Timeline of my diagnosis

2022

I guess this is when my health was really starting to decline.
I was leading a relatively normal active life but was having bouts of ill-health. Mainly back pains..
As the year progressed I was getting fatigue and low energy
I was used to looking after my own health – a reasonably healthy diet supplemented with herbal and natural remedies.
But this was a bit different

2023

The symptoms started to worsen.
Although many of them were alleviated with the help of a highly qualified holistic medical doctor.
But other symptoms came to the fore
I started sleeping badly, needing to go to the toilet a lot and was having pains in my genitals – which on reflection were related to my prostate.
Christmas was a struggle and I spent some time of it in bed
I was getting some pain in my lower back and also had difficulty when urinating and some pain in my genitals.
I also suddenly started getting constipated. Most of the time I was walking with the aid of a stick. I used it at night to go to the toilet.

2024

I was spending a lot more time in bed feeling generally unwell. And then things rapidly progressed.

February 1st

I was up most of the night with pain in my back and my genitals.
Also had acute constipation.
When going to the toilet I nearly collapsed and we considered ringing for an ambulance.
Instead next morning my wife contacted our GP practice – a phone call which changed my life!

February 2nd

Chris rang our doctor’s surgery.
A  visit was arranged the same day to see a paramedic / senior nurse
He immediately tested me for prostate cancer but said I needed a blood test

February 5th

Had a blood test and also gave poo samples.

February 6th

Doctor rang with blood test results. Doctors aid that I had a PSA of 79.1 which was very high.
Said PSA ‘very high’. (79).
Said hospital will explain more & do ‘various investigations’.  Didn’t think constipation related & didn’t seem concerned about it.
He was more concerned with the back pain.

February 7th

The hospital phoned to say my appointment was with a specialist consultant to see what further tests are needed.

February 9th

I had my first Hospital Appointment.
It was all going very quickly!
I saw my first consultant who again did a prostate examination.
More intense this one!
Was proscribed Bicalutamide tablets
Rushed around to get hold of them. After the first dose my back pains immediately disappeared.
Problem solved I thought…

Little did I know!
This was really the beginning
Was soon rushing around having hospital appointments all over the county.

February 20th  – (MRI Scan)

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is a non-invasive medical imaging test that uses radio waves and strong magnetic fields to create detailed pictures of the inside of the body.
How it works
You lie inside a large tube-shaped MRI scanner that contains powerful magnets
The scanner uses radio waves and magnetic fields to create images of the body’s internal structures
This was a real shock to the system.
Not a pleasant experience being stuck under this big machine and having my body shaken around.
I came out of it not feeling very good.

February 21st – (CT scan)

A CT scan is a test that takes detailed pictures of the inside of your body. It’s usually used to diagnose conditions or check how well treatment is working ..
How it works
You lie inside a large tube-shaped MRI scanner that contains powerful magnets.
The scanner uses radio waves and magnetic fields to create images of the body’s internal structures.
MRI scans are painless and don’t use ionizing radiation like X-ray.

This was much more pleasant and the hospital staff were really nice.
I really felt cared for.
Although it was a very long drive this hospital was by the sea!

March 5th – (Biopsy)

Off to hospital again
This time it was for a Biopsy.
And wow this was an experience!
An hour being marooned on a bed with all sorts of things being inserted in me!
The team were awesome and they said their job was to also provide conversation to help distract the patient.

March 11th (Bone Scan)

Off to the seaside again!
This time journey was even better as the nurse involved had suggested a much better place to park!
Again lovely support staff

March 14th (Biopsy results and Cancer diagnosis)

Went into hospital and had my diagnosis
Very compassionate conversation with a specialist nurse
Not a great shock because by now understood what was going on
Essentially the cancer wasn’t just in the prostate but had spread into my lower spine.

March 20th

Instead of taking tablets – started on 3 monthly injections of Prostrap
Basically this is all about suppressing the cancer as much as possible
My body was still very happy with the medicine I was  – on though still not sleeping well due to too many visits to the toilet.

March 28th

It’s important for me to balance the medicines with natural remedies
Went to see another highly qualified specialist and had a two hour consultation.
Started on a treatment which I am taking three times a day

April

The multiple hospital visits were now over.
Except that I managed to fracture my foot at home while trying to fix our heating system which had packed up! And had a couple of scans
Given an orthopedic boot and crutches – which rather slowed my life down!
Not that I was rushing around anyway
The medicine and natural health treatments are all geared to working to combat the spread of the cancer so they make me more tired and fragile.
Especially the Prostap medicine
Essentially this is hormone therapy
Have a look at the side effects here
What I have found although there are physical effects – hot flushes being one – I also have become more introspective and have felt more emotional

12th – Macmillan Cancer Care

On the 12th my wife and I had a phone call which changed our lives
It was from a Macmillan Nurse at our local hospital
I knew nothing about Macmillan at that stage
But after that phone call our lives moved into a different gear
We immediately had access to a ton of support!
Including getting fast tracked into getting problems getting heating sorted in our house and much more.
If ever I have any questions I ring them or talk online to one of their nurses

April 30th – Ornothologist

So this was the biggie appointment.
Although I knew my diagnosis already this appointment was all about the future
What they were going to be able to do for me and how long I might live for..
To be blunt!
So I am looking at between 2 and 5 years
He gave me a new drug to take Apalutamide
But this was a disaster!
Experienced bad side effects – I won’t go into details

Ongoing

By choice I have restricted myself to just having my 3 monthly Prostap injection and daily calcium tablets.
I am told that my body will start getting ‘used to’ this medicine and the beneficial effects will wear off.
For now life goes on – a bit slower, problems with cold weather and have to be careful with walking.
Other than that – well – 2- 5 years is a lot of time to still have fun in!