November glooms

We're having the most unusual November in the Northeast U.S. I walked my dog for 5 miles this morning in a t-shirt. It's still in the 60s. I'm not complaining. There was a nasty cough going around that lasted about five weeks but I finally got over it with some prednisone.

My treatment formally ended on October 31 when I stopped taking ADT. I'm feeling better after 2-3 weeks--appetite is back (just in time for American Thanksgiving) and sleeping a lot better but also, and I know this sounds crazy, I feel like my "cancer shield" has been taken away. My PSA on ADT was undetectable and I'm told it will start to rise. My first post-ADT PSA test is two days before Christmas.

Every year I put together a Christmas CD of unusual songs, including at least 2 or 3 originals that I write myself. Now that AI voices are available I can sing and then have AI make me sound like just about anything I want so this year will be more fun than usual because there will be vocals and lyrics on my original songs and not just instrumentals. I'm working on that the rest of the afternoon because I have to burn about 50 copies, address them and get them mailed out by the end of November.

Writing is very therapeutic for me, too. Plus, now that I'm older, I love to sometimes go back and read the journals I kept when I was 18 or 25 or even 40.

Here in Connecticut, we are in the middle of a severe drought. I mean severe. My front and back yards look like sandy deserts. Blowing the leaves is a study in developing my own sandstorms.

The weather has been up and down temperature-wise, but keeping busy with outside activities.

Hang in there north: PS, where are you in Canada? As a kid I spent my whole summer in Canada at Jack Lake, Apsley, Ontario. I continued to go up as an adult but had to give it up last summer due to health concerns. The only summers I missed are the summers after I was drafted.

@scottbeammeup — Thanks! That made me smile, especially that you took the care to write "American thanksgiving". 🦃

U.S. prostate cancer warriors, on November 28 I wish you all the turkey, football, and slightly-drunk argumentative relatives your hearts desire (and if *you* want to be the drunk, argumentative uncle or grandpa, go for it! you've earned the right). ♥️

I don't want to say exactly where I am in Ontario in a public post, but Apsley is well under a day's drive away, and yes, the Kawarthas *are* beautiful (plus I love the Kawartha dairy). I'm sorry you weren't able to come up last summer.

Send me a private message if you'd like more specific info about where I am and where I'm getting treatment. I'd also be interested to hear about your service (I'm a civilian, but I have close relatives in the Canadian Armed Forces and I'm very proud of them).

Hot & sunny down in NZ.
Summer's nearly here. But I'm stuck at home because this incontinence is becoming debilitating.
I could do with some snow, if you have any spare.

My summer 2023 was like that. Do pads or briefs help?

For me? Sort of. Still going through 7 or 8 pads a day. Can't see a physio until next month.

I decided on a condom catheter. My urologist was not pleased because he said I would not train myself to work on holding it. I couldnt wear shorts but it was the only thing I couldnt do. I never spent any time not doing what I wanted. Its been five years now so looking at options.

I read about the condom catheter, but that's back to using bags.
Pass.
Sounds like the next step is either a sling or an artificial sphincter.

Sorry... hijacking the thread.
November's nearly over. Can't get interested in Christmas at all this year.

At 3 months post prostatectomy for my Gleason9 IDC, my PSA had already risen to 0.26. I'm a week out from my 6 week secondary PSA test, which I fully expect to confirm reoccurance. Since my urologist believes there will be a short PSADT, he said radiation, ADT, and chemotherapy are all on the table but he's reluctant to do radiation so soon after surgery as I'm still struggling with incontinence. Since the new year is a little ominous, my wife & I took our 5th wheel from Albuquerque to Depoe Bay, Oregon for a 3 weeks retreat overlookingthe Pacific. It was beautiful and I took every opportunity to eat clam chowder and sea food and we walked on the beach every day, rain and shine. While we were enjoying the coast, parts of NM got nearly 3' of snow! It was a long trip but it was so worth it!