Alan
Evans and Wendy live in Western Cape , South Africa. He was 61 when he was diagnosed
on October 22, 2009. His initial PSA was 4.78 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 3+3=6
and he was staged T1c. His choice of treatment was Brachytherapy. Here is his
story.
In August 2008 I went for my annual PSA check and the result was
4.1 My GP said there was a slight increase in the size of the prostrate but I
should check again in one year as it was not serious. In October 2009 I went to
a new GP who gave me a rectum examination plus PSA test, the result was a rise
in PSA to 4.78 and he referred me to a Urologist who I saw 2 weeks later. He gave
me a rectum test and also a sonar and picked up a cyst on a kidney plus an enlarged
prostrate. He advised me to go for an Ultrasound at the local hospital which I
did the next day ( private health care in South Africa is extremely efficient).
Straight after the Ultrasound I went back to the Urologist who booked me in for
a biopsy 2 days later at the Private hospital. I was booked in at 7.00am and finally
had the biopsy at about 13.00hrs. I was released from hospital at about 17.00hrs
the same day. On 27 October 2009 I went back to the Urologist and he gave me the
results.
He told me I had cancer, but was in the very early stages and
was highly curable. He did a 18 core prostrate biopsy and found cancer in 3 only.
I was at stage T1 but my prostrate was 70 gms which was quite large. He went through
the options available to me and gave me literature on all and scheduled an appointment
to see me one week later.
After reading the literature and also researching
on various websites including I contacted a business colleague who had prostrate
cancer a few years ago and had radical treatment. He put me on to this website
where I did a lot of reading. I also contacted a friend who had Brachytherapy
2 years ago and it was after a discussion with him that I decided on this method.
On 4 November 2009 I went back to the Urologist and with his advice confirmed
Brachytherapy. He advised me that the size of my prostrate would have to be reduced
to about 50-60gms before the operation could be carried out and that I would need
to have hormone treatment to reduce the size of the prostrate over a 3 month period.
He sent me to an Oncologist on 17 November 2009 who explained the procedure of
the hormone treatment and the seed implant. The next day I went to the Urologist
who injected me with the hormone implant and I carried on life normally, not experiencing
any changes in my body , no hot flushes, no mood swings ( although my wife said
I was more grumpy!). I regularly exercised on my bicycle and was eating healthily
and enjoying life.
Then all of a sudden came the 18th December 2009. I
had noticed for a couple of days that my urine flow was reducing and I was going
to the loo more often. I phoned the Urologist on 17 December and he said I should
drink frequently and take citrus soda. On Friday 18 December I went with my wife
for a couple of drinks to a Christmas function and the had dinner at the local
Yacht club. I got home at about 22.00hrs and passed urine and went to bed. At
about 01.00 hrs I got up to go to the loo but was unable to pass urine. I went
back to bed and tried to sleep but had to keep getting up to go to the loo. Each
time I went I was unable to pass urine so I was getting quite worried. At about
03.00 hrs I asked my wife to phone the local Private hospital casualty to make
sure their was a nurse or doctor on duty who could help me. They said there was
so my wife took me in complete agony to the hospital and on the way every bump
in the road made the pain worse. I arrived about ten minutes later in the casualty,
ran in, the nurse had been primed and was ready for me and I had a catheter inserted
through the penis into my bladder. On litre of urine was released and then I was
examined by the Casualty doctor who checked that the catheter was correctly inserted
and the nurse strapped on a permanent bag to my leg and I was sent home. The Doctor
said she would phone my Urologist at 08.00hrs to inform him of the incident.
I
went home and was in a lot of discomfort and was filling up the bag regularly.
At 09.00hrs my Urologist phoned me and asked me to come to his rooms at 10.00hrs
(on a Saturday) which I did and he checked the catheter, checked the bladder and
told me that the hormone treatment had now kicked in and the prostrate had enlarged
and had blocked the exit to the bladder.
He said I would need the catheter
in for five days, gave me antibiotics and Flomax and also another drug, Lenditro
to ease the pain. For 4 days I was in agony with the catheter and the need to
pass urine which I obviously could not do. On the Monday the Urologist phoned
to see how I was I told him of the pain which he said was unavoidable. He told
me to stop taking the Lenditro tablets that night and arranged to see me in his
rooms on 23 December to remove the catheter. I saw him this morning and he removed
the catheter successfully, stated that my bladder was empty so in about four hours
I should be able to pass urine naturally. He told me to drink water and contact
him after five hours if I had not been successful. I went home and after two hours
the greatest feeling: I actually wet my pants and was so happy. I have passed
urine naturally now a few times with a little discomfort but a lot of relief.
I
am due to have another appointment with the Urologist on 11 January 2010 to ensure
that my prostrate gland has been reduced in size and that the Seeds can be ordered
for me to have the operation on 1 March 2010.
I will update my story next
Month, the treatment I have received from the Urologist, Dr Grant Trollip, the
Casualty nurse and the Casualty Doctor at Knysna Hospital has been first class.
I am grateful to them all.
Alan's e-mail address is: alanevans@mweb.co.za
