📋THE PROCESS OF CANCER TREATMENT

THE PROCESS OF CANCER TREATMENT: CONFRONTING YOUR CANCER

This is our story. It begins in November, 2013, however, PSA counts were monitored for 2011 - 2012 until a biopsy, and a referral to a urologist in the Ottawa Hospital.

2013

PART I: Preparing for Consultation (Oct. 21)

PART II: Cancer Assessment Centre (Oct. 22)

PART III: Tests, reading materials
PART IV: Bone Density Scan #1 (Oct. 31)

PART V: MRI #1 (Nov. 5)

PART VI: CAT Scan #1 (Nov. 9)

PART VII Test Results (Nov. 15)

PART VIII: Back to the surgeon  (Nov. 25)

• 2014

• PART IX: Pre-op appointment (Jan. 24)
• PART X: Pre-op Prep: (motel Jan. 27) Prep
• PART XI: Getting to hospital (Jan 28)
• PART XII: coming home from hospital (Jan 29) 
• PART XIII: Pain assessment post-op
• PART XIV: Foley catheter, side effects (Jan 31)
• PART XV: sutures, catheter care
• PART XVI: Catheter removal (Feb. 5)
• PART XVII: Post-op 
• PART XVIII: Post-surgery Foley catheter, prostatectomy side effects
• PART XIX - lessons learned
• PART XX: Follow-up PSA test May 6
• PART XXI: At home post surgery
• PART XXII: Getting healthy
• PART XXIII: Food intolerance/naturopath
• PART XXIV: Follow-up: cystoscopy (Sept. 16)
• PART XXV: Bone Scan #2 (Sept. 19)
• PART XXVI: CAT Scan #2 (Sept. 26)
• PART XXVII: follow up PSA - poor result (Oct. 8)
• PART XXVIII: CT Scan #3 (Dec. 30) (#28)

2015

• PART XXIX: Urologist  3-mos. check-in (Jan. 29) (#29)
  
• PART XXX: Naturopath (Jan. 30)
• PART XXXI: Colonoscopy (Feb.11)
• PART XXXII: PSA Test and Colonoscopy results (Apr. 23)
• PART XXXIII: MRI #2 (May 29)
• PART XXXIV: Biopsy #2 (Jun. 9)
• PART XXXV: Consult (Jul 10)
• PART XXXVI: #1 Radiation Oncologist (Jul 13)
• PART XXXVII: Consult with the GP (Jul. 15)
• PART XXXVIII: Bone Density Scan #3 (Jul. 17)
• PART XXXIX: CAT Scan #4 (Jul. 21)
• PART XL: #2 Consult Radiation Oncologist (Jul. 28; #40)
• PART XLI: consult with the GP (Aug. 17)
• PART XLII: another consult with the Colonoscopy doctor (Aug. 19)
• PART XXXIII: Dr. Jenn naturopath (Sept. 6)

2016

• PART XLIV: First appointment, ingrown follicle, #44.
• PART XLV: Eyelid surgery (Apr. 29)
• PART XLVI: GP requisition PSA test (@ 3 mos.)
• PART XLVII: CAT Scan #5 Jan. 6, 2016
• PART XLVIII: Debriefing with urologist (Jan. 22)

PART XLIX: PSA retest (@ 6 mos.) Debriefing with Urologist (Jul. 12)

Scans

2017

PART L: Eye surgery 👀(2nd April: papilloma tumour) 50
PART LI: Follow-up to eye surgery –through Manotick (May 6)
PART LII: A 6-month follow-up. (Feb. 6)
PART LIII: visit with GP, liver issue, blood tests: referred for tests: liver, gall bladder.
PART LIV: ultrasound #1, May 5.
PART LV: June: ultrasound #2. Lump in kidney.
PART LVI: June: ultrasound #3... retest.
PART LVII: with GP. Lump is small kidney stone, which is now smaller.
PART LVIII:  Bone Scan #4;  Creatinine test prior to the Bone Scan, July 20th. (#58)
PART LIX: CAT Scan #6; phoned the next day: no sign of cancer.
PART LX: Appointment with GP: arthritis in knees, back, feet according to bone scan.
PART LXI: CAT Scan #7 (Smiths Falls), PSA Test.
PART LXII: Follow-up with Dr. C. On to hormone therapy.
PART LXIII: Meeting with Naturopath, based on hormone therapy plan. Calcium supplement.

