Things About The Journey That Force You To Laugh???

Through my journey with this PCa thing, I've had a few occasions to find humor in the situations I've been in.  Anyone else? One example -- I remember shortly after being diagnosed, I was a nervous wreck. checking into our local "Imaging Center," for a C-scan and Bone scan.  The pre-test/insurance stuff was being done by a young gal (maybe late '20s) and she could sense how uptight I was.  When the check-in was done she looked me in the eyes and said, "THINK POSITIVE!" I bit my tongue and shortly after, said to my wife, "HOW THE HELL CAN I THINK POSITIVE, WHEN I'M HOPING FOR NEGATIVE?" 2) When my first post-op PSA came back undetactable, our fellow member, lawink, said, "Best test in the world to score a ZEROOOOOOOOO!!" 3) An old friend of mine called me when I was about four weeks out of surgery and said he hoped the sensation in my penis would come back.  I told him the sensation never went away, just the ability to get a full erection and told him I'd already had two orgasms, but not an erection. "How'd do you do that?" he asked.  Nuff said... Love ya...   54 years old PSA = First ever was 9.8 in late Oct. ‘06, two weeks later, 10.1 DRE: Negative Biopsy results 11/22/06 (6 out of 8 cores positive), both lobes, Gleason 3+3 = 6 Da Vinci Robotic RP surgery, City of Hope, Jan 12, 2007 Post surgery pathology – Organ confined, Gleason still 6, margins clear. First post-surgery PSA -- Undetectable, 2/20/07

     I've got one for you.....when I went to see my Urologist for the first time he asked if my Family Practice Dr. had done a DRE?  I siad...."NO he saved that for you since your the expert".....heheheheh

   Gotta laugh to keep from Crying!

    KW

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    43

    PSA 5.7 - Discovered during Annual Physical with Family Practice Dr.

    Gleason 7

    Biopsy - 3 of 12 positive (up to 75%) all on left side of prostate

    RRP on Oct. 17, 2006 - Nerves on right side saved.

    All Lab's clear.  No Cancer outside prostate

    Cathiter in for 3 weeks due to complications in healing. Removed Nov. 9, 2006

    First Post op PSA on Dec. 11, 2006  Undetectable 0.00

    Office visit on Jan. 19th due to continued excessive urine leakage.

    Feb.20th Cystoscope and 2nd Post Op PSA. Another 0.00.....:)

     Dr. said everythign looks fine.  Continue to work Kegeal's. Leaking appears to have improved  after Cystoscope?!?!?!  Down to 3-4 pads per day!

    March 1st  Leaking has crept back up to 6 - 8 pads a day ??????? 

    May 22nd Follow up (unless incontenance does not improve by mid March) and 3rd Post Op PSA

   

Hey Swim, you sure he didn't know what he was doing?

When I was in pre-op, two nurses were double checking my id. They had to read my account number (about 15 digits!) back to each other several times as they went through the various procedures. After a while one one of them saw the grin on my face and apologized for the long process. I told her "Thats okay. I don't want you guys cutting of the wrong stuff down there." They cracked up....

Jim

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Age 72. Diagnosed 11/03/06. PSA 7.05. Stage T2B Gleason 3+3.

RRP 12/7/06. Nerves and nodes okay.

Pathological stage: T2B. Gleason 3+4. Cancer confined to prostate.

PSA on 1/3/07 - 0.04.  Next PSA on 4/4/07.

 "Cancer feeds on fear - starve it to death."

I have gotten quite a few laughs here with the different descriptions of a man's penis post-treatment - wet willy, mr. happy, flat tire, etc. pianoman - you said one "the south will rise again!" After Jeff had the catheter removed, we were waiting in the exam room for the nurse to come back, and she finally came in and asked if we were "doing the deed" now that Jeff was free. there have been a lot of little things to laugh at, I just can't remember them right now!

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Husband Jeff 56 years old diagnosed July 27, 2006
PSA 6.5, 2 positive areas in biopsy, Gleason 3+3=6
Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy August 30, 2006
pathology report - all clear - cancer gone
1st post-surgery PSA test <0.1, 2nd post-surgery PSA test <0.1, 3rd PSA <0.1
no more pads Oct 12, 2006
first "real" erection with use of pump 12/16/06
3/07 - occasional dribbles and no further improvement in erections

Post Edited (M. Kat) : 3/14/2007 5:22:27 AM (GMT-6)

You guys are the greatest! Lot's of fun stories. Most recent for us was the day of Bob's 2nd PSA results last month . . . . remember that the same doctor did the surgery on Bob's older brother 2 yrs ago . . . . we commented that the brother's was bi-lateral nerve sparing and Bob's was unilateral.

