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Next Operation is set - July 10

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Prostate Cancer
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bsjoplin
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2010
Posts : 308
Posted 6/15/2012 10:15 AM (GMT -8)
prayers are with you, buddy...wishing you the BEST !
bob
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Im_Patient
Veteran Member
Joined : Aug 2009
Posts : 713
Posted 6/15/2012 1:47 PM (GMT -8)
David, you have my prayers for discernment, and a good outcome, regardless of your choice.
All my best, Jeff
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Jazzman1
Veteran Member
Joined : Sep 2010
Posts : 1196
Posted 6/15/2012 5:08 PM (GMT -8)
Wow, David -- I'm sorry to hear that you're having to go through another surgery.

Nobody can tell you when it's time to throw in the towel and "let nature take its course," but I'm glad to see that you're taking this shot at surgery, despite all its possible downsides. Best of luck with this procedure.

Between now and then, I hope you'll take the opportunity to focus on all the things you still enjoy in life, and really soak in whatever satisfaction life has to offer you.

Hang in there. We know you're a tough old bird, and you know you're in our thoughts and prayers.

Jonathan
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rob2
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2008
Posts : 1132
Posted 6/16/2012 3:43 AM (GMT -8)
it is hard to say anything but you always have our thoughts and prayers. Thanks for keeping us posted.
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Purgatory
Elite Member
Joined : Oct 2008
Posts : 25448
Posted 6/16/2012 10:05 AM (GMT -8)
thanks guys. life still goes on, and i still do what i can do.

did go to the lake friday night,, got everything set up for my wife. she joined me after her work, i fixed dinner and spent the night, but was so miserable in pain, that i left her there and was on my way home by 930 in the morning. wasn't feeling good, and didnt want to spoil her weekend. so i am home resting, and staying out of the way.

david
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Squirm
Veteran Member
Joined : Sep 2008
Posts : 744
Posted 6/16/2012 10:52 AM (GMT -8)
I really hope your doctor(s) can find out what is causing all this pain. You really deserve a big break.
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Purgatory
Elite Member
Joined : Oct 2008
Posts : 25448
Posted 6/16/2012 3:43 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks, Squirm, appreciate that. I am in a little less of a funk today, my poor brain has been digesting the whole situation, and moving ahead with this exploratory surgery makes sense. There is a strong tie between radiation for prostate cancer and getting bladder cancer as a secondary cancer, and this is assuming the radiation was delivered properly. But with radiation that was done wrong, I read where there's 15x more chance of bladder cancer developing as the result. I would still rather know, even though the consequences would suck, then to turn my head and not know. I don't feel that would be in my best interest for survival. As typical, when the time comes, I will have to just suck it up, and go through with it, and hope for the best.

david
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Jazzman1
Veteran Member
Joined : Sep 2010
Posts : 1196
Posted 6/16/2012 5:18 PM (GMT -8)
David,

I'm not understanding this situation completely, so please excuse what may be an ignorant question.

What's the best thing that can come of this surgery? Is there a chance they can remove some cancerous and/or radiation damaged tissue and relieve some of your pain?

I'd sure like to see you catch a break.

Jonathan
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Purgatory
Elite Member
Joined : Oct 2008
Posts : 25448
Posted 6/16/2012 6:06 PM (GMT -8)
Jonathan,

This is an exploratory type surgery. It will do nothing to relieve my chronic pain, as that is related to servere and perm. nerve damage caused by the faulty SRT. This is being done, to rule out the possibility of bladder cancer, since the normal means of detecting are out of the question, being that I have a bladder that is non-functional and disconnected from the normal urinary plumbing.

David
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compiler
Veteran Member
Joined : Nov 2009
Posts : 7699
Posted 6/16/2012 8:06 PM (GMT -8)
David:

Am I correct that the best possible outcome is:

They are able to go in and visualize the bladder and find no cancer. You recover quickly and uneventfully and have a Foley for less than a week?

If so, then this is what I hope happens. Good luck to you. I'm so sorry that you have one crisis after another. Hopefully you can put the bladder cancer issue to rest and concentrate on the PC and perhaps make progress on that area.

As someone else said, I so hate the f-----g disease. If it doesn't get you directly, it does indirectly, both physically and mentally

Mel

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Purgatory
Elite Member
Joined : Oct 2008
Posts : 25448
Posted 6/17/2012 5:35 AM (GMT -8)
Yes, Mel, that is the general gist of things as they stand.

Best - surgeon can make it through to bladder, finds nothing suspicious, end of story for now. If he gets in, he will take some bladder wall samples regardless to be examined, and he will take pictures of bladder walls to show current condition. Last time he was in there, Fall of 2010, he said it looked like "a war zone", and that there was complete scarring of the interior from the radiation.

Not so good - he is not surgically able to get through the sealed shut bladder neck to get to the bladder. If it use to scar shut in a months time, he said its hard to know what it's going to be like after nearly 2 years, especially since the bladder, bladder neck, urehtra, haven't been used since the by-pass surgery. There is risk for additional injury if he has a hard time, and a great risk of infection. If he can't get through, this is for nothing, and we would still have no reasonable way to inspect the bladder for cancer. The most normal sympton for bladder cancer is bleeding. But in my case, if I were or am bleeding, there is no way for the blood to exit the bladder since it is sealed off. He said its possible that the increase in my bladder spasms and considering how much more they hurt over time (again with a non working bladder), that it could be getting filled with something, and having no way to exit, is causing the spasms at this time.