PART LXIV: hormone injection, study. 

PART LXV: tweaking of naturopathics (Oct. 24)
PART LXVI: Injection #2 (Nov. 30) , PSA way down (0.08)

2018

PART LXVII: Injection #3 (Feb. 15, 2018) (#67)
PART LXVIII: Bone  Mineral Density Scan #5  (April 17th)
PART LXIX: Follow up, Bone Scan debriefing, next steps.
PART LXX: Treatment symptoms: swollen  legs, bilirubin test high (Wed., June 13), Ultrasound #4: liver scan (Mon., Jun. 18th). Looks fine.
PART LXXI: INJECTION #4 Aug. 9th (#71)
PART LXXII: INJECTION #5 Nov. 1st

2019

PART LXXIII: INJECTION #6 Jan. 24th (#73)
PART LXXIV: Knee pain, after an appointment, arthritis
PART LXXV: April 4, PSA retest, o.oo8!
PART LXXVI: April 18 – injection.
PART LXVII: Headache, GP visit, sent for  scan.
PART LXVIII: Bone Mineral Density Scan #6: Sept. 13th, all is well!
PART LXXIX: PSA (all is good), in anticipation of Lupron injection.
PART LXXX:  Lupron injection October. (#80).

2020

PART LXXXI: PSA Test, January. (#81)
PART LXXXII: Lupron injection (@3 months) in Perth (January 6)
PART LXXIII: Since Nov. 15, 2020, a chest cold, coughing, still bad. Arm pain, physio, massage. March 9, app't GP.
PART LXIV: Lupron injection, April 9, in the GP's parking lot, in the snow. (COVID–19)
PART LXV: (May 13) Ottawa hospital phoned. He needs a 5-year colonoscopy. I cannot comfortably drive into Ottawa. We will negotiate. Our GP said we could defer it.

PART LXVI: June PSA Test at LifeLabs . He needs his needle done in mid-July. It will take some planning.

PART LXVI: July 1st, JB waltzed into the ER and had the Lupron injected. Perfect during COVID–19. 

PART LXVII: Sept. 24, PSA test good last week, into the city for a needle. I was not allowed into the hospital.

PART LXVIII: Nov. 27 PSA test. What a saga. Boo LifeLabs. Sloppy work.

PART XC: Dec. 10 – Lupron needle at GP 's office in town. (#90)

2021

PART XCI: Feb. 24, 2021 – Despite COVID and a lockdown, JB managed making an online appointment for his test. It was good. (#91)

PART XCII: Th. March 11, injection in the city.

PART XCIII: April CT scan #8. Phone call with GP. June needle at his office. Chronic bone deterioration is next.

PART XCIV: Annual Rx review: phone interview with pharmacist, May 4th.  

PART XCV: PSA test: Aug. 25th. By appointment only, masking. Results, Aug. 26th, same low number.

PART XCVI: Lupron injection, Sept. 9th in Ottawa. 

PART XCVII: PSA test Nov. 17th; Lupron injection in Perth Nov. 24. 

2022

PART XCVIII – PSA test, Lupron injection Feb. 24th in Perth. #98

PART XCIX –  May PSA test, and Lupron injection May 19th in Ottawa. 

PART C – PSA Test August 4th; Lupron injection in Perth Aug. 17th. #100)

PART CI – Bone Density Scan #7 is planned for October. No Bone Scan in October. They have a waiting list of 1 year. We'll have to go into the city. 

PART CII –  He has his Lupron injection Nov. 15th, his birthday.

PART CIII – Phone consult with the Ottawa surgeon. All is good. No more phone consults. (OHIP $37 to $15 payments.)

PART CIV – Last minute Bone Density Scan #7 Wed., Dec. 7th. (#104). 

2023

PART CV – PSA test, Wed., Jan. 25 was good. 

PART CVI - Injection in Perth, with the GP.

PART CVII - PSA test May 1st. Good result.

PART CVIII – Into Ottawa for the injection. May 24. 

PART  CIX – PSA test Nov. 1st, all is good. Lupron injection Nov. in Perth.

PART  CX – Consult by video Nov. 23.

PART  CXI – Bone mineral density scan #8 at Riverside hospital, December 11th. Debrief (GP) Dec.19th.

2024

PART CXII – Good PSA test Feb. 2, Lupron injection Feb. 12. MMR booster March.

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