Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Cancer Center

Mel has his appointment had the Cancer Center. Dr Platta is his doctor. I couldn't go in with him but I waited in the car and they called me and I was able to hear what was going on and ask questions. It was a long appointment...2 hours!  Dr Vivano had told us most of the treatment plan. Dr Platta was very informative. Treatment will start 6 weeks after the hormone injection. He will go back the end of May. At that appointment he they will map out his prostrate, give him tattoos to mark the radiation sites and make a mold of his body. The body mold will make sure he is placed in the same position for the treatment. He will have 40 treatments. Treatments are Monday through Friday for 8 weeks. No weekends or holidays. They will take about 20 minutes each time. On Tuesdays he will have a treatment and also see the DR and have lab work done. The Dr is available anytime he needs to discuss and problems he is having. Few do have side effects. Most common is diarrhea after about 2-3 weeks but it does subside in about a week. Burning and difficulty urinating but they have drugs to help with that. He will need to take calcium and vitamin D3. We can set it up to go in each day at own schedule. Going in each day is the part he is having a hard time with. I'm sure once we get our schedule going he will adapt.

Sunday, April 12, 2020

Hormone injection and The Gleason Scale

We saw the urologist and Mel got his hormone shot. The shot decreases his testosterone. The side effects are hot flashes. So far he has not had any. We discussed the upcoming appointment with the cancer center. I asked about this type of cancer and if it was graded in Stages. It is not. It goes on the Gleason scale. The Gleason scale goes from 1-10. Mel is at 8.

We will see Dr Platta at the cancer center this week. We are to expect radiation treatments to begin. He will go everyday M-F for 7-8 weeks.

With this virus going on it is scary thinking about going to a medical facility. I have been making masks like crazy. Sent masks to CA, MN, and MS. I have masks for the family and have friends calling asking for them. I have made over 300 masks so far.

Today is Easter and we wish everyone a very Happy Blessed Easter.