Rays of Hope!

Tomorrow commences my 37 weekdays in a row treatment with beams of radiation.

I have taken the paraffin liquid for over a week already and was surprised that it was not bad at all - at least compared to one of those fad oil drinking diets where one uses fowl tasting oils.

I found that over the past 10 days or so I have been literally exhausted by 19:30 each evening and force myself to stay up until 20:00 or 20:30, but still must get up at least every hour to use the restroom due to the 'feeling' of need. I am also experiencing joint pains in my wrists and right ankle - may have hip pains in the near future according to the side-effect list.

Looking forward to after my last radiation rays on October 9 followed by my last shot on October 15. Then just a few months until that shot's side effects wear down and all is back to normal.

Where's Doctor McCoy when you need him the most?

Counting Sheep

Counting Sheep

or

Counting on Sheep?

It gets wearisome after 6+ months of light and short sleep intervals. Counting on the practice of counting sheep is only relaxing at best.


The good news is... two more of those shots and the reasons for sleeping short 20 minute to 1 hour 'naps' should start to wind away 3-4 months after the last injection during week 42.


Onward I go... into the blue!

California Summer!

Actually …

… I am a long way from my home state of California. After my second 12-week interval shot, the hot-flashes seem to have shifted to more of having flashes of feeling normal. I am warm-hot most of the time. The benefit is experiencing a California feeling summer in Norway!

Working outside is an added benefit to my current state of warmness. I sweat just like those 40c/104°F California days working in arid areas on construction projects running as fast as possible. I actually feel better than I have in years, which I am sure is due to the sweating cycle of my body finally being able to function normally at my California life-long levels again.

Plus, I saved the price of a trip back home – too bad    L

Until next time …

One More Shot for the Road

Getting ready for next week's second injection of hormone blocking remedy into my stomach lining.

I was able to sleep 4 whole unbroken hours last night for the first time in weeks, followed by the normal 1 hour wakeups until dawn. My previous record was 2 hours 2 times. Not quite sure if this was because I am so exhausted, or that it's time for the next shot and the last 12-week's medicine dose is dwindling away.

I'm ready for that big needle! C'mon, nurse ...

Drain the Lizard

I believe that the full effect of my first Zoladex injection back in February is taking its hold. I have read that it is generally 6-8 weeks after the first stomach-plunging needle experience that this is the case.

I experience nights of restless, bathroom-visiting, interrupted sleep quite frequently; and we all know the long term effects lack of sleep may cause. Time will tell.

One night I was up every 10-35 minutes and then went to work the next day. Needless to say I got sick and now have a cold and probably an accompanying nasal infection. This may be due to lack of sleep and 3 days of freezing temperatures. I work outside, but when a hot flash came on, I found myself taking off my coat and stocking hat to stop sweating.

On the bright side – working outside with the Sunshine on my Shoulders in beautiful surroundings is more than most folks could ever ask.

Take care & God bless!

Happy Easter - God Påske

Happy Easter - God Påske

Working outside every day helps with the fatigue related side-effects associated with treatment, not bad at all. Now it is a 5-day holiday (paid for 3) to ready myself for next week's 4-day work-week.


It's been cold with frost again, but that's normal for this time of year here.

Have a wonderful holiday time, everyone!

Buried Treasure!

Yes, the golden slivers were buried (implanted) into my prostate on the 20th of March.


The next step is 37 radiation beam treatments commencing at August's end or in the beginning of September.


And who said 2012 would be an uneventful year?



The photo I took with my phone while waiting outside the urology surgical area at the Kristiansand hospital on 'Implantation' Thursday.