My Prostate Journey

 Like many cancer treatment facilities, Carilion Radiation Oncology/Blue Ridge Cancer Care has a bell hanging on the wall. Patients are invited to ring the bell when they complete their treatment regimen. About an hour ago I had my 28th & final radiation treatment. It is a significant sign of progress in my battle with my unseen enemy, prostate cancer (PC), but I'm not done. In previous posts, I'm I've talked about the 24 months of anti hormone meds I'm on. So, I chose not to ring the bell. It's a small thing, but I figure I need to focus on keeping-on-keeping-on (more in a moment). While it's painless as it is happening, being shot with what I call the "Klingon Disruptor" is not fun. I'm glad it's over. I hope to meet the Lord without going through another round. However, the team that worked with me, from the radiologist down to the student trainees, made what is an unpleasant process bearable, even more than bearable. They are genuinely ...

I'm my sitting on my deck listening to a dog bark a quarter of a mile away, watching the morning come to life, and enjoying the sounds of traffic as some of the rest of the world comes to life on this Saturday morning. I'm really enjoying a donut and a cup of coffee. For a moment I watched a bat fluttering and darting about overhead. For me the daylight is coming. For him the darkness is fading. I figure he's catching a few more bugs before he hangs himself up for the day.. The world and life are full of transitions. I'm thinking about a snippet of a conversation that Kathy and I had yesterday evening. Some of you know that prior to the beginning of my prostate cancer journey, she had a similar journey of her own with breast cancer--surgery and chemo. Our transition was a role-reversal. She was the patient and I sought to help her as I could. For the past few months she is being of great help to me as I process the dreaded diagnosis, have gone through several procedu...

 I have 4 more treatments. Being able to count down on one hand, without using my thumb, really feels good. Speaking of feeling good, I'm not a physician, but it seems to me that I am blessed to be doing marvelously well. My stomach does not some gymnasitcs and hurts from time, when I hear natures call I have to answer promptly, and I'd say my energy level is about 75%. Overall, it's pretty good. My Dr. tells me that I should get over these side effects within a few weeks of finishing my radiation. I'll be on the medication treatment--oral meds daily and a shot every 4 months--for about another 22 months.  Clocks, cell phones, and calendars keep accurate track of time. Our mind and heart, however, function on a different chronology. At the beginning of this series of radiation treatments, 6 weeks seemed like a long, long time. Now, as I look back over the 5 weeks that are under my belt, so to speak, it seems they have passed pretty quickly.  A very wise, older lady, who...

 I've now completed 19 radiation treatments. I have 9 to go, 5 next week and 4 the week after. After I finished my exercise routine this morning, I was spent. I've remained without energy for the rest of the day. When the radiology tech called me from the waiting room to m my appoinment with the radiation machine, she asked me--they always do :)--"How are you doing?" I told her, "Your ray gun is getting to me." Her reply indicated, it's about the time this usually happens.  I'm glad I get the weekend off. Turn's out my nick-name for the machine, "The Kingon Disruptor," isn't far from an acurate description. On my trips back and forth to the radiation oncology clinic, I've been listening to a reading of Pilgrim's Progress. Bunyan's classic is an allegory about "Christian's" pilgramage to Mt. Zion--heaven. It's full of lessons, warnings, and Theology. A running theme is the comparison of comfort now, that...

Progress Report: After last Friday's treatment, I'm half way through my radiation sessions. I'm experiencing more gastric issues, but overall I'm doing well. I was able to enjoy a wonderful weekend with Kathy, our sons, their wives, and two of our grandchildren. Mainly worthwhile accomplishments, improvements, and positive life changes take a long time to accomplish. As the saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day." Currently, I'm personally experiencing what I've seen in the lives of others over my decades of pastoral ministry. "If you want to get to where you want to be, you have to keep on keeping on. "  By God's grace I'm doing well. Most days I manage to get more tired than I used to before I started this grind. But, I'm told this is to be expected, and I'm still maintaining an active schedule. My expectation is that when this grind is over, I'll be the better for it. Then, no doubt, there will be something else t...

 After my ninth radiation treatment (last Friday) I noticed that the aiming point on the front of my body was getting sore--not bad, but sore enough to notice. I told Kathy about it and, mom that she is, she wanted to have a look. She noticed the rash that had spread over a portion of my lower abdomen. I looked in the mirror, and sure enough . . ..  I did some looking on the internet and found that the majority of people who receive radiation treatment develop radiation rash. It does what most rashes do, it itches and makes the area where it sets up shop sensitive to pressure. One way I'm managing it is wearing suspenders--my belt buckle sits right on top of the aiming point. "Wear loose clothing," the website says, but, "I have to keep my pants up," says I." It's an example of a syndrome that I don't think I had noticed until my itching middle and my falling-down pants pointed to it in a way I couldn't miss. I'm calling it, "Managing ...