there yet, five or six a day at the moment and once I get to the maximum I'll see what stronger stuff can be obtained by prescription.
The cheapest source is Sainsbury's, £3 for 96 400mg tablets. I'm saving the NHS a bloody fortune.
At present I've been prescribed a course of Bicalutamide (Google it if you wish) to back up the injections. Basically it's more of the jollop that I'm injected with every three months. Belt and braces I suppose. The side effects of the injections have been becoming more pronounced in recent months. The prospect of more isn't exactly filling me with pleasure.
I have to see my GP to discuss the situation. Soon I'll be giving another blood sample for another PSA test to see if the added pills are doing anything. There's also a plan to put me in the machine that goes 'Ping' again, sometime in the next week or so (I think) to see how far the metastasis has progressed (or not). The thing is that "Charlie" has only been spotted once so far, that was on the occasion of the first X-Ray and scan. It could be that "Charlie", like his host, is bit of an idle bugger and dragging his (metaphorical) heels. It's equally true that he may be of a hyperactive bent and is charging about the place like a demented squatter poking his unwanted nose into every unoccupied nook and cranny. Until he's spotted again via X-Ray, we won't know into which category he fits. There are some indications that he might be a bit more active than I'd wish but I could be wrong (again).
All this was inevitable so it's not really causing me much angst. It's the hospital visits that I find the worst part. Parking is a nightmare (even for motorcycles) and the place is full of sick people!
I've decided that it's time to sort out my "bucket list". On the off chance that a reader doesn't know what a "bucket list" is, it's a list of things to do before kicking the bucket.
Anyone with an ounce of imagination or any sense of enquiry will realise that there must by default be things that cannot be achieved. So, with that in mind, here's my "bucket list":
My Bucket List
1. Have no bucket list.
That was easy and it will ensure that I achieve my goal.
Smile. Worse things happen at sea.
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