Hi everyone, this is my first post here after lurking the last couple
of weeks.

I have a family history of PC -- my Dad died of it in his 70s.  I've
been having yearly PSAs done for the last 10 years (I just turned 59)
and they have always been in the normal range.  The last, about a
month ago was 2.6.

Two weeks ago, however, I had a sudden onset of what turned out to be
epididymitis.  I went to a urologist that I had never seen before and
he gave me antibiotics and told me to rest and apply ice packs.  It
worked and I was fine by the end of the next day.  While I was in his
office, though, he did a PCA3 test because of my family history of
PC.  A week later it came back positive and he did a prostate biopsy.
It showed PCA in one of the eight samples.  The Gleason score was
3+4.  My prostate is not enlarged (based on the ultrasound done during
the biopsy, the urologist estimated 26 grams).  A CAT and bone scan
were normal.

Initially, this urologist, and the radiation oncologist he sent me to
recommended seed brachytherapy, possibly with additional external beam
radiation.

I wanted to get a second opinion, so I talked with a different
urologist and radiation guy that are affiliated with a fairly large
cancer center in the city where I live.  They recommend that I undergo
a 2-month (48 treatment) session of IGRT instead of the seed implant.

Everyone I've talked to has said that there probably won't be a lot of
difference is whichever route I take, IGRT or seeds.  They do the Da
Vinci procedure here and presented that as an option also, but I don't
want to do the surgical route.  I'm most comfortable with the numbers
that I've seen related to the IGRT, so that's the way I'm planning to
go.  I realize that this options game is pretty much a crap shoot, so
I feel best going with the option that involves the least number of
holes punched in me, and the smallest ones.

Which brings me to my question about the fiducial marker implants.
I'm scheduled to have this done on this coming Friday.  What should I
expect?

Unfortunately, I've seen the needles they are going to use -- my
radiation guy gave them to me to take to the urologist (they're across
town from each other).  I know they are going to shoot some Lidocaine
in before they insert these things, but still, they've got to go all
the way to the prostate by way of the perineum, ouch!

I worked for years as a medical lab tech and have drawn blood from
thousands of people, assisted at bone marrows, and all kinds of stuff,
but being on the receiving end of this gives me the willies, big
time.  I guess I'm a wuss, but I'm really dreading having this done.

Thanks in advance...