I commented that the brother wasn't having any of the ED problems Bob was (from the wife sharing kind of stories). Dr. says . . "I hope he's not waving that in your face" . . . . I couldn't resist . . . . my comment . . . . . "wave WHAT in my face??"

We all cracked up!

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Bob (60) had laproscopic prostate surgery on Sept 27, 2006 - 2/12 malignant biopsy samples - gleason 3 + 3 = 6.  Follow up PSA results and pathology results received Nov 14th are NO MORE CANCER!  Gleason changed to a 3 + 4; cancer completely confined to prostate; (even a second more aggressive, previously undetected cancer)      PSA UNDETECTABLE November 2006 AND February 2007.   

 

Bob also takes Hydroxyurea to control Polycythemia (elevated red & white cells & platelets) has secondary condition . . Myelofibrosis) -- If anyone has experience or knowledge of these, please post us.

We had a great surgeon, but from almost the beginning he said that pain would be so minimal only Motrin would be needed (and there is a good reason for staying away from narcotics-they are constipating...) B had two hernia repairs, and a spermatocele on a testicle he wanted removed too. Doc said the hernia repairs would not hurt at all.."We use mesh, connect to bone; it won't hurt" Well, when B woke up in Recovery after six hours of surgery he was in a lot of pain. He could barely open his swollen eyes, was shivering and groggy, but his mouth opened and the first words were "When that doctor comes in here I am punching him in the nose." For the record, the prostatectomy was nothing compared to the hernias and cyst! Age 51 Gleason 3+3 PSA from 3.2 to 4.3 in one yr Biopsy 11/06 DRE negative 4 of 12 cores positive, one lobe, less than 10% Inflammation only second lobe Stage T1C Clinical Dx PSA prior to surgery: 3.9 Da Vinci Prostatectomy 2/27/07: PCa in BOTH lobes 5-10% of gland Gleason 3+3 Negative tissue margins Bladder, seminal ves, vas deferntia negative Two inguinal hernia repairs Catheter removed 1 wk after surgery Full continence (no pad needed) 1 wk after surgery Full potency, 12 th day after surgery    

Thank you all so much for sharing your stories. Man can I relate to some of your stories!! I was a little leery about posting this thread, but I had a feeling that there are others here who walk away from certain situations scratching their heads and wondering, "What the hell was that all about ?" ….I guess another crazy experience for me was immediately after my surgery. (For the most part, it’s something my wife remembers, not me.) I was instructed to not consume anything solid or liquid after midnight, prior to my surgery. My surgery was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and due to an emergency and some delays in the operating rooms I wasn’t out of recovery and into a room until almost 10 p.m. – about 22 hours after my last drink of water. Next thing I remember, the nurses are feeding me ice chips, but I had some serious thirst. So I asked a nurse for water and she said something like, “No sweety -- no water, just some ice for now.” My wife said I kept asking the nurses for water and was denied it. Then, in my morphine-induced stupor, I asked a nurse, “How about apple juice? Can you get me some apple juice?” The nurse replied, “Sure, we have apple juice.” And they brought me two cans of it!! AND I DRANK IT STAT! It was like vintage wine. Go figure. Perhaps my wife was sticking my IV into her own arm for the medication and made this up??? LOL. I wouldn’t blame her. My take on it is that I asked for apple juice about the time I was allowed to have liquids again, because the nurses and docs at City of Hope were the absolute best. Love ya, Keep on smilin’ PianoMan 54 years old PSA = First ever was 9.8 in late Oct. ‘06, two weeks later, 10.1 DRE: Negative Biopsy results 11/22/06 (6 out of 8 cores positive), both lobes, Gleason 3+3 = 6 Da Vinci Robotic RP surgery, City of Hope, Jan 12, 2007 Post surgery pathology – Organ confined, Gleason still 6, margins clear. First post-surgery PSA -- Undetectable, 2/20/07 Post Edited (PianoMan) : 3/14/2007 8:02:00 PM (GMT-6)

