1 down, 44 to go! The treatments begin!

The day has finally arrived.  No more poking, prodding, invasive instruments, biopsies or other indignities anymore.  Just 45 daily radiation treatments and I'll be done before the end of July.  I'm feeling truly blessed.  At first, it looked like I would get started at the end of June, then it got moved up to June 1st and now here we are commencing on May 26th.  I should have been leaving the country for a mission trip in Kenya this Thursday.  We all know that's not going to happen now, probably not until next year.  So what better way to spend my summer than to be ridding my body of cancer and making new friends in the process!

I arrived 15 minutes early for my first appointment to get instruction on what to do each day as I prepare for every treatment.  I still had a few questions that had crossed my mind like whether the dose of radiation would be the same for all of the treatments or would it vary? And how soon I might see side effects from it or from the Lupron injection?  I still haven't had my first hot flash and am hopeful it is on the milder side of what's possible.  The answers were that the dose and the target vary somewhat from treatment to treatment, but when everything is said and done, it all evens out.  And as far as side effects go, it varies wildly from one individual to another.  So I can only hope I am one that has mild or negligible problems.

I will be getting radiation every weekday for 9 weeks with the exception of a holiday or two, starting with the Memorial Day holiday we just celebrated which means I only go 4 times this week.  My last session will be on a Tuesday.  I will see the radiation oncologist every Thursday, that's my "doctor day".  I'll be able to discuss any questions and I'm sure he'll have a few for me as well.  

So far, for each appointment with this urology practice, whether for a biopsy, a day surgery or whatever, I have brought in a different one of my photos on my phone and have promised everyone that is interested at least one smile or laugh each time they see me.  They will know who Dave is before this is all over!  And how I share the glory of God's creation through these images.  It's a good conversation starter.  Here is the picture I brought in today which I call "Wink, wink" of 3 Screech Owlets this Saturday at Mills Pond.  More to follow as I have more to report.  Thanks again for all of your prayers and well wishes.  So far, so good!