Continuing research and ...

It's been awhile since the last post, and that, for some reason or another, seems odd.  After all, I am not cancer-free yet, even if the path I'm on is going according to plan.  I am still under the sway of the hormones, which make my mood swings a bit unpredictable (I'm easily pushed to a rather depressing state, if anyone wants to know... which I resist with varying levels of success), and I have no stamina or energy.

I talked to my radiation oncologist last week or so, and he verified that the lack of testosterone alone is enough to make me feel the way I am.  Add to that the residual radiation effects, and the experience I have makes perfect sense.  Which is not at all to say that I handle it well or am accepting of it. I want to be productive again, and working, and active, and I feel like I am none of those. 

I need to do some more research into follow-on steps, and keep up to date with current medical research... but I have no energy for that either.  Whatta case!  But there is the scheduling of the follow-on PSA tests that needs to be done.  And my doctors seem to be bouncing that back and forth between them (or if not, that's my perception).  We would have set them up when I last saw my radiation oncologist last but for the fact that it appeared that the urologist used a different lab.  So right now there are no PSA tests scheduled. 

But the research I will pursue is about the new drug Provenge, which I read about in a NY Times article from last week.  From what I read so far, I doubt that I'd be considered for using it, but it it worthwhile finding out more.  

Other effects from the hormones: hot flashes are increasing in intensity, frequency, and duration. And my bones seem sore... hurts to stand up in the morning and also hurts to sit for too long.  Strange effects.  I stopped taking the Flo-Max this week, and so far that seems ok. 

Geez... not a funny line in this entire post.  I blame the hormones.

Antagonists and Agonists.. or "I coulda been a contendah!"

OK... this is silly, I'll say it right up front.  There.

I've been mucking about reading about hormones, agonists, antagonists, and trying to make some sense of what it is I signed up for (willingly, I should emphasize... I just didn't appreciate the complexity of the interactions going on here).  And I was casting about for a visual image for an agonist, because I felt like I was leaving the poor agonist out of the picture.  So ...brace yourself.  It's Marlon Brando in "On the Waterfront" asserting that he coulda been a contendah.

Where did that come from?  Good question! The Greek background of the word "agonist", which is this
"The word "agonist" comes from the Late Latin agnista, contender, from the Greek agnists, contestant, from agn, contest. An agonist is a chemical contestant or contender."

OK... that wasn't as funny as I thought.  Interesting words, these... and a bit confusing as well.  I mean, an antagonist is the bad guy in a story, right? And he or she plays against the protagonist.  Except not here.  It's another example of medical (terminology) humor. HA!  It is to laugh!  Only it would help for the medical terminology to be somewhat less opaque to the patient side of the equation.