Ronni
Well-known Member
- Location
- Nashville TN
Oh they do! They call, text, FaceTime.
Ron has prostate cancer š
- Thread starter Ronni
- Start date
Jules
SF VIP
I totally understand. Sheās so lucky to have this great family. Remind Ron that he can take a day off and build up his strength, if needed.
Ronni
Well-known Member
- Location
- Nashville TN
Well, itās Saturday, 4 days after his last infusion. Heās still crippled with pain, balance is off, not sleeping. If this infusion runs the same course as his last one, by tomorrow heāll feel considerably better.
His Cycle has changed, so now heās getting infusions Day one (last Tuesday) and day 15, so he skips next Tuesday. Heāll continue on that schedule apparently for several more weeks, though it does depend on his response, determined by the endless blood work he gets when he goes in.
He has 10 days of work scheduled starting next Monday that was work Sheri had lined up weeks ago and now canāt do, so he will. Itās not too taxing apparently, but even so, Iām worried about his ability to withstand the labor, especially knowing that some of those days after work heās going to see Sheri in the hospital before he comes home so he wonāt stagger in till 8.00pm or so, after leaving the house around 7.30am to start his work day.
Itās good that he wants to push through and not succumb to the cancer, the pain, the emotional and mental toll. We have a 75 year old friend who was diagnosed with prostate cancer within days of Ronās diagnosis. Chipās hasn't metastasized, he doesnāt require chemo, heās getting radiation and his prognosis is good. Still, heās deeply depressed, morose, going to see his chaplain several times a week, convinced heās terminal no matter what the doctors say.
Iām grateful Ronās outlook is so upbeat and positive. Heās a realist as am I, so heās aware that the best his team can do is keep the cancer under control until they just canāt anymore, but heās determined to wring as much fun and positivity and activity out of life as he can, for as long as he can.
Nonetheless I worry when he pushes himself as hard as he does.
His Cycle has changed, so now heās getting infusions Day one (last Tuesday) and day 15, so he skips next Tuesday. Heāll continue on that schedule apparently for several more weeks, though it does depend on his response, determined by the endless blood work he gets when he goes in.
He has 10 days of work scheduled starting next Monday that was work Sheri had lined up weeks ago and now canāt do, so he will. Itās not too taxing apparently, but even so, Iām worried about his ability to withstand the labor, especially knowing that some of those days after work heās going to see Sheri in the hospital before he comes home so he wonāt stagger in till 8.00pm or so, after leaving the house around 7.30am to start his work day.
Itās good that he wants to push through and not succumb to the cancer, the pain, the emotional and mental toll. We have a 75 year old friend who was diagnosed with prostate cancer within days of Ronās diagnosis. Chipās hasn't metastasized, he doesnāt require chemo, heās getting radiation and his prognosis is good. Still, heās deeply depressed, morose, going to see his chaplain several times a week, convinced heās terminal no matter what the doctors say.
Iām grateful Ronās outlook is so upbeat and positive. Heās a realist as am I, so heās aware that the best his team can do is keep the cancer under control until they just canāt anymore, but heās determined to wring as much fun and positivity and activity out of life as he can, for as long as he can.
Nonetheless I worry when he pushes himself as hard as he does.
Ronni
Well-known Member
- Location
- Nashville TN
He isnāt any better. His cancer team decided he needed to go to the ER to be evaluated. Weāve been there all day, just now getting ready to leave because they were back and forth on admitting him.
They gave him IV morphine and a muscle relaxer, did an MRI, xray, bloodwork, and canāt find any reason for his muscle and joint pain other than reaction to his cancer treatment. He also has a rash that popped up all over his torso and underarm are, wrapping around to his back. No explanation for that either other than reaction to treatment.
He felt better in the hospital after the meds kicked in. Was actually able to move his head from side to side and up and down a little, lift his arms a bit higher, sit and stand with somewhat less pain. Weāre home now after a full day spent in the ER, with a muscle relaxer to take every 12 hours. Heās back in bed trying to sleep, feeling no better than when he left other than the slight relief he got in the hospital with the meds they gave him there.
Heās loaded up with pain pills and another dose of the muscle relaxer. Weāll see how he does when he gets back up.
They gave him IV morphine and a muscle relaxer, did an MRI, xray, bloodwork, and canāt find any reason for his muscle and joint pain other than reaction to his cancer treatment. He also has a rash that popped up all over his torso and underarm are, wrapping around to his back. No explanation for that either other than reaction to treatment.
He felt better in the hospital after the meds kicked in. Was actually able to move his head from side to side and up and down a little, lift his arms a bit higher, sit and stand with somewhat less pain. Weāre home now after a full day spent in the ER, with a muscle relaxer to take every 12 hours. Heās back in bed trying to sleep, feeling no better than when he left other than the slight relief he got in the hospital with the meds they gave him there.
Heās loaded up with pain pills and another dose of the muscle relaxer. Weāll see how he does when he gets back up.
robin416
Member
Oh god, Ronni. The rash could absolutely be from the TX. But the other? Yeah, probably. It does sound like he needs better pain management. The one thing I've learned in my life is that we are not at all the same and our reactions can be a mystery when others don't bat an eye. He just might not be tolerating it as well as most. Although add in his daughter's challenges that could amplify his own physical reaction.
Do they know about the situation with his daughter?
Do they know about the situation with his daughter?
Wombat
Member
- Location
- Wollongong
PSA 11 at recent path test have to go back in three months to see if it had changed again (six monthly visits previously).
