I've had several threads and its getting confusing as to which I should update. Well I will summary my chronicals in this one. I was 44 when dx said PCa last year. It was scary. Gleason 3+4=7, PSA 19.8, clinically T2b or c. My local urologist was clearly qualified to do the removal of the prostate. But I had to decide on which treatment I would be most comfortable with. Scary indeed. The thoughts that traversed my mind included not being here to type this today. I had a history of drug use and that was my fear. That I did something to myself, and I was getting my just deserts. Looking back on it, there are people here with this disease that never touched a drop of alcahol, not a taste of drugs, yet they are here just like me. I certainly am not excusing my younger days, only pointing out that I now understand this disease in not discriminatory. I still enjoy my wine. I had a DUI in 1985 and I haven't put myself in that situation since. Enter Ruth 14 years ago and goodbye drugs. My wonderful wife. End of the desire for drugs, enter my new spiritual grasp that is a mainstay today. I'm a hard worker and a friend to all who will let me in. So how did this happen? How did I get this dreadful disease? It's not in the family history. I'm not at the testing age. Firetrucking Why???
Well, I guess I have to leave that question out. Why does not matter and it won't cure my disease. That's how I proceeded on How. Not Why. My urologist was an Ivy leaguer and had great bedside manner. He is young and will be a great surgeon, but after careful research I decided he was not my man. I decided on surgery because radiation, while succesful in many cases, was not convincing me that I had complete control of this disease and its treatment. I did not like the fact I still had even part of my prostate alive and in my body. Hind site says that I could easily have had a cure with it if my stage was T2x. But it wasn't. I chose a surgeon who had 1,500 LRP's behind his belt. And it paid off. I don't have incontenance and did not within a couple weeks after the procedure. In fact I still have the pads from my first purchase in my bathroom. The bad news was to come though. Had I had radiation, the fact that my disease was pT3b (4+3=7) would never have come to light until recurrance. I had Stage III cancer....The Big C. My next fear was a few weeks from finding out if it was stage IV. It wasn't. My PSA dropped out. But I wasn't convinced I was in remission. First 0.1, the <0.1. Four tests later....<0.1. I still saw the histograms though and I did not like the recurrance rate. I elected to go with Lupron and Casodex combined with IMRT focused on Whole Pelvic treatment (WPRT). Dam the torpedoes! fire them...
Today I have another PSA result.....<0.1.
My excellent oncologist said I am a model patient. I walk after every IMRT session. 4 miles. I changed my diet. I told him I kept the wine. He told me to enjoy it. Every weekend I excersize either in travels or in sport. I was fearful of Stage IV, but I am no longer. We went over a plan today on the what if. What if this recurs? We have a strong plan, but as he said, "you are doing well". I don't need a two year LHRH treatment. We are planning to remove the HT in December. I used this one before...Me 1, Cancer 0. I hope that others out there with the fear of this disease can see this experience, and fight with you heart. As Jimmy Valvano said....Never Give Up! A champion never relents. I have stage III cancer, but it does not have me...Today my oncologist declared me in remission.
Tony
Post Edited (TC-LasVegas) : 7/23/2007 6:16:30 PM (GMT-6)