Paul finished radiation yesterday. Check out this video.

After his final treatment, we met with Dr. Pugh to discuss what happens next. He needs to stay on the ADT hormone block until at least July 2019. So he gets another three-month shot in January and one more in April.

They’ll check his PSA and testosterone levels every few months but we’re playing the looooong game here. The ADT therapy (Lupron) will artificially depress his PSA levels so it won’t be possible to get a truly accurate reading until late 2019 (after we’ve allowed a long period of time for the drug to completely dissipate and his testosterone levels to bounce back.)  That said, Dr. Pugh said we’re looking for his PSA to be very low (practically zero) and then to not rise by more than a few numbers once his ADT therapy is finished. IF his PSA rises over time, it means that there is an “issue” and he’ll  need additional diagnostics to determine the cause.

But for now, we are focusing on the positive. It’s gonna be close to a year before we have any more definitive news so we are assuming that Paul is now cancer free and we are getting on with our lives. If this experience has taught us anything it is not to postpone joy. We’re looking forward to the big things (our wedding/honeymoon, new grandchild, getting a puppy) and also to the small day-to-day rhythm of our daily lives (work, gym, movies, etc.) Life is good. Actually, it’s GREAT.

Sending you all love and light.

Jill and Paul