Darn……
May 1st 2008PostmasterCoping & Diagnosis
Well, I met with my oncologist earlier this week to get the results of my three month (post-radiation) PSA and didn’t hear what I wanted. I’m not sure what I expected to hear, but I was advised that my PSA was unchanged. This suggests that my 33 days of radiation treatment didn’t work or, if it did get the cancer in the treatment area, there is more elsewhere.
Now, getting this kind of news alone can really bum you out, but they suggested I come back in another 3 months because, in a small number of cases, the PSA can take longer to drop. You might think this is good, but it really isn’t because it can create another long, depressing period of uncertainty and, even worse, give false hope. But this isn’t going to be the case with me because I have educated myself thoroughly and I know what the odds are. And I’ve had lots of time (since my recurrence 6 months ago) to think about all the possibilities and likelihoods and come to grips with it.
It sucks, but it is what it is and I have to get on with life. And that means living each day to its fullest and learning how to be more than this disease. There is no cure beyond the unsuccessful treatments that I have already tried (surgery & radiation) but there are things I can do to slow it down. That means that I can fight it knowing that each year I get increases the chance that something new will be developed to give me even more time.
This is a good place to be and I want to enjoy it for as long as I can.
Posted by Doug
3 Comments »
nat on 01 May 2008 at 11:17 pm #
I’m so sorry that stupid number didn’t drop like it was supposed to. I know how frustrating it can be when we don’t get the results we expect or want desperately.
Have you had a PET scan? Maybe that would be a good next step. If nothing shows up - maybe you just have a dysfunctional PSA number
Hang in there Doug.
Ruth on 01 May 2008 at 11:34 pm #
I certainly didn’t want to hear those results. More uncertainty. Very much one of those awful things about cancer. Not knowing. Waiting for the next test. Cancer teaches you to live for today. Which is an important message whether you have cancer or not. I am very happy to hear that you are in a good place with this.
Replicant on 02 May 2008 at 12:29 pm #
It might have worked. I agree that it’s distressing that it didn’t go down, but as you noted, your PSA was already pretty low as far as recurrences go. Maybe you’ll see a drop on the next test.
My PSA was 0.7 the day before SRT, and 0.1 three months after treatment. By 6 months post-SRT, it had dropped to less than 0.1. I just had another PSA done, about 14 months post-SRT, and it is staying at less than 0.1 (we’re not doing the ultrasensitive testing).
Good luck going forward. You have a great attitude.