My ADT vacation is over

Yesterday was a full day of Oncology. It started with a blood draw at nine in the morning and then Mandy and I spent the next five hours playing disc golf and going out to lunch. We had a really good day until my appointment at 2:30 with the oncologist. At the appointment I found out that over the last 20 weeks my PSA had increased from .06 to 3.03. Essentially it had been doubling approximately every four weeks. My testosterone level had went from less than 10 to 245 since going off of Zytiga last November.

    To be perfectly honest I completely expected it. There were a few tell tale signs. It had become more difficult to urinate and I would find myself straining a little to void my bladder. Overall my body seemed to be fatigued and achy all over. After my appointment yesterday I received my first Lupron injection in 14 months. This morning I restarted Zytiga.

   Mandy is doing as well as can be expected with the news we got yesterday. She and I both want to believe that by some grace of God or miracle, the cancer would not come back. This morning she was a little off. It breaks my heart what this disease does to her. Sure, we are able to retain a degree of intimacy but it’s not the same. She wants to be wanted and simply being able to make love is just not the same thing.

   For me, yesterday‘s news brings with it a lot of questions. Well maybe not a lot of questions. I just wonder, if my testosterone level had not of jumped right back up into normal range, would the cancer have stayed at bay much longer? I suppose that it’s a question that will have to go unanswered.

    For Mandy and I, it was a pretty incredible year. Having testosterone again, we both appreciated the renewed interest in intimacy. I suppose my only regret is that we didn’t utilize the interest as often as we could have. Unfortunately we both work long days and when we get home we are tired. During my ADT holiday we ventured to the big Island of Hawaii spent time in the mountains, And at various lakes. I will include some photos of our adventures in this post.

    I have no doubt that the combination of ADT and Zytiga will once again put the beast to sleep. Zytiga is a powerful weapon against advanced prostate cancer. I wish I could receive Provenge again. I firmly believe that in my case it is the reason that the Zytiga has worked so well.

    So where do we go from here? My oncologist seems to be on board with intermittent therapy. If that is the case perhaps after the beast goes to sleep I will be able to experience another vacation from treatment. I certainly hope so.