Six weeks after brachytherapy - exciting!

Actual scan of my pelvis, showing the seed implants quite clearly

The six week mark after you've had brachytherapy is one of those points where you get to see what the surgeon has managed to achieve. In my case, that was a pelvic CT scan followed by a blood test.

Gloria decided that I needed to be driven to the hospital but, this time, she didn't bring her laptop! Apart from the shock of that revelation which, I'm sure you'll agree, either indicates she doesn't have enough to do or, perhaps, she's really taking this seriously. Since she has done from day one, I suspect the latter. It's certainly not the former because she continued to handle emails and chats on her phone - so same difference, really.


We arrived at the Radiotherapy Department and I was rapidly seen by the radiographer who wanted me to pull my trousers down. OK, no problem. Now your underwear - not too far ... just enough to not obstruct the scan. She then produced a piece of paper towel to protect my modesty. It'll need to be bigger than that ... oh, actually, no. It'll do.

So, with a piece of tissue on my privates I then lie down on the scanner bed and the machine whirs a bit, then moves me back and forth and finally stops - all in all, about 45 seconds. "All done," shouts the radiographer. "Do you want a look?" So I pull up my clothes, rebuckle and head into the room where the radiographer shows me the scan - it works its way through my body in cross-section, revealing my bladder, prostate, rectum and so on. It's absolutely fascinating and I cannot resist asking to take a photo - which you can see at the top of this post.

The white spots are the implanted seeds and the good news is, they're all in place and everything looks fine. I ask whether they have counted them and she tells me that they'll do that in due course. All looks well and I head back to Gloria who is deeply absorbed with her phone and "staffing problems".

Lucky number at the Vampire Station?

Next stop is the blood-suckers. The Blood Test area has one of those systems where you take a number and wait for it to be called. Mine is 101 - is it a sign? We wait and wait and then eventually the numbers start to tick off and I'm seen. The lady jabbing the needle apologises for the wait and says they've had some tricky ones - including a fainter. My sample will be sent off and the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) tested to see if it is dropping yet - here's hoping!

She does the do in a matter of moments and we are on our way back home. That's been simple and the staff are, as ever, wonderful. I can't fault the NHS and the quality of treatment I am getting. Gloria's not doing too bad either.

And the side effects update? Nothing much to report. Weeing starts and finishes with a sharp intake of breath ... and I seem to be doing a lot of it, but otherwise all systems nominal, Captain.

So now, the next hurdle is meeting the oncologist on Tuesday to discuss progress. Gloria's coming too!