My New Fight; Prostate Cancer

[sensei8]

Very happy to hear the health news.

The financial stuff is a mixed bag, but at least there is some upside to it. I'm sure you were relieved to hear that you can pay what you can afford at the moment.

Patrick

Thank you, Patrick. Still not out of the wood, yet.

Yes, I can be more relaxed knowing I can pay what I can afford for my treatment shot.

[sensei8]

UPDATE:

Forgot to mention at my last Update that Dr. Goodman is referring me back to my Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Michael Becker, for my Intensity-Modulated Radio Therapy (IMRT); sooner than later.

PS: That appointment with Dr. Becker is April 14, 2022

[sensei8]

UPDATE:

Well, today was the day that I was suppose to get my Treatment Shot of Eligard 30MG at 10:30am. WAS is the key word!! Here's what happened...

Checked in...was called to the Treatment Room...weighed in...blood pressure and oxygen readings taken...Nurse comes to me we chat a bit...she excuses herself for a minute and returns with the Eligard and the means to administer it...WHAM BAM POW...the vial explodes when the Nurse was attaching it to the syringe...Nurse goes to see if they've another Eligard...NOPE!!

I reschedule for the Treatment Shot for this Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at 8:30am.

Better late than never. Even though I'd rather it be sooner than later because the last 30 seconds of the injection are the most painful; love to get the pain over faster. I'm a high threshold of pain, but those last 30 seconds are beyond my pain threshold.

Oh yeah, I found out today that my co-pay for this Treatment Shot is $1,117.75...and that's every 4 months. I'm on a payment plan!! I only have to pay for this Treatment Shot due to that I will have meet my Insurance Out-of-Pocket expenses because with the billing of this Treatment Shot and paying for my Radiation Therapy, I won't have to pay for the Treatment Shot this up-and-coming December.

[sensei8]

UPDATE:

No Treatment Shot today again due to my dose of Eligard 30MG wasn't delivered as expected. So, hopefully tomorrow is three-times a charm at 11:45AM.

I could've received a Treatment Shot but at a slightly less dose of Eligard at 22.5MG. However, at the lesser dosage, I'd have to come in 3 months, and not in the usual 4 months as it has been since I moved to Las Vegas.

Oh yeah, the lower dosage still delivers that punch of pain during the last 30 seconds of the injection. Oh, one more thing. The vial DIDN'T explode, but the syringe itself exploded AFTER the vial was attached while the nurse prepped for the injection.

Fingers crossed that the third charm happens tomorrow.

[bushido_man96]

Geez, that's kind of crazy, Bob. Hoping it finally goes through for you here next time!

[sensei8]

Geez, that's kind of crazy, Bob. Hoping it finally goes through for you here next time!

Yeah, very crazy all around. I too hope that finally tomorrow I get my Treatment Shot; I just want to get those last 30 seconds to be done and over with.

[Patrick]

That's annoying. Hope tomorrow goes smoothly for you.

Patrick

[sensei8]

UPDATE:

Three times IS a charm. I got my Treatment Shot of Eligard 30MG TODAY.

Check this out...

After having my blood pressure and oxygen checked, they do that all of the time, I waited for my nurse. My nurse, Angie, and I have a quick witty chat, and I ask her why is it that my first Eligard 30MG Treatment Shot didn't hurt during the last 30 seconds of the injection. Angie tells me that we'll try some old school. OK, I love old school stuff, after all, I'm old.

Angie goes to prep the syringe, and returns. Meanwhile I've been using the old school until Angie returns. Angie cleans my left triceps, and asks me if I'm ready...I tell her NO, but lets get it over anyway. I tell Angie when I grab my hat and put it over my face, that's when the pain is unbearable...Angie wonders if I hurt yet...starting to become more aware of the beginnings of the PAIN..."All done!!"

What? All done? "Yep". says Angie. WOW NO PAIN AT ALL!! I thank her for being a genius!!

What was the old school?? A med glove filled with ICE!! During all of the time that Angie was prepping the syringe, I held that inventive ice pack to the area where Angie was going to administer the injection. In short, the ice NUMBED the injection area. NO PAIN AT ALL.

Trust me, I'll never forget that old school.

Appointment for my next Treatment Shot will happen after my follow-up with Dr. Goodman on May 3, 2022. Knowing that the Treatment Shot is once every 4 months, I believe that my next Treatment Shot should be August 12, 2022...maybe.

Tomorrow is the consultation with Dr. Becker for my Radiation Therapy plan.

Until tomorrow, be safe.

[bushido_man96]

Glad to hear that it went so well for you, Bob! Hooray for the old school, right?

[sensei8]

Radiation Therapy UPDATE:

Saw Dr. Becker this morning for some consultation. Here's what I know so far...

1) CT Scan on 4/20/2022 at 10am

CT Scan has to be completed before the beginning of the Radiation Therapy. Then Dr. Becker can plan the treatment. Radiation Therapy will begin 2 weeks after the CT Scan.

Instead of 20 sessions, there will be 28 sessions targeting just the prostate. Then after that, there will be another 3-5 sessions pin-pointing T12, L4, and L2. That L2 is a surprise to me. Either Dr. Goodman forgot to inform me about my L2 or I forgot he told me, which I doubt, or Dr. Becker is misunderstanding. I will talk to Dr. Goodman about that when I see him for my follow-up on May 3. 2022.

Come to find out that the initial set-up at the first session only takes about 15 minutes instead of the 1 hour I was lead to believe. After the first session, the following sessions will take only less than 5 minutes each.

CT Scan prep tickled me a tad because I have to have a good bowel movement the morning of, and I can't urinate for 1 or 2 hours before the scan. Reasons are that the poop can block the scan and the full bladder is akin to wearing sunblock to prevent a sunburn.