📋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.

PART CXIII – Zoom meeting May 28th with Dr. C, the surgeon. All is well. The Lupron is doing its work. Calcium supplements are good, as are his exercises to help build up bone strength. We will carry on as usual. Another Zoom meeting in 6 months, and a face-to-face in a year. 

PART CXIV – Joe had his PSA test Thursday, Aug. 1st; Aug. 2nd his Lupron injection. COVID a problem. NP on holiday next week.

PART CXV – Nov. 6th PSA test, hemolyzed blood sample, has to do it again. Got the GP to issue a new requisition.

PART CXVI – Nov. 12th Lupron injection. 

PART CXVII – Dec. 2 on Zoom, Next follow up Nov., 2025, PSA every 6 mos., not quarterly.

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