Finding peace in a spectacular day

Oncas,
I wish you all the best. Be positive, I had a Gleason 8 and 9 from my biopsy and now I'm on the other side hoping for my first PSA to be a zero. My surgery was quick, one night in the hospital, one week with the catheter, almost dry (one pad per day). ED is another story but the important thing is to get rid of the elephant and the rest is just an inconvenience.

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Age: 67
Retired in 2001 and living in Austin TX.
PSA 3.5 free PSA 11%
Dx 12/30/08
2 cores out of 12 were positive Gleason (4+4) and (4+5)
Negative CT scan and bone scan done on 1/16
Robotic surgery performed on Feb 9th
Surgeon: Dr. Randy Fagin, Austin TX.
Post op Pathology report:
Prostate weighed 57 grams
size:5.2 x 5.0 x 4.9 cm
10-20% involved
Bilateral
Gleason 4+4
both nerve bundles removed,
pT3a Nx Mx
Negative margins
Lymph nodes: not dissected
seminal vesicles clean

Jim

Don't be afraid of the open surgery, it will be a breeze. I had it in May of 07 and stayed two nights in the hospital. Keep a good attitude with this thing and everything will be alright. Hope the surgery will get rid of it for good.

Mika

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age at dx 54 now 56

psa at dx 4.3

got the bad news 1/29/07

open surgery Duke Medical Center 5-29-07

never more than 2 pads

Tossed the pads this spring

ED still a problem

Got a shot last week and it was great

A year an a half of zero's

Hey Jim,

Being apprehensive before treatment and being relative new to this battle with cancer are understood by all of us here on HW. You have done everything you can do and done it right. You have a treatment plan that is best for you. You have a treatment schedule and you have obviously researched your options. Thats what we all did and we all made it through to the "other side". The fear will subside. Nothing defeats fear better than success so celebrate all your small victories on your way to surgery.

As you have noted, cancer changes our lives. Those changes can be for the better or for the worse. The choice is ours. Prostate cancer treatment has some drastic side effects but there are many resources that we can use to overcome them. Read the many success stories here on the forum with regard to overcoming these side effects and making life as good and sometimes even better after treatment.

You mentioned priorities. Facing serious illness does tend to sort out the small stuff that we can get rid of. Here too you have the power to choose what is important to you in your life from now on. Take control - of your priorities, of your treatment and most of all of your attitude. A great attitude is our number one weapon in this fight. With it we can turn the downer days into victory days. We can meet adversity with good cheer for those around us.

You have made an excellent start. Please stay with us and help us on our journeys.

Jim

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Age 74. Diagnosed 11/03/06. PSA 7.05. Stage T2C Gleason 3+3.
RRP 12/7/06. Nerves and nodes okay.
Catheter out on 12/13/06. Dry on 12/14/06.
Pathological stage: T2C N0 MX. Gleason 3+4.
50 mg Viagra + .04 cc Trimix = Excellent Results
PSAs from 1/3/07 - 7/17/08 0.00.
PSA on 1/28/09 - 0.02
Lung cancer dxed on 5/16/08. Surgery on 6/25/08 T1N1M0 - Stage IIA Finished 4 cycles of chemo on 11/7/08.
CT scans on 12/2/08 & 2/25/09 - in remission!!!
Next scan in May 09.
Biker90's Journey
Jim's Space
"Patience is essential, attitude is everything."

 Hello Jim

I Felt the  same way  , we all deal with it in our owen little ways  lol  for me well alot of people were mad but

I went Elk hunting for 2 weeks came back on a sunday and surgery one Tues .

 I was scared of the unknowen but when time came it was easy , took a little over 6 hrs  for mine .

The best feeling is after its over  and the healing   beagines  there may /will be bumps  in the road but thats what this group is hear for the support and  learning from others .

 Take care my friend  and see you on the healing side of this thing :{)

                            Ron

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 I am 42 years  young

Psa 11.6

gleasen 4+3=7

Catscan-Neg but for a cyst on liver

Bone scane - Neg

11 out of 17 bio tests came back pos full rt side agressive cancer lft side  core  had 2 bios  pos

had the open RP on Tuesday November 18th of 2008 at 7:45  am , finished at 1:30 and took the 3 pts of blood I gave .

 At Kaiser Sunnyside  in Oregon

Performed by Dr Matthew Forsyth

 Came home on 11-21 , cath and staples out on 12-01

now the real work begins

Oncas,

I still remember the apprehension during that week leading up to my open RRP also. I have to say the Pre-op visit does help since it familiarized you with the waiting room and other partiiculars. I guess you are done with that part now.