Am part of a cancer study, I suspect I am part of the cohort that looks at if doing nothing leads to a better outcome (don't really know). I am told that if it spreads (no sign in the last PET scan) the treatment will be hormone treatment only.
Quality of life is the watchword apparently. The cancer has absolutely no effect on my daily life at the moment (I am 79)
Am part of a cancer study, I suspect I am part of the cohort that looks at if doing nothing leads to a better outcome (don't really know). I am told that if it spreads (no sign in the last PET scan) the treatment will be hormone treatment only.
Quality of life is the watchword apparently. The cancer has absolutely no effect on my daily life at the moment (I am 79)
I'm so sorry to hear this, Ronni. I follow your updates, and I'm waiting for things to turn around for Ron.
Ronni
Well-known Member
- Location
- Nashville TN
Ron is feeling somewhat better today! He started improving around the middle of the day yesterday. We donāt know if it was the latest cocktail of meds that his doctor in and he started taking yesterday morning, or if itās the fact that heās far enough out from his last infusion that his body is adjusting.
Either way itās a huge relief! His pain has been reduced by half, which just makes it possible for him to move around a bit more easily and not be confined to bed.
Either way itās a huge relief! His pain has been reduced by half, which just makes it possible for him to move around a bit more easily and not be confined to bed.
Ronni
Well-known Member
- Location
- Nashville TN
Yea they do. They were in the same hospital, just different buildings and Ron would sometimes be able to go visit with her in between tests and bloodwork and such. His team would let him know if there was going to be enough time in between so he could go see her.
Ronni
Well-known Member
- Location
- Nashville TN
This makes sense. Theyāve caught your cancer early enough that active surveillance is your ātreatmentā plan.
The QOL issue is big. I understood the term theoretically, but watching Ron go through what he has this past few weeks, particularly after this last treatment, made me realize how important it is. It didnāt take long for Ron to become emphatic about his future treatments, and that heād choose a shorter life with good quality to it over an extended life with those treatments. I had to agree.
Sliverfox
Well-known Member
I am following you two as, Ron goes through the cancer treatments.
Hoping for the best results for Ron.
My husband starts radiation treatments next week.
He's been reading over & over the paperwork they 'gave' him.
We have been seeing doctors for his health various problems this year.
Our hope is that the doctors we see "might" stubble onto the reason for his other pains.
Don't mean to crowd out your worries,, just trying to let you know I'm slowly following you.
IF you think you"feel" a small old lady following you,, could be me!! Hugs
Hoping for the best results for Ron.
My husband starts radiation treatments next week.
He's been reading over & over the paperwork they 'gave' him.
We have been seeing doctors for his health various problems this year.
Our hope is that the doctors we see "might" stubble onto the reason for his other pains.
Don't mean to crowd out your worries,, just trying to let you know I'm slowly following you.
IF you think you"feel" a small old lady following you,, could be me!! Hugs
Ronni
Well-known Member
- Location
- Nashville TN
Thank you @SliverfoxI am following you two as, Ron goes through the cancer treatments.
Hoping for the best results for Ron.
My husband starts radiation treatments next week.
He's been reading over & over the paperwork they 'gave' him.
We have been seeing doctors for his health various problems this year.
Our hope is that the doctors we see "might" stubble onto the reason for his other pains.
https://www.seniorforums.com/attach...=104018&hash=7baf782baa0e8c83908fd2ce96ec1d56
Don't mean to crowd out your worries,, just trying to let you know I'm slowly following you.
IF you think you"feel" a small old lady following you,, could be me!! Hugs
A dear friend of ours was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the same time as Ron. His hasnāt metastasized, so though theyāre both on daily hormone medication, other treatment plans differ based on the metastases or lack
Chip is getting radiation daily, 5 days a week, for a month. His prep is a bit annoying (full bladder empty rectum) but the treatment itself is essentially painless, and the side effects are minimal, mainly just fatigue.
Telling you that just to let you know that if your hubs is starting radiation there may be few side effects for him..and you..to worry about.
Ronni
Well-known Member
- Location
- Nashville TN
Ron slumped again after that last update (post #136) One of the meds he was given was 3 days of steroids, and that must have accounted for his upswing because as soon as he finished them he was bad again.
We went to the cancer center Tuesday where he was supposed to get another infusion, but I insisted on a consult with his team instead. We told them he had no quality of life, spent most days in bed, he was in a lot of pain, and that there was no way he would continue with treatment if this was how he was going to feel.
They listened. They said letās skip a week of infusions, give him steroids as that was what made him feel so much better, and provided he feels decent by the time his next Infusion comes around (this coming Tuesday) theyāll lower his dose to what he was tolerating well before they raised it.
Thatās reasonable. He feels much better, so provided that holds till Tuesday, heāll take a chance and get the lower dose infusion, and see. If it still knocks him out, weāre done with this clinical trial and will explore other treatments.
We went to the cancer center Tuesday where he was supposed to get another infusion, but I insisted on a consult with his team instead. We told them he had no quality of life, spent most days in bed, he was in a lot of pain, and that there was no way he would continue with treatment if this was how he was going to feel.
They listened. They said letās skip a week of infusions, give him steroids as that was what made him feel so much better, and provided he feels decent by the time his next Infusion comes around (this coming Tuesday) theyāll lower his dose to what he was tolerating well before they raised it.
Thatās reasonable. He feels much better, so provided that holds till Tuesday, heāll take a chance and get the lower dose infusion, and see. If it still knocks him out, weāre done with this clinical trial and will explore other treatments.