Hi there,

My husband got the call today that both his CT scan and MRI bone scan are all clear - no apparent evidence of cancer and no metastatic disease, however there is a spot on his rib cage that has shown up in the bone scan that the hospital would like to investigate further and are referring him to a larger one where they have a more focussed scanner. He has had a small bony lump for years on his ribs that hasn’t changed and may possibly be an old rugby injury, so I suspect/hope it’s that. He’s been told it will at least 6 weeks before he hears about his appointment, so I imagine they’re not overly concerned. 

I’m still puzzled about the rise in his PSA after all this time though and still have fingers crossed that something isn’t quietly bubbling away. I’ve spent so much time thinking about what ifs/maybes I’m finding it hard to just accept. Definitely upping the broccoli on your advice too! Luckily it’s one of our favourite veggies anyway, so a good excuse to enjoy it more often. I had been also encouraging him to take lycopene tablets since his brachytherapy. He’s always loved tomatoes, but anything to increase it in his diet if it helps. 

I hope everything is going well with you both? Did you eventually get the results of your husbands UTI test as well? 

Thinking of you both. Xxx

Brilliant to hear that the scans are clear and hope that as you believe, the bony lump stems from and old injury. The psa rise is puzzling and we as humans need answers which maybe someone can give you. The waiting game goes on and it’s very tiring. 
There was no UTI so it’s just a case of hoping my husbands rise falls by the next test in August. Doing ok with carrying on with life until the little worm finds a *** in my brain. 
let’s keep in touch when there is anything further to report. Hope you manage to get away at least for a change of scene. 
x

Glad to hear that you have decided to go away and hope you have a great time! We too have been away and are off again soon. If these scares do anything it’s to reinforce that we have to make the most of what we have. But as you say, even on the best days there is that niggling feeling that all might not be well under the surface. So in our case it’s waiting for the next psa test in August and taking it from there. I am heartened to hear that your husband’s psa seems to have risen for no apparent reason and send all best wishes. Hope for both of us that the next steps are positive
x

Not quite such good news today.

Husband had PET scan at the county hospital on Saturday and he got a call today for an appointment at the urology department. Apparently, he has a ‘hot’ spot on his spine and his rib which shows the cancer is active again.

The consultant was lovely and very positive and has put him on Bicalutamide tablets immediately and recommended he goes on 12 week Zoladex implants to bring his PSA down and prevent the cancer getting anymore of a foothold. Husband feels absolutely fine and you would have no idea he had any issues, so it’s a bit of a knockback.

Still, onwards we go. 

Hope all is good with you both? Xx

Apologies for the slow reply. We are away and I’m not checking my phone very often.

Absolutely not the news you wanted. It must have been so hard to hear for you both. On the positive side you seem to have very quick responses from your medical team. I’ve not come across either drug you mentioned so will certainly check both out so I know as much as possible. Isn’t it incredible that your husband has no symptoms and thankfully the PSA testing is doing its job. Do you now wait for the 12 weeks to be up before anything further? 

I feel that we are living in a strange bubble, having a wonderful holiday with children and grandchildren but my mind often starts the ‘what ifs’. Husband is a great compartmentaliser and takes the view that until we have bad news, there is nothing to be gained by worrying. My pessimism rushes to the fore. 

Please keep in touch and I wish you both well xx

Hi JagChamp, how are things progressing? Think of you often x

Hi there, thank you so much for your message and really appreciate your thoughts x

My husband had his first 12 week Zoldax implant two weeks ago, so hopefully it’s put the cancer cells into ‘deep freeze’ for a while. He has received an appointment on the 3/9 with oncology at our local hospital so I’m trying to research different options so I can ask the right questions so we know the pros and cons of different treatments. I know my husband is so pragmatic, he will ‘go with the flow’ whereas I want to know about advantages/disadvantages. 

If I’m honest, I’m very anxious about what we will be told. I know I’m over anticipating, but reoccurrence has always been my fear and lurked at the back of my mind since his original treatment.

Any updates on your husbands health and how are you coping? Our adult children are brilliant, they are always so positive and upbeat, which has been so welcome whenever I feel myself slipping into gloom mode!

Take care and please keep me updated on your progress. Xx

Hi there, your message certainly rings bells with me. L (husband) really took a back seat in terms of research etc at the point of his diagnosis whereas I had to keep learning as much as I could for my own sanity!!!

I see that both the drug and implant you told me about are types of hormone therapy. How is that going? Have there been any side effects so far? 
I completely get your high anxiety, especially having had to hear bad news in the past. I think I may have been a little naive until recently in thinking that the brachytherapy had done its job. A reoccurrence is frankly a terrifying prospect and I am constantly imagining how things will pan out. I find my brain drifting to imagining the worst and being angry that I always assumed we would both live well into our 90s. We haven’t told our children on the basis that until we know what we are dealing with we don’t want to worry them.

L had a second PSA last week, three months after the one that raised the alarm. His results came through yesterday and they had run a whole raft of tests but not a PSA. He now has to wait a fortnight for the next free appointment which is infuriating! 

Hello there, just checking in to see how you are and if you’ve had any further updates?

R is absolutely fine on the Zoladex implant. Luckily he was last time too, no unpleasant symptoms or side effects although a good friend of ours was the opposite, terrible sweats and painful boobs! We have a holiday booked a week after the appointment on the 10/9 and he’s more concerned about being organised for that than his appointment! 

The sensible side of me tries to rationalise and think that at least R is in the system now but I also feel we’re on a roller coaster and rather out of control and exactly as you said, what we thought was our future has been rather thrown up in the air.

Again, please keep me updated on you and L. Thinking of you both. Xx