Excellent Bluebird -- rumor has it that the "initials" the surgical assitant wrote on Tamu's abdomen were "STW," which in medical terminology, stands for, "Save the Whopper."  Or was it DLTW -- "Don't Lop the Whopper." Sounds like a detail-oriented surgical team to me!! No one wanted to autograph any part of my anatomy, that's for sure. Too funny...   54 years old PSA = First ever was 9.8 in late Oct. ‘06, two weeks later, 10.1 DRE: Negative Biopsy results 11/22/06 (6 out of 8 cores positive), both lobes, Gleason 3+3 = 6 Da Vinci Robotic RP surgery, City of Hope, Jan 12, 2007 Post surgery pathology – Organ confined, Gleason still 6, margins clear. First post-surgery PSA -- Undetectable, 2/20/07

Ok I'm not sure this qualifies but it has happened since I was diagnosed with PC. Our family was all going to Hawaii and since my wife was having her flight paid for by the government it was up to me to buy our tickets. well we had some vouchers from American and we decided to use them. I made the reservations online and even though they seemed a little expensive I didn't think anything of it. Now my mind hasn't been all there since the dianosis so yesterday I checked our e-ticket confirmation. yes we are going to Hawaii but I found out that me and my two daughters are flying first class all the way and my wife on a different carrier is flying ecomomy. I used my condition shamelessly to escape her wrath. Honestly she's more upset about the fact shes flying ecomomy then the cost of us flying first class.

aloha everyone

PianoMan ~ What a hoot!!!!    belly laugh for sure!!!!!   pcdave ~ I thought she caught you unaware… I actually saw your words blushing… cuz your new!!!   We’ve come a long way….. baby!!!!!   Kat and several of the other ladies made it possible for any topic to be discussed and it added total   “quality” to our forum!!   Total true honesty and very helpful insights for some of the guys whose wives are a little unsure.     aztec1958 ~ Look at the strength you have!!!!   Mama shouldn’t have too many complaints with just coming back from Hawaii …. Right!!   Enjoy the pampered section!!! And have a wonderful time.   We want to hear all about it on your return.   We are so happy to see you posting with a “smile”…     Mozart250 ~ I guess you and PianoMan, Shelpla,Birdland and TC-LasVegas could make us up a song with this one.   Tie a red ribbon round the old oak tree…   Give your dad a special hug from all of us!!!     This is fun!!!!!!   Keep them coming….   mama bluebird - Lee & Buddy… from North Carolina Link to our personal journey…>>>      Our Journey ~ Sharing is Caring   April 3, 2006  53 on surgery day RRP / Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy with "wide excision" PSA 4.6   Gleason  3+3=6    T2a   Confined to Prostate 2nd PSA 02-06-2007 Less than 0.1 Non-Detectable :)

Piano Man

Loved your last post! Got a real charge out of it. It is apparent that there are a lot more "dirty old women" here than "dirty old men", especially if we can't "rise to the occasion" yet (or anymore). Cheers!

Dave

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68, Biopsy 9/27/06, Stage T1c, PSA 7.1, Gleason 6 [less than 5% in two areas], Gleason 7 (3+4) [less than 20% in third area], negative DRE, bone scan and MRI. Starting proton radiation therapy 2/22/07.

Hi Jim (Biker 90)

You should have heard me roaring when I read you last post here. Thank God that Piano Man was smart enough to set up a thread about humor. We need as much of this as possible. Hope you are doing much better now Jim. All the best to a great guy!

Dave

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68, Biopsy 9/27/06, Stage T1c, PSA 7.1, Gleason 6 [less than 5% in two areas], Gleason 7 (3+4) [less than 20% in third area], negative DRE, bone scan and MRI. Starting proton radiation therapy 2/22/07.

J         Tom ~ you are very welcome!!!                  Thank you for starting this thread ...  a thread that needs to be bumped.                     Laughter “ is ” good medicine…                                                        mama bluebird - Lee & Buddy… from North Carolina J   We invite you to visit our personal thread:   Click Here:   “Our Journey” ~ Sharing is Caring   April 3, 2006  53 on surgery day RRP / Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy with "wide excision" PSA 4.6   Gleason  3+3=6    T2a   Confined to Prostate 2nd PSA 02-06-2007 Less than 0.1 Non-Detectable :)