8.5 weeks of radiation is drawing to a close

My husband has three more days left of radiation to go, as his primary treatment. He has also had a combo of drugs including Lupron injections, finasteride, and maybe two alpha blockers to help him urinate.

He is a stoic and hard working guy, and doesn't complain very much. He's been able to continue to see all of his patients, and not fall asleep doing so! He's writing a book, as well, and driven to finish it.

He may take cat naps during the day, as he always has, and then it's bedtime at 8:30 or so. That is not normal.

He has to get up every hour or so and urinate. No one sleeps terribly well.

"Elvis left the building" for awhile, but we tried sex the other night. He had a small orgasm, and it was a little painful, but he was pleased.

We had our big meeting with the rad-onc. He thought that my husband has an 80% chance of cure. He mentioned that his original adjusted PSA should be around 19, not in the 20's, still high. If he got "a biochemical push back" from the prostate cancer, there are drugs to treat him. (I love doctor speak. They can't call a sore throat a sore throat, it's an injected pharynx.)

We get a PSA test around three months, I think, and go from there.

It's been tough going to MassGeneral to the radiation department. It's a truly beautiful facility, but a few people are really sick. My husband looks like the healthiest and most robust person there. I've gone with him every day I've been able to. He said today, it wasn't necessary that I go, but it was more fun.

And we'll see how it goes.

It's a grind, but you're almost there.

The side effects subside quickly so before you know it this will all be just a bad memory.

Andrew

Jane B. -

I too had radiation as primary treatment along with HT (Lupron) (see my signature below for details), as well as being a G6 like your husband.

It sounds like the two of you are on the home stretch of treatment, with RT fatigue beginning to take its toll on him. I also had a fatigue problem toward the end of my RT. It tended to hang around for a few weeks following end of treatment, but it eventually cleared up a few weeks later, as likely will your husband's.

As has been noted RT is largely an endurance thing, requiring patience more than anything. As has also been said, just you and he hang in there and things will eventually work out.

But you said something about your husband in your original post that was interesting. You said in reference to him that "... He's been able to continue to see all of his patients, and not fall asleep doing so!"

"See all of his patients?" Is he a doctor, dentist, or other medical person himself? If so, I would imagine that he would have a special perspective on his cancer situation that the average person would not.

Would you like to tell us a bit more about his medical background if there is one, and how it is affecting his approach to things?

Jane B. -

It sounds like after some initial hesitation and uncertainty, your husband is going to be using his medical training and experience to his advantage. That's great.

Best of luck to both of you.