“Sit-Rep” .. No. 45

That was quick… 😳
Well, actually it’s a last-minute update to No.44.

I did a lot of thinking last night, and decided to go over my notes.
I have been maintaining very detailed records since this whole thing began.

This Sit-Rep is mainly for those most connected to the Cancer issue.. Patients and their support circles.

It deals with the decision making process and which treatment options you choose.
‼️ Once again, I want to preface this with a statement:
👉🏽 Nothing I say here should be taken as medical advice, because I am not the least bit qualified in any medical arena.
I have to read the instructions in order to get the cap off a bottle of aspirin.

My goal is to simply chronicle what has happened to me, how I have dealt with with Cancer related issues, the decisions that I have made, and their consequences.

You can look at all of that, evaluate it and decide if anything helps you decide which path you might follow.

So, back to this update.
I said yesterday that the pains and overall situation has brought me to the point where I believe it’s time to stop work.

When you reach that stage, you’ve already been digging pretty deep and weighing options.

You’re also looking at everything and asking yourself… “How did I get to this point?”
You start wondering “What if?”
You ask not only “What do I do now?”, but “Is there something I did that put me here?”

As I was combing through my notes and trying to figure out where this pain, that wasn’t showing up on the latest (you’re getting old) X-Rays came was coming from.

That took me all the way back to 2022 before I found a “possible”🤷🏽‍♂️ connection.

It was July 4th, 2022 … Independence Day… also my “Independence Day”

That was the day that I decided to stop treatment and discontinue the use of all the prescribed medications.

Why did I do that?
I did it because the side effects were making me feel like … like … I’m feeling now.🤔

I had been going through a similar physical ordeal. In fact, I announced my retirement and did so shortly thereafter.

Five months after that, after stopping the medications, I was back to “almost normal” for an old man (see the attached video 🫣).

So, what’s my point?
Without realizing it, I have allowed myself to backslide.
No, I hadn’t changed my mind about treatment.
Everything that I’ve done (accepted) has been palliative… intended to address pain and foster a better quality of life. That’s the textbook definition.😊

Radiation Treatment for one issue… Radiation for a pain issue… Medications to address a pain issue… Medication to slow the PSA Level increase and make the Radiation more efficient…

It keeps piling up…. and now….!
Here we are, like it’s 2022 all over again.
I’m swallowing many of the same medications that I was taking prior to “Independence Day”

‼️ Here are some of the notes I found from 2022…‼️
Cancer-related fatigue can be severe and last for different amounts of time depending on what's causing it. It can affect all aspects of daily life, making it hard to keep up with work, social life, or routine.��👉🏽 Cancer-related fatigue is different from tiredness, which is usually short term and you feel better after you stop, sleep or rest. Cancer fatigue doesn't usually go away with sleep or rest.

😳 That is compounded by this fact:
😴 Medications for Cancer-Related problems list drowsiness as a side-effect
👉🏽 Brand Name can cause drowsiness, dizziness
👉🏽 Brand Name
👉🏽 Brand Name can cause Fatigue: Feeling unusually tired or weak
👉🏽 Brand Name Hormone therapy for prostate cancer can cause extreme tiredness…
🤔 Brand Name commonly causes leg-related side effects, including muscle pain, cramps, weakness, and swelling (edema) in the legs, feet, or ankles.

So, the question is:
“Is the Cancer causing the latest Doom Sequence, or is the Medication the Culprit?”

“If I stop the medications will I recover like I did last time and get back on my feet?”

Because I can feel the pains but, can’t see what’s going on inside, I have to take my best guess and make a decision.

For the moment, I’ll stick to my plan with regard to Retirement and possibly making the Trip to Germany but, I am initiating a second “Independence Day”.

I’ll just have to see whether or not things improve and go from there.

I don’t think Dr. C… and Dr. Y… are going to like it but, if you recall, he did say that it’s my decision!😈

Will my condition change?🤷🏽‍♂️

So, I should know / feel something by 25.March. That’s when I’ll have to face them.

That’s all for now!