May 07, 2007

28 Days at a time.....

Now that the the elation of my latest PSA has worn off I thought I'd share a little something.

The high from a good PSA score usually lasts over the first weekend after we get the news.
Then, things return to 'abnormal'. They return to thinking about, what is next?
- What if next month the number jumps?
- What can I eat that might help?
- What can I do to assist the current medications?
- How much more green tea, pomegranate juice, green veggies, fresh fruit can I eat?
- Was three glasses of wine too much the other night?
- I gained four pounds over the weekend. [Mary is happy]
- Should I work out more or less than I have been?
- Should I not ride the exercise bike the week leading up to the next test?
- Will there be any announcements about trials, drugs, breakthroughs in the coming month?


We have been wanting to return to Florida over the summer, when is too far out to plan? I have been meaning to take a training class for work in Atlanta, when should I schedule it? We should probably get to St. Louis over the summer, can we fit it in? Everything we plan to do is scheduled around the monthly doctor appointments, which vary by month and in some cases, based on the current test results.

These thoughts pretty much circulate through my head each month. My life has now become chunks or periods that last the 28 days between tests. Planning too far ahead is a task, and is risky.
From a distance, it appears our lives are quite 'normal', but in actuality, they're not. We like normal, and try hard to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible, give our situation.
As in the past, this is not a complaint, just an observation I share with you.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Dave
I've been reading, and enjoying, your Blog entries for some time. I'm from Concord, N.H. and I was originally diagnosed with PC in Oct 2004 at the age of 48. In Jun 2006 I joined the ranks of men with advanced PC. I just completed 37 IMRT at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston,MA. I'm happy to see that there is someone else out there who shares the same "observations" as I do. THANK YOU for sharing!

Be Well

Steve

John Wagner said...

I like normal too! I have seen it described as getting used to the new normal. And that is what it is, the "new normal." (heavy sigh)