Our 3 day work up at UF Proton Institute is over and treatment has begun.
Not exactly as we anticipated but we believe it is good and reasonable with all the information and knowledge we have gained the past few months.
We are now settled in our RV at NAS JAX (Naval Air Staton, Jacksonville, FL) RV Park.
We had our first appointment the 29th and did more paperwork and labs and x-rays and met with Dr. Nichols. After our meeting in which he provided us with the PET (indicated possible lymph node involvement) and Prostascient Scan (indicated no lyphm node involvement) results he wanted to do further consultation with other staff and scheduled us back in the afternoon. The original protocol he considered was Proton with Chemo but this was changed. Our new treatment plan is to start on LUPRON & Casodex (up to 2 years) and initially approx 4 weeks of IMRT to the pelvic area and then approx 4 weeks of Proton to the Prostate.
On the 30th we met with Dr. Petal a urologist who implanted our Proton beam markers in what they call a reverse biopsy as they put something in instead of taking something out. This procedure involved minimal discomfort. I had to stop blood thinners and Plavix for 10 days prior. He indicated that he felt a nodule which is the first time this has been noted. He also told me that he felt I had made a good decision to seek Proton treatment. In the afternoon I went to UFShands for an MRI of the pelvic area.
On May 1st we had our appointment with CT and MRI simulations where they gave me my first sample of the old balloon. It is inserted you know where and then air or saline is placed inside. This was actually more painful than either the biopsy or marker implantation. It was done not only once for the MRI but again for another CT. The discomfort was mainly because the prostate and area was sore from the previous days procedure. They marked my abdoment with my cross for my treatment.
I was given my first treatment schedule which is 5/15/2008 at 12:30.
This treatment plan seem most reasonable as there is no definitive way to know 100% what the PCa has done as far as leakage to someplace else. The IMRT to the pelvic area should get any PCa that has leaked and then the Proton can kill the prostate.
We look forward to going to the Dog track here in Jacksonville a few times, meeting other proton folks, site seeing, maybe getting a non-resident fishing license and wetting a line.
I know GOD is GREAT, Many have me in their thoughts and Prayers, and we know who is in control.
PS - As hard as dealing with PCa is, seeking small children being brought into the UFPTI for cancer treatment really make me thankful that none of my kids or grand kids have had to deal with this thing called cancer and no matter what happens to me I have lived a fairly long, prosperous, and happy life