Getting Caught Up

Sorry for delays in posting but a little something called "spinal fusion" and a self induced narcotic haze have kept me from writing, posting or even thinking about posting.  Funny, I had put off the surgery for 3 years, seeing accupuncturists, chiropractors, DO's (my personal favorite), and practically every other kind of doctor.  Unfortunately, the relief they provided was only temporary.  I met Dr Tamaris, a neurosurgeon in Atlanta, and decided, now, was the time.  He felt I had a very good chance of a complete pain free recovery. 

December 28, was our 3-level fusion date and then there was this little obstacle called CANCER. 

Of course, I was very willing, and even thrilled, to post-pone surgery for 6 months or more as Gregg's urologist suggested.  He wanted our thoughts, resources and energy to be spent deciding and following a plan to fight Gregg's aggressive form of PCa.  As I've stated before in previous entries, in the days following Gregg's diagnosis, we researched, breathed, and dreamed about PCa.  We read everything we could and listened to various doctor's suggestions and we did develop a plan. 

We were ready to get started. 

Eliminate cancer...every way we could!

Knowing the side effects of his cancer-fighting hormones, Gregg thought it best that we both be "out of commision" together, if you know what I mean.  Per his insistance, I scheduled my surgery February 3rd.  Thanks to our family, we made it through our roughest days.  Without them, I don't know what we would have done.

February 8th, was Gregg's 1st HDR, high dose radiation.  I thought I should include some images, for education purposed and mainly, because Gregg loves freaking out his male cohorts with these same images.  I relate this to how much guys like watching other men get their privates busted.  At least 1/2 the show of America's Funniest Videos is dedicated to this wierdo phenomenon. 

The pictures are graphic and are not of Gregg's procedure, just copied and pasted thanks to Google.

Gregg arrived at North Fulton Hospital promptly and met with Dr Banks, urologist and Dr McCord, radiation oncologist to go over procedure for 1000th time.  Gregg was taken to OR suite and given some pretty good drugs and spinal anesthesia.  Thank you Lord for anesthesia docs!

All of these tube looking things were precisely placed with tiny needles, by our urologist.  CT and ultrasound guidance (ultrasound probe in the rectum just to add to the fun) were used to place each one in the exact location.  Needles were removed and the catheters were left.

This is a picture of LDR with permanent seed placement, but you get the idea.  The difference in HDR, is the needles go into and through the prostate and into surrounding areas, i.e. rectum, bladder and seminal vesicles.  With permanent seeds, only the prostate is penetrated and the radioactive seeds are left.  For PCa which is thought to be contained in the prostate, this is the therapy of choice.  With high grade, aggressive cancer, the surrounding tissues could be invaded so they need to be treated as well. 

After everything was in place and double-checked by all physicians, Gregg rode in his 1st ambulance.  A stretcher, modified with a hole cut out for all the tubes coming out of Gregg's perineum, was his transportation out of the hospital and over to the radiation center.  Once in the radiation chamber, Dr McCord and other specialists meticulously placed radiation, delivered in pellets, for the exact amount of time depending on where the catheters were placed.  Places with higher concentrations of cancer obviously the radiation stayed longer and the places with less...less time.  Once the procedure was completed, catheters containing radiation were removed, and we waited for Gregg's legs to wake up.  With the radiation, of course, comes complications; rectal fissures, bladder damage, seminal nerve damage, etc.  Of course, benefits outweigh risks, which is why we chose this therapy.  From one of the many books we read, "an erect penis does a dead man no good." 

In our 1st meeting with Dr McCord, he explained the different sources of radiation which are cesium, iridium, iodine, phosphorus, and palladium.  This is where my brain began to get fuzzy and I don't know which one he used or why.  He told us, I just can't remember.  He had our trust, did it matter anymore?

Hope those pictures get you skin crawling like they do mine!  As if it could be worse, Gregg had to undergo a colon cleansing the night before same as what is done prior to a colonoscopy.  Poor fellow!  Constant diarrhea and rectal pain from his daily radiation (IMRT) were already his norm.  He remembered back to November when he had prepped for a colonoscopy.  He thought that was bad then...

Oh my! 

And... he had to do it all over again February 15. 

In the days following, he was better than he expected, but he still needed to heal.  Yes, the area was sore, bruised, swollen, even turned black for a few weeks.  Ice packs became his best buddies.  Thankfully, we had plenty!

But now, it's over and done.  And once again, he hardly complained.  He really is my hero. 

Just don't get between him and the bathroom!