And so we move on to the next chapter of my unwanted adventure. I am defining this as the phase where I go through the more “Heavy duty” treatment: basically, the chemotherapy and the radiotherapy.

The chemotherapy consists of 6 cycles. Each of these will last for approximately 3 weeks. Then there will probably be a 4-6 week break before we begin the 20 sessions of radiotherapy. I think that means the heavy duty treatment will take until April of next year to complete. I hope that’s the case anyway; it ending any sooner means it hasn’t worked. I think.

My first cycle of chemotherapy took place on 22nd September. For ease of reference, I’m going to assign a simple code to each chemo-related day. For example… C1+0 means the first cycle of chemo + 0 days (the day I had the first chemo). C2+7 would mean the second cycle of chemo +7 days (A week after the day I had my second cycle). Simple? It will help me to track it all anyway!

So, The first cycle, how did it go?

It is hard to judge when the chemo hits. The hospital gives you a massive amount of steroids (Dexamethasone) and you take 16mg of this the day before chemo, the day of chemo, and the day after chemo. The steroids meant that I got no sleep for 72 hours and was completely wired. Furthermore, for the 7 days following chemo, I had to inject myself with GCSF (to force my bones to produce more white blood cells). Then there is the Lansoprazole 30mg (protects the stomach), The Codeine, Paracetamol and Ibuprofen (by the shed load), the Senease (to unblock stuff) and the Zopiclone (because if I don’t get some sleep I’ll fucking throttle someone). Yes, I felt like crap, but I’m not sure which of the above caused it!

C1+1 though to C1+4 (days 1 to 4 right?!)… Things were sort of going ok. I was feeling very tired (expected) and had quite bad pain in my bones and joints that pinballed around my body (not completely unexpected). I was finding the mental and physical aspects of having to stick a needle in to my stomach every day to be quite challenging, and I totally blamed the pain on these injections (the pain is a recognised side effect of both the chemo and the injections). I was still struggling to sleep despite hitting the Zopiclone. Nonetheless, I felt ok for some of the time and managed a couple of very short walks and a couple of hours pottering in the garage.

C1+5 And then it all went a bit wrong… I had spent an hour or two (maybe more) fixing a bike up in the garage. I felt ok up until this point; just a bit tired, achy and brain-fogged. Then suddenly… “BLAM!”… Agonising lower-back pain. 10 out of 10 level pain. On my hands and knees and howling like a pissed off dog levels of pain. Just shoot me in the head and get it over with levels of pain.

Why the urgency? Advanced prostate cancer comes with the risk of developing spinal compressions. Untreated, these can result in rapid and permanent paralysis. Luckily (I do have some more luck later too) the MRI revealed that my spine was cancer free and compression free. Just a bony growth much higher up that was putting a little pressure on things and a swelling in the lumber region (I do not believe either of these were/are significant in any way). Anyway, just as I was beginning to enjoy my stay, and the pain was beginning to ease a little, I was discharged back home with a large supply of pain killers. Opiates too 🙂

C1+11 through to C1+14… I started to feel a little better. The pain was just a constant nagging and not debilitating and I had enough energy to do a little more. I enjoyed a very gentle cycle ride, although I felt very unfit and extremely weak. Also, on C1+14, I had my second Zoladex implant (the 12-weekly thing to stop my testosterone)

And then on C1+15 (7th October)… I GOT MARRIED!!

Sam and I had planned this at quite short notice and kept it a secret. We wanted family and friends to be involved but my shot-to-pieces immune system meant this was too risky. A simple registry office ceremony, a pint in the local, then fish and chips at home with a surprised mother, sister, nephew and friend was just a perfect day for us. Thanks again to Mark and Maggie for being our witnesses and keeping the secret 🙂

Hey, and checkout lucky me… I wore a pair of trousers that hadn’t fitted for several years. Dusted them off, tried them on, low-and-behold… I found £70 in the pocket 🙂 Think this must have been from a particularly rowdy and messy NHS Christmas do. Some time ago though: the notes were all the old paper type!

Other than a couple of local cycle rides, walks, resistance sessions and plenty of good food and drink, that’s C1 completed. As I write this (12/10/22) I have already had my blood tests and begun the intake of steroids ready for the second cycle of chemo tomorrow.

Not wanting to leave this blog on a negative point, but being realistic as always, I did receive some news today that I have found very disappointing and worrying. Remember my PSA score from the beginning of this adventure in July? It was 374 back then: a ridiculously high, dangerous and rare score (Should be <3). A Christie doctor had predicted that this score would be in single digits, or even <1, by the time we began chemo. I just got my results from the beginning of chemo… It was 19. That was still really high.

The Christie repeated the test yesterday. My understanding was that the chemo would have bombed the PSA back into the last century. It hasn’t. It’s gone up to 25! I don’t understand why this is happening: the higher the score, the more cancer. Why the hell is it going up?! The Christie have tried to reassure me but I’m worried. Ah well, what can I do? I’m going to hit the herbal stuff… what harm can it do!