The battle rages on.

I have had a pretty busy appointment schedule in the last couple of weeks.  I am beginning to think I could get a job as a greeter at Sunnybrook giving directions to the "clientele", I've become that familiar with the place. [I could use the money to cover the cost of parking.]
Bone scans, C. T. scans, bloodwork, radiation therapy (more on that later)...it seems never ending.  I can see why it's called "fighting cancer", it is an exhaustive (and exhausting) series of attacks and defensive maneuvers, trying to keep me alive, and my quality of life at an acceptable standard with regards to pain control. We are stepping things up a bit right now in order to find the next (and best) course of therapy since we discovered that the hormone therapy I was on is no longer effective.  My current prognosis is 2 years, plus or minus a few months.  It doesn't sound good, I know, but that estimate is based on statistical data compiled from cases that are similar to mine, and the majority of those cases were men 60 years and older, so my age could (and should) be a factor that makes a difference. Our goal right now is to drive that number up by finding the best form of treatment for me, something that will "stick".

There is a case study coming up in the next few weeks that I qualify for and has had a lot of positive results at other institutions but my Oncologist is concerned that I might end up with the placebo so he wants to have an alternative "on the ready" just in case, hence all the testing. In the meantime, tomorrow I get radiation treatment that's designed to alleviate the pain.  Unfortunately for me, the way it works means that the pain will actually increase for a short time, maybe a couple of days, before it gets better. (Yay! More pain! Can't wait!)  As long as it eventually works the way it's supposed to then I consider it a small, if uncomfortable, price to pay. 

Other than all of that, Thanksgiving is coming, and I have a feeling that it's going to be a very special one for me, given that I am so much more aware of all that I have to be thankful for.  I am very much looking forward to spending the weekend up north with my Family.
I may even write a blog about it.