Initial treatment was Varian Truebeam external radiation at the Bellingham Peace Health Cancer Center in Bellingham, Washington, where I live. I also was diagnosed with BPH. Was put on Flowmax for BPH (two tablets per day).

Treatment was also coupled with Steroid Inhibitor (Aligard, I believe) for two years following radiation.

PSA stayed at about 0 until 6 months after Aligard 2 year ragime ended. Then it starts to creep up.

However, what with the COVID pandemic and not able to eat out, my intake of processed carbs (pasta, white flower, etc) went down. This results in far easier urination (BPH was less evident). Urologist allowed me to cut Flowmax from 2 tablets to 1 tablet in July 2020 and I have been on one tablet per day since. Urination now on one tablet per day is far better than even with 2 tablets per day at end of 2019. Sometimes I skip daily Flowmax but with no serious effects.

PSA is now about 6 or 7. Urologist proscribed pet scan in July 2021 but all was negative. He now wants me to go in for biopsy. I am pushing back because I figure biopsy has risk of complications. Risk of complications also leads to risk of hospitalization. Due to covid, I don't want any chance to go into hospital. (I am fully vaccinated with booster, by the way). In lieu of 2nd biopsy, I am going in for 2nd Pet scan in January (scan facility flooded out with burst pipe, which cancelled my initial December appointment).

If something is found in prostate, since I had radiation, I cannot have prostate surgery and cannot have additional radiation (according to urologist), which means only treatment is something called cryo surgery. That can only be done in Seattle; there is no cryo surgery in Bellingham. As I don't have car and would have to go public transit, which I don't want to due with the pandemic going on.

I am curious, what is the feeling about me just ignoring anything regarding any sort of invasive procedure (biopsy, cryo, whatever) for a couple of years until COVID is settled in one way or another?

In addition, I don't want to even consider chemo as that would weaken my immune system, which further suggests to me to just do nothing until COVID has settled down (if it ever will).

And by the way, I have filed POLST (Physician Order For Life Saving Treatment) and medical power of attorney essentially saying that I do not want ventilation, ressectuation, IV feeding, for anything except for comfort and then put me into hospice. I do not want to take ventilation or an ICU bed because I know that there are younger people needing those and that I am ready to pass on if that question ever arises.

Mark's e-mail address is: markallyn456 AT gmail.com (replace "AT" with "@")