mpnatx
Distinguished member
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2014
- Messages
- 372
- Reason
- PALS
- Diagnosis
- 11/2014
- Country
- US
- State
- Texas
- City
- Austin
Hi everyone,
Yesterday, I completed radiation treatments for prostate cancer. 37 in all. I was advised by my neurologist and urologist not to go through with it, but they left the decision up to me.
My justification was that if I didn't do it and research miraculously came up with something that may slow down our progression, then I would probably have regretted not doing it sometime in the future.
Well, I'm happy to report that besides wearing me down tremendously, the side effects weren't that bad. More fatigue and having to be there everyday was about it. I'm very fatigued anyway, I really couldn't tell if it was the radiation or the ALS.
I'm glad I was able to tolerate it!
Last week, the radiation oncologist handed me a piece of paper with an email address and asked me if I would email another patient of his who was just diagnosed with ALS three quarters through his treatments. The patient wanted me to contact him and I did. After several emails, we decided to meet at the office after his treatment which was about an hour before my treatment.
What a nice visit we had. He had many questions and I had most of the answers thanks to all I've learned from everyone here. I've wondered, what the odds were of meeting another pals going through the same radiation therapy as me!
I steered him towards this forum and told him how helpful and informative this forum has been for me and I hope that you can meet him soon. Obviously he's very scared and an emotional wreck....Like me and everyone else when we were first diagnosed.
He's such a beautiful person and I plan and hope we can meet again.
After our meeting, I realized just how much I have learned from everyone here. I'm so happy I was able to help someone like us.
Thank you all for being here,
Marty
Yesterday, I completed radiation treatments for prostate cancer. 37 in all. I was advised by my neurologist and urologist not to go through with it, but they left the decision up to me.
My justification was that if I didn't do it and research miraculously came up with something that may slow down our progression, then I would probably have regretted not doing it sometime in the future.
Well, I'm happy to report that besides wearing me down tremendously, the side effects weren't that bad. More fatigue and having to be there everyday was about it. I'm very fatigued anyway, I really couldn't tell if it was the radiation or the ALS.
I'm glad I was able to tolerate it!
Last week, the radiation oncologist handed me a piece of paper with an email address and asked me if I would email another patient of his who was just diagnosed with ALS three quarters through his treatments. The patient wanted me to contact him and I did. After several emails, we decided to meet at the office after his treatment which was about an hour before my treatment.
What a nice visit we had. He had many questions and I had most of the answers thanks to all I've learned from everyone here. I've wondered, what the odds were of meeting another pals going through the same radiation therapy as me!
I steered him towards this forum and told him how helpful and informative this forum has been for me and I hope that you can meet him soon. Obviously he's very scared and an emotional wreck....Like me and everyone else when we were first diagnosed.
He's such a beautiful person and I plan and hope we can meet again.
After our meeting, I realized just how much I have learned from everyone here. I'm so happy I was able to help someone like us.
Thank you all for being here,
Marty
