Today I had another chance to enjoy a trip to Stoke Mandeville hospital for my third PSA-level check since my radical prostatectomy. Coincidentally, it is one year to the day since I dressed (briefly) in a theatre gown and was ushered into the wings of the operating theatre awaiting my entrance to go under the knife. Actually, this should have been my fourth post-operative check but holidays [vacations in Amerispeak] got in the way somewhat. Well, one shouldn’t let medical issues disturb having a good time too much, eh?
Carol cleverly avoided the normal Stoke Mandeville parking nightmare by kicking me out of the car in the near vicinity – at least she came to a halt before doing so – and then smartly dashing off to do some planning for her mum’s approaching 90th birthday bash.
I walked the short distance to outpatients reception to check in, then wandered along to the waiting room. I had hardly sat down and begun reading one of the traditionally out of date magazines before I was called in to see the consultant. Odd! This is the first time my appointment has ever been on-time.
PSA-level = zero.
I have to return for another check in March but, if that is still zero, they will let my GP carry out the further tests. Actually, I had been expecting that to happen this time; I think it’s normal after one year. My suspicion is that the consultant saw just three test results, which are normally at 3-monthly intervals, and didn’t realize that my year was, in fact, up. Still, no worries, I don’t have much else planned for March. 😉 I walked back into town to meet Carol.
It was a curious hospital trip: no stressful searching for a parking space and no one hour wait staring at paint flaking off the walls.
Excellent news, happy anniversary.
Brill!!