Here is my funny story about the surgery itself.

I was waiting in the pre-op parking area with the drip line in and just waiting to hit the surgery (feeling OK since they do give you some painkillers even before surgery these days to keep spare the nerves during surgery etc). So the nurse is explaining to me, when you awake from surgery you will be over on the other side of the room in Post-op parking area. Then, the next thing I knew I am hearing "He's waking up" from the nurse and the whole thing was over -- in literally one second as far as i was concerned. darn never even got to count backwards from 100 or see the surgery room and all the shiny equipment or watch them draw the marks on my abdomen! HAH! I was kind of disappointed about all that.

Hey one thing to ask about: Will they use STAPLES on your incision or TAPE (plus the regular sutures of course). Everyone hates the staples -- I was lucky enough to have only TAPE which you can pick off yourself during the second week. Staples look ugly, feel ugly and give you all those extra holes. I think they could do tape because I am thin and had a non-fat tummy -- but I have not asked (although my PA was kind of surprised no staples ). Yeah too late to diet and exercise to a flat tummy now I suppose -- sorry!

jim

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Age 58, 192lbs, 6'4", 57 at DX, PSA Aug2008 7 4 ... June2007 4.7 (BPH + LUTS)
Biopsy Nov2008 1 of 12 cores 5%, Gleason 3+3 - Sona showed 140+ cc (110 grams post op) prostate size.
open RP surgery 02/03/9, Nerve sparing both sides, 1 day in hospital, Day 4 first BM,
Post-surgery Pathlogy Report - All margins clear - No Invasive spread - no change in Gleason score.
Cath out on 2/18/9, passed a STONE within hours. To be analyzed by doc.
Using pump (encore) daily since catheter out -- Viagra and Levitra samples now and then (no effect).
03/06/09 Started Levitra 20mg rehabbing.

I had every apprehension that you do Jim. Had knee surgery in 1969 and Gallbllader removed in 1971. I could only fall back on memories of the excruciating pain, 6 and 8 day hospital stays, a nurse nearly injecting me with penicillin and possibably ending my life. Brother was I in for an awakening. Turned down so many pain shots, they finally told me I was getting one whether I wanted it or not. Up walking the halls 4 hours after surgery and asking when can I walk again? Seeing the beauty of my wifes face smiling back at me when I left recovery. Knowing that I was alive and would continue to be so. Meeting some very effective, hard working and dedicated, caregivers that I now consider to be in a since, friends. Being cancer free, picking up a new tractor tomorrow, no leaks today that I can remember, and and a nice glass of wine before me. Life is not quite the same as before but it is getting better every day. You will not be alone on surgery day, a whole bunch of us will be there with you in thoughts, prayers, and spirit. All will go well for you, my friend.

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Age at DX 57

5-18-07 PSA 7.7

5-06-08 PSA 4.6  8% free psa, but stable

10-23-08 PSA 5.65 4% free psa

11-04-08 biopsy

11-11-08 2 of 12 cores positive

Gleason 3+3  6  stage t1c / post-op 3+4  7  stage t2c

CT and Bone scan negative

Da Vinci RRP 01-09-09

Catheter removed 1-15-09

Pathology Report says it's gone!

First Post-op PSA 2-17-09   0.00

Oncas

Coincidentally I too am scheduled for an rrp on 3/26.  I called yesterday to schedule the surgery and was given the option of the 26^th of March or the end of April.  I want to get as much recovery done as possible before the summer so I opted for next week.  Talk about throwing yourself into the fire,  lol.  It took me a while to be at peace with this decision but for me, at my age, I feel it’s the right thing to do.  Anyway good luck next Thursday, I’ll be in the same boat…hope it works out well for both of us.

To echo Oncas and others, thanks to all who contribute here!  This site and the yana site have been a great resource for information and the personal experiences are invaluable.

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Age 44, DX 12/08

Psa 2.6 free 11%

One of twelve cores pos. with 5% pc Gleason 6 3+3

smc64 and Oncas

Got you both down on my calender for 3/26, you guys get special thoughts and prayers from me and I know others here too on that day. You are going to do fine!

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Age at DX 57

5-18-07 PSA 7.7

5-06-08 PSA 4.6  8% free psa, but stable

10-23-08 PSA 5.65 4% free psa

11-04-08 biopsy

11-11-08 2 of 12 cores positive

Gleason 3+3  6  stage t1c / post-op 3+4  7  stage t2c

CT and Bone scan negative

Da Vinci RRP 01-09-09

Catheter removed 1-15-09

Pathology Report says it's gone!

First Post-op PSA 2-17-09   0.00