August 23rd, off to Hampton today. Hampton was great. Got to see the entire facility, the Radiation oncologist gave me a diagnosis of T1N1M0 or low risk. He has had several with my diagnosis, stand up and say they will be back in a year. With my family history, though, it might be best to start sooner rather than later.
I will have an MRI. He explained the procedure, they would insert the SpaceOar gel inbetween my prostate and rectum (they have been using it for four years). This product helps block the radiation from disturbing my rectum. I will have four seeds/markers inserted into my prostate, they will be the crosshairs that will enable them to line up the proton gun the same before every treatment. And I’ll get three tiny dot tatoos, the nurse who was showing us around showed us hers, since she was instructing people to get them she got one to see if it hurt, and how big it is. If she hadn’t told me I would not have known she had one on her hand.
I need to drink X amount of water 30 minutes before procedure to move my bladder out of the way.
Side affects will be irritated urethra (it gets sunburned by the radiation) 20% experience fatigue. Years later there could be rectal blood, but it is becoming more and more rare, and they are seeing it pop up with people on blood thinners.*
One of the nurses took us on a tour, showed us the room and the large brass fittings that will be customized for me. I was very happy with the facility, and the people I met.
words of wisdom: "Get friends to drive you to treatment, not because you are tired or sick, but because it will help pass the time and they will learn about awesome procedures or cures there are."
*I have no facts to support this claim, just general conversation with the Doctor.
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