C A N C E R

  On April 22nd, 2009, I was told by my Urologist that I had prostate cancer.  I remember it very clearly; “I have good news and bad news.   You have cancer but it’s only in one place.”  As he continued, he could have been speaking a foreign language. Words were coming out of his mouth but I couldn’t listen.  Luckily my wife was there because I wasn’t able to grasp the 3 options available for treatment. I suppose I was in some state of shock.  Karen was very helpful keeping focused as the doctor presented treatment documents.

  During the 1st week of April, I battled a terrible cold.  It could have been the flu but if not, it was close.   I suppose I made up for lost time.  I hadn’t had been sick at all for a bit more than 2 years though that was about to change. Some folks are pessimistic, some are reasonable.   I just had the sense what my diagnosis would be.  Too many things were going wrong; one after another.

 It all started at the beginning for March 2009.   A man cannot sense his prostate like other spots in the body; the pancreas, the lungs, the brain.  It was something else that led me to think there was an issue.  My prostate was enlarged causing very slight discomfort elsewhere  Now, I saw all those commercials about men having to use the bathroom more often as they approach their 50’s and I was one of them.   For about 6 months, I ignored that thinking it was just another discomfort like the ones that come and go for no reason.   
It became typical, as it still is, to get up in the middle of the night but for me, it was two to three times.  I set up a doctor’s appointment and that’s when I was told my prostate was “somewhat hardened and enlarged.”  I was then referred to an urologist who confirmed my family doctor’s assessment and suggested a biopsy that was scheduled a few weeks later.   As soon as I could, I researched on the internet everything I could find about enlarged prostates and of course, cancer was mentioned but also quite a lot of other things like just plain ol’ age.  The “hardened” aspect like mine increased the risk of at least a benign tumor.

 It bothered me greatly that if I had cancer why was there no sense of urgency for the biopsy? Even though I read, and was told, that prostate cancer tends to grow slowly I recall frustration waiting to find out.  The not knowing weighed heavily on my mind

 The biopsy was performed on April 16th, 2009 and was no picnic.   I was told to take a valium 20 minutes prior to the procedure.  I took it just as I was about to leave my car to enter the doctor’s office figuring, as is typically normal, that it would be at least 20 minutes before they were ready.  I was the first patient of the day and they got me in immediately. I looked at my watch and only 6 minutes had past.  Conservatively, they started in 15 minutes.

 Eight samples from my prostate were taken and I spent pretty much the rest of the day in bed.  The following day, Friday, I went to work.   At about 3:45pm I thought the air conditioning system was uncomfortably cold.  At 4:00pm, I was speaking to a customer when I began to shiver a bit.  It got worse…and worse such that I couldn’t control myself no matter how hard I tried.   I called the Urologist who told me I had an infection caused by the biopsy.   Karen had to pick me up tough I warned her that it was going to be scary and she should prepare herself to see me in a different state than ever before.  The car was warm inside so luckily the shivers relented.  At home, my temperature was 103.   Later that night the shakes came back with a vengeance as I kept sitting up quickly, laying down, shifting quickly from left to right and so on. I thought it went on for an hour but was told it was only 17 minutes.  I must admit, I wanted to die.  My temperature reached 104.1 degrees.  That was the highest it got but I had a solid fever for a week and 2 days that lasted past my cancer diagnosis the following week.

I had 3 treatment options:

  • 8 weeks of daily radiation: I’d have to venture to a hospital every work day.
  • Brachytherapy; about 80 tiny radioactive seeds implanted into the prostate.
  • Prostatectomy; removal of the prostate.

I chose option 1; daily radiation.  

Brachytherapy could be done on an out-patient basis, but  those “seeds” are permanent.  I didn’t want all that metal in me forever!   Further, I’d be radioactive for some length of time until they dissipated.

Prostatectomy?:  Up to 2 wks with a permanent catheter and up to 8 wks out of work.  No thanks.

 Radiation treatment is painless though there is a fairly high risk of mild side effects, some permanent, as is the case with all of the 3 options. None of the above options supplies any more or less risk of the cancer returning.  Actually, there’s 10% chance of reoccurrance.   The thing is, other than the inconvenient daily trips to a hospital, I could go on with my life in every way though over the course of the treatments, I would inevitable become more and more fatigued but not to the point of debilitation.

  As it turned out, I did not completely avoid the undesirable implants of Brachytherapy. I had 3 tiny “Calypso” beacons implanted.  At first, I loathed the thought of having them placed in me permanently but as time goes by, I know these things are directing the radiation beam EXACTLY where it’s supposed to go; keeping the treatments on the cancer, not the surrounding cells. It’s all about limiting the side effects and I’m thankful for that.

  On July 24th, 2009, I had had 40th and last treatment  So far, all is well. Please see a copy of the plaque I received below:

UPDATE:  March 2010. My PSA level dipped from a high of 12 to 2.8.  As long as it continues to reduce, I’m good.

 Rich Kaynan