I start my cancer treatment in June at M.D. Anderson in Houston.
Mary Ann and I will be leaving Friday the 24th to drive to San Angelo, where we will pick up my sister Ginger’s travel trailer. From there we will drive on to Houston where we will set up at the LakeView RV Resort for the duration of my treatment.
I’ll be pulling the trailer with my F250, and also taking one of my motorcycles with me. I’m not sure I will be feeling up to riding much, but it doesn’t cost anything to take it, and if I do, then I’ll kick myself if I don’t take it.
For those of you who are interested, I’ll be taking my Triumph Tiger 800, though I don’t suppose there’ll be any adventure riding in Houston. I’ll probably just use it for local transportation on days with good weather, and when I feel well enough to ride. Lots of men I’ve talked to who have received external beam radiation tell me that they felt nothing out of the ordinary and had no side effects, but in my case I’ll also be having HDR Brachytherapy, which is a surgical procedure so I may be too sore to ride. At least for the first couple of weeks.
Lakeview RV Resort
The treatment will start with HDR Brachytherapy and a hydro-gel treatment. Then I will rest for about a week before they start external beam radiation.
I expect about 23 beam radiation treatments. They do the treatments Monday through Friday and take the weekends off.
The radiation treatments should start on June 17. Twenty-three weekdays later is July 17, so that should be the date of my last treatment.
Overall I have mixed emotions about it. I am glad to be getting treated at M.D. Anderson and my doctor is absolutely delightful. I don’t think I could be in better hands, but this is a pretty serious medical treatment and things can go wrong. Here’s hoping that nothing does.
If everything goes well, then I should be back home, and cancer-free at the end of July.
Your prayers and well-wishes are appreciated. Mary Ann and I are extremely grateful for the outpouring of support we’ve received from co-workers, friends and family.
If you are a man, get your PSA tested regularly. It’s cheap and could save your life!