Not so good - he can get in, and finds evidence of cancer, he will either have to take samples right then and there, or do a second to remove any cancer through the scope.

Worse case - he sees extensive cancer, and it would require a complete removal of the bladder. Looking at a risky, 8 hour or more surgery, he said high chance of perm. rectal damage, would be hard with the by-pass in place, and due to how merged all the surgical lines would be because of the radiation damage to the area.

Also sucks - if either cancer version came to be, and the cancer or bladder were to be removed, there would be no way to follow up the cancer removal with radiation, which would be the standard of care in that situation. So unless all the cancer were to be removed perfectly, then recurrance without any options for treatment would be the case.

Best bet is for this surgery to be a success on the first try,, and get an all clear on the cancer. How much pain an how long it will take to recover, depens on how hard it is to get through with the surgery. The cath is only going to be there to aid in the healing, and have a way for any blood or whatever to drain. Since the bladder has no input of urine, there won't be even the normal way to flush it out, i..e. drinking fluids, as they will never hit the bladder on its way out.

There is a lot riding on this, as the odds for finding something are high, and both my main doctors feel this is a sensible way to find out, and its not based on needless fear.

david
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biker90
Veteran Member
Joined : Nov 2006
Posts : 1465
Posted 6/17/2012 8:48 PM (GMT -8)
Good luck Purg, I get a new knee on July 9.

Jim
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Purgatory
Elite Member
Joined : Oct 2008
Posts : 25448
Posted 6/18/2012 5:39 AM (GMT -8)
Jim, thanks. Good luck on your knee replacement surgery. That makes me hurt just to think about that. Hope they do a good job, and that you have a good recovery.

david
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Tenpin
Regular Member
Joined : Oct 2011
Posts : 219
Posted 6/18/2012 9:21 AM (GMT -8)
Good luck.  Sending positive thoughts and prayers your way.
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Purgatory
Elite Member
Joined : Oct 2008
Posts : 25448
Posted 6/18/2012 9:23 AM (GMT -8)
thanks, tenpin
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BOOGEE
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2012
Posts : 743
Posted 6/18/2012 4:31 PM (GMT -8)
David,

I do hope for the best for you, and don't want to see you go through more pain.
I don't know if this can work for you if in case they find bladder cancer, but I have 2 clients who have bladder cancer and they became in remission with TB virus injected into the bladder.
One had it done 7 years ago or so (a male), and the other had it 2 years ago (a female).
Will be thinking good thoughts for you.

BOOGEE
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Purgatory
Elite Member
Joined : Oct 2008
Posts : 25448
Posted 6/18/2012 4:58 PM (GMT -8)
thanks boogee,

i have never heard of that as a treatment for bladder cancer, but will keep that in the back of my mind in case i end up with a bladder cancer diagnosis. usually, they remove the cancerous areas via a scope when possible, and if the cancer is more serious, they will either partially remove or totally remove the bladder, and then follow up with radiation to the area. Always interesting to learn of other methods in how cancer is being treated. It sure can vary a lot, from doctor to doctor.

hope you are doing well at the moment.

david
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ralfinaz
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2011
Posts : 735
Posted 6/18/2012 6:38 PM (GMT -8)
David, that treatment is a type of immunotherapy used for bladder cancer. It is called Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). It has been used to treat PCa too. Let's hope there is no need for it. Wish you the very best outcome.

RalphV
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Purgatory
Elite Member
Joined : Oct 2008
Posts : 25448
Posted 6/18/2012 7:03 PM (GMT -8)
Good info, Ralf, thanks, and for the kind words, the last thing I need is a new major problem to deal with, got enough on my plate.
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Aimzee
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2010
Posts : 1413
Posted 6/18/2012 11:14 PM (GMT -8)
David, you are in our thoughts and prayers as you prepare for this surgery.   If there is cancer, I hope it is contained in a relative small area.  You've been through enough.  You know the song, "Enough is enough is enough."

Warm wishes,

Aimzee

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Purgatory
Elite Member
Joined : Oct 2008
Posts : 25448
Posted 6/19/2012 11:34 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks, Aimzee. I am at the point after nearly being 4 years into this thing called PC, that I have no expectations, one way or the other. I just take it as it goes, not a whole lot of choice really. Or I could simply bury my head in the sand and let nature take its course. At least I can't say its been boring like some guys PC journeys, lol.

David
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Startech
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2011
Posts : 1150
Posted 6/19/2012 5:25 PM (GMT -8)
Hey there David! I am hoping the best for you as always. Its been said many times and I dont mind repeating, you are such a strong person in dealing with this. Sounds like your leaning towards going thru with this next surgery, but you know it is ok to change your mind later. Whatever you decide, I am behind your decision 100%. I would hope another goal of this procedure it to find out what is causing those darn spasms and stop your pain so that you could continue to fight this thing without the distractions. I cant think of another person who has handled this with such grace and bravery. I am truly willing the pain to decrease for you, so that you and your family can have some enjoyable moments these next few weeks. I know you will find a way to make the most of it.
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Purgatory
Elite Member
Joined : Oct 2008
Posts : 25448
Posted 6/19/2012 5:44 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks, Star, for your voice of support, well appreciated.

Despite feeling flustered by my circumstances, I will be going ahead with this exploratory surgery thing, as again, not knowing, is far more dangerous than them finding something.

David
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