So it's ordinary radiotherapy, external beam radiation?
Ordinary, that's right yes, yes from three sides, the left, centre and the right.
And you had how many sessions for that?
I had 13 I went every day except weekends for the 13 consecutive visits and the brachytherapy afterwards. I had to wait a week because of problems with the machine, I think, but I went in hospital for 2 nights and had the brachytherapy, but they called it something else I can't remember what they called it, no I can't remember what they called it anyway the general term was brachytherapy.
And can you explain in detail about those 2 days when you were in hospital?
Yes, on arrival I was checked over for blood pressure and that sort of thing and I had my last meal on the, on arrival at the hospital, and then the following day I had to go without breakfast because I would be having a general anaesthetic to insert the cannula into the prostate. I was wheeled down the operating theatre and then wheeled back not knowing anything [laughs] just feeling it was a little painful until I was wheeled down to the, to have the brachytherapy where pellets of radioactive material are inserted in to the prostate area for a few seconds and then after that you go back to the ward.
Were you under anaesthetic for all of that?
No.
Just for when they put the cannula in?
Only when they put the cannula in yes.
I was then taken down to the room where the Brachytherapy was going to be provided and there were, I can only assume there were various tubes connected to the cannula because the radioactive pellets went into the various tubes at various times and the whole thing didn't take very long but it was fitting the various tubes to the cannula and making sure that the connections were there. And then the staff retired and then the machine automatically I think blew the little pellets into the cannula in turn and went back to the machine, and I'm told there was no possibility that one could be left inside because they were all counted before they went in and when they came out.
How does it feel while this is going on, while this is happening?
You don't actually feel anything. One is observed on a television screen to make sure that one is comfortable and that sort of thing you know and of course you can speak if there are any problems so the staff know, can keep an eye on you while it's happening but it doesn't take very long and then you're disconnected from the machine and then you go up, back to the ward and to my great delight I felt like eating [laughs]. But I had to remain in another night because I would have another session of the brachytherapy before being allowed to go home after that.
So you're up in the ward, still with the cannula there?
Yes
Is that uncomfortable?
It was very uncomfortable because one was restricted from movement because of the pain but one could bear it because you knew that it was going to be removed the next day so it helps.
So if you lay still it was alright?
That was alright, yes, yes.
So you went back down for one more session the next day?
The following morning that's right and this time knowing what was happening one wasn't quite so apprehensive and, but the only painful bit was having the cannula removed without any pain killers [laughs]. The doctor said 'You can scream and shout to your utmost,' and I certainly did [laughs].
So what happened after that you went in, you came home again.
I had an appointment I think a week after for checking, each time I fill in a questionnaire of quality of life and that sort of thing and any problems and there weren't really any problems. And I had a PSA reading and it had gone down a little bit and then I think a couple of months later or I think it was 2 weeks later the out-patient visit was gradually lengthened and gradually when they took a PSA reading it had gone down considerably and the last PSA reading which they took had gone down to 0.5. |
