Hi everyone, went to Urologist today for bio report....right lobe has cancer, Gleason 3+4=7, he said the "firmness" of the right lobe pointed to the fact that the cancer was very close to the extremity of the organ, he suggested surgery, and I consented, I am having a RP on the 24th July, he also said that the Gleason score and the fact that my PSA is 5.6 was in my favour, so I am frantically trying to clear up all the heavy work around the house, as I have been told you should not lift anything for a while after the op and I only have 11 days till then.

Mal,

Sorry to hear you got the bad news. But that is great that they could schedule so quickly for surgery. Be sure to keep us all updated as you go through surgery and beyond. Yeah, you are going to be limited on lifting for about six weeks after surgery, but sounds like you have some stuff to do to keep your mind of it :)

Our thoughts and best wishes are with you! Good luck!

Tanya and Ken

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Age: 63
Diagnosed: 10/30/06
PSA: 3.7 (2005: 3.4, 2004: 4.0)
Biopsy: 1/10 cancerous, 5% of one core, right apex.
Gleason: 3+3=6
Da Vinci: April 10, 2007, Denver CO
Path results: 1% of prostate involved. Very small tumors on both right and left apex. Negative margins, negative seminal vessicles, lymph nodes left intact. Gleason upgraded 3+4=7.

Hi Tanya & Ken, thanks for replying, I am taking a positive attitude towards this problem,  my Urologist is one of the really top surgeons in Perth Australia, I have the utmost confidence in him, I have private health insurance, and even though I complain sometimes about the cost, it sure is handy when you are in trouble, and don't have to go onto a wait list, hopefully i will get thru all of this and live to see my grandkids married

in the meantime I am really glad I found this site.

Regards Mal.

Maldugs

Welcome to the club.  Your Gleeson is the same as mine. I has RP exactly 3 weeks ago today, and cannot believe how good I feel. You were lucky to get a surgery so close to the DX, waiting is the hardest part, catheter is a little bothersome.  Good luck we will be praying for you!!

Hi Mal,

When we were researching top surgeons/people in Australia, we also found (researched) a great guy in WA (probably your urologist!). Since we are in NSW however (Blue Mountains area), we found a top person in NSW instead. Trusting the surgeon greatly, and coming here to this healing well forum for information (some of which we later followed up with him if necessary), was really helpful for us. Hope all the preparations go well for you too.

Warm regards from the other side of your country.

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Creed_three

  Hi ~ Mal,

 

It is really important for you to get your sphincter muscle ready to do a job it’s never had to do before.  Are you doing kegels???  If not ~ it would be very beneficial for you to do so.  Also ~ if you have stairs… start taking them as part of your exercise routine.  All of this will help when you step onto the healing/recovery stepping-stone.  There are several threads on Kegels (a few listed below)

 

(Direct Link ~ just click on the title below and a new window will open!  

Reminder … click on the REFRESH icon once you get there)

click on…>  Prostate Cancer Resources, Helpful Hints, and Topic Thread Links  Scroll to the 5^th posting….. for Direct Links to a few easy access threads… and continue looking throughout the forum for more.

 

No ~ we’re not happy that you’ve had to stay with us…. BUT ~ you truly couldn’t be in a better place…. Traveling with friends who have been on the same stepping-stones and can help you along makes for a much smoother journey.  Thank you for allowing us to walk with you.

 

Yep…. You best get everything in order.  You do not want to be lifting afterwards or you’ll end up with a hernia and that surgery seems harder on some folks.  So ~ please get prepared.  Your body is healing from the invasion to the prostate through the biopsy ~ so take heed in any strenuous activity up to surgery also…

 

Buddy & I invite you to visit our personal thread listed in our signature below.  We hope at least 1 thing we've shared can help you along your path... 

 

Keeping you extra close in thoughts and prayers as you move forward.

In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy

 

 

Helping to keep Mal’s *maldugs Journey together:

as it gets closer

here we go?

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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 :)

 

Hi maldugs. Sorry you have to go through all this, but I am glad you found this site. Your Gleason is the same as mine. I had open surgery May 30. I could not believe how little pain I had and only spent two days in the hospital. A great surgeon is a great asset to have. There will be a few more bumps in the road like the cath but I know you can endure it for a week or two. I still dribble, but that will get better I know. So keep your head up and look forward to the day this is over and you can get on the other side and be healed of this disease. Take care and look on the bright side. We will all be waiting to hear from you on the other side.

Mika-mvesr

Hi again, your replies have been very helpful to me, have to go to physio next monday for consultation before surgery, had a restless night last night, mind was racing, funny thing..7days ago I started building a chicken house, taking my time, now I have to finish it inside 10 days! guess I won't be able to build/dig for a few weeks after the op..amazing what you worry about!

I actually feel a bit down today, but I suppose that is normal, glad I found this site, thanks again.

Regards Mal. 

Mal ~ 

Don't hesitate to ask your doctor for a mild sleep aide.  The night times are the hardest and you really need your rest so you are fresh for surgery.... 

Keep this little rainbow handy…. And let it help you through the rough times….. okay!!!!     

 

*This is your very own Rainbow and it’s sprinkled with Sunshine*

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We are all here walking with you….. ~ so stay close.    Hugs from Lee & Buddy

 

Though you cannot always see the bird singing, if you listen with your heart,

you can always hear her song.

 

click here…..>> http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb179/mamabluebird1955/mamabluebird.jpg

 

I got that one, maldugs, awake at o dark hundred.  Mind running a hundred miles an hour.  Worrying about that which you can't control.  I'm the resident expert at being awake at 0300 and going nuts about nothing.  I expect that you will, in fact, do very well.  But it ain't fun gettin' there.  Keep Your Mach UP.

Regards,

Bill

hi everone...my Urologist practice manager just rang me and said that they have changed the date of my op from the 24th to the 30th of July, as his assistant can't be there, and he won't operate without him...so 30th it is (more time to build chicken house )

 

regards Mal.

Mal, we are all thinking about what you are about to go through, we've all been there.  Keep positive, sounds like your Dr. has a very good idea of what ia going on and has done many of these surgieris.