A summary of what happens up to and after brachytherapy for prostate cancer

This blog is now getting quite lengthy so I think a quick overview - a helicopter snapshot - might be in order. Those of you avid followers (in your thousands, well quite a few anyway) will already know the background and how I was fortunate to be blood-tested and came up with an elevated PSA result.

In the Prostate Cancer Begins Like This article, I covered off that part of my story and how Gloria, ever supportive, came with me to many of my appointments. The key thing here is the #dontfearthefinger hashtag because, quite frankly, if that's all that stands between you and a debilitating cancer, it's an easy check.


Then we moved on to the visit to the urology specialist where I also nearly got let off with a caution. However, thanks to a urology nurse, I was referred on for an MRI, which revealed that I did indeed have prostate cancer and I would need a trans-rectal ultrasound-guided biopsy. Sounds fun? Nope it wasn't. However, keep in mind that this is the groundwork for sorting the problem.

Ultimately, one needs then to hear the results and, it doesn't matter how much you convince yourself it's going to be OK or that you are about to die imminently, the truth is that you're never quite ready for the answer when it comes.

I then thought it might be jolly to give you five things you need to know about prostate cancer - I think I should have added, "whether you have it or not."

Then of course you have to begin the preparation for the op - the first thing being whether your urine flow is adequate to withstand the rigours of the radiation. Then I visited the oncologist and this was where I learnt even more detail of what was going to happen to me. The inevitable forms to be filled had to be addressed - and these are really important because repeated filling of them will indicate your progress after the op.

Then came the pre-op consultation and this is where your whole medical history has to be explored. Mine was lengthy! It had an addition of an oxygen test, because of my snoring.

And then it was the day of the operation, when so much happens but you're not really in a state to notice. Suffice to say I was well looked-after. The night on the ward and then the subsequent morning and discharge were a bit of a blur.

Discussions on a wide variety of topics included radioactive condoms and then my progress after one week, two weeks, three weeks and four weeks.

And here we are! Keep reading, because there's a long way to go yet. Next major milestone will be the urology consultant visit to get results from a CT scan and blood test. That's not until 3rd April though.