Didn't sleep as well last night. Cath was in a bucket but no leaks.
Watched news of the CO. shootings at 3:30 A.M.
Another brother, Bob, who had his surgery the same day as me called me this morning to check on my progress. Our doctor, Dr. Vip Patel, performed 7 surgeries that day. He sounded great! He told me he had gas yesterday and then his first BM. I know my nurse told me recovery is not a race, don't judge where you are at to anyone elses progress. That may be so but I stll was envious of Bob!
Any way, today was my day. It is okay to be second place. Recovery is a journey not a race!
Got out for a drive today, away from the hotel. My wife drove us over to Disneyworld proper. As I said, I am recovering in Celebration FL, 5 miles from Disneyworld. We were looking for a place to watch the fireworks at Epcot this week.
This is a great place for our surgery. The hotel, Melina Hotel Orlando, is across the street from the hospital, Celebration Health/Floida Hospital. The hotel rooms are like small apartments with full kitchen, dining table, seperate bedroom, leather sleeper in the living room and outside patio. Ours faces the pool which has an island in the middle of it.
I feel if I was home, my ADD would kick in and I might be tempted to fiddle too much and over do it. Now is the time to chill and recover.
Time to close, time for another BM!
Bill
Age 61
Sober 23 years
January 2001 - PSA 6.1
Biopsy Jan. 2001 - Didn't have it!
October 2004 - PSA 8.9
Biopsy Nov. 2004 - Still didn't have it!!
Feb. 2012 - PSA 18.5
March 2012 - PSA 17.8 after antibiotics
Biopsy April 2012 - Got it now!!!
Positive 10 of 12 cores
Gleason 6
Bone Scan - neg. CT scan - neg.
Scheduled for DaVinci Surgery 07/17/12
Florida Hospital Celebration, Florida
Bill - here's to a steady and boring recovery - you seem to have a good mental attitude and that will certain help you deal with your new normal - but then, doesn't life sometimes seem like a Disney movie ( or is it the other way around)
-gentle hugs,
Bronson
Age:56 -gay with spouse of 15 years, Steve -Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
PSA:10/06/09 3.86
Biopsy:10/16/09- 2 of 12 cancerous, 5% involvement -Gleason 7 (3+4)
Radical Prostatectomy:11/18/09
Pathology:pT3a -Gleason 7 -extraprostatic extension -perineural invasion -prostate weight -34.1 gm
PSA:
04/08/10-0.05 ..09/23/10-0.05 ..03/24/11-0.02 ..11/09/11-0.02 ..03/29/12-0.02 -Zero Club -
-gentle hugs,
Bronson
Age:56 -gay with spouse of 15 years, Steve -Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
PSA:10/06/09 3.86
Biopsy:10/16/09- 2 of 12 cancerous, 5% involvement -Gleason 7 (3+4)
Radical Prostatectomy:11/18/09
Pathology:pT3a -Gleason 7 -extraprostatic extension -perineural invasion -prostate weight -34.1 gm
PSA:
04/08/10-0.05 ..09/23/10-0.05 ..03/24/11-0.02 ..11/09/11-0.02 ..03/29/12-0.02 -Zero Club -
Glad you are doing so well, especially for just 3 days out, slow and easy is the key word.
7 surgeries in one day? gulp - that would make me nervous, sounds like a surgery mill. when my surgeon does an RP, its his only show of the day, so he can devote his entire time and attention to that one surgery, and to allow time if anything goes wrong. i wouldn't want to be the 7th guy in that line up.
david
Age: 60, 56 at PC dx, PSA 16.3
3rd Biopsy: 9/8 7 of 7 Positive, 40-90%, 4+3
open RP: 11/8, Catheter in 63 days
Path Rpt: 3+4, pT2c, 42g, 20% tumor, 1 pos margin
Incont & ED: None
Surgery Failed, recurrence within 9 months
Salvage Radiation 10/9-11/9, SRT failed within 9 months, PSA still rising
Spent total of 1 ½ years on 21 catheters, Ileal Conduit Surgery 9/10,
7 other PC-related surgeries
Member of Prostate Cancer & Chronic Pain HW Communities Since 10/2008
“I live in the weak and the wounded” – Session 9
7 surgeries in one day? gulp - that would make me nervous, sounds like a surgery mill. when my surgeon does an RP, its his only show of the day, so he can devote his entire time and attention to that one surgery, and to allow time if anything goes wrong. i wouldn't want to be the 7th guy in that line up.
david
Age: 60, 56 at PC dx, PSA 16.3
3rd Biopsy: 9/8 7 of 7 Positive, 40-90%, 4+3
open RP: 11/8, Catheter in 63 days
Path Rpt: 3+4, pT2c, 42g, 20% tumor, 1 pos margin
Incont & ED: None
Surgery Failed, recurrence within 9 months
Salvage Radiation 10/9-11/9, SRT failed within 9 months, PSA still rising
Spent total of 1 ½ years on 21 catheters, Ileal Conduit Surgery 9/10,
7 other PC-related surgeries
Member of Prostate Cancer & Chronic Pain HW Communities Since 10/2008
“I live in the weak and the wounded” – Session 9
Hey Bill.
You are so right - RP recovery is a journey not a race.
Had my RP almost three years ago and recovered steadily and well over time (3-4 weeks) - biggest annoyance for me was the catheter, (I too was a "bucket boy" but that constant feeling of peeing constantly was not fun). Once that was out, (week 3?) it was a great relief and helped my recovery and mindset.
Funny was that for three days after coming home I thought I was taking the vicadan for pain and it turned out I was only taking the ibuprofen and getting "relief" - go figure. Everyone is different but don't be surprised, (or discouraged), if you actually feel a bit worse/tired in second week and want.need some of the (proscribed) stronger pain relievers than the first week as I did - that can be quite normal and then the recovery is usually steady and upward after that
In any event, stay the course, get rest and deal with all the well meaning "chatty" phone calls...(as best you can!)
Bridgewater
*
__
Age 62, dx age 60, PSA 2.9 ; detected by dre
Stage t3b Gleason 7 (4 +3) tertiary pattern 5
11/10 Post-prostatectomy path: extensive extra-prostatic growth 60% tumor both lobes; perinural + l seminal vesicle and lympho-vascular tumor invasion; Lymph nodes:14 right obturator; 9 left pelvic (no regional lymph node metastasis)
10/11 adjuvant IGRT radiation 8 weeks
4/10/12 psa rise from 0.3;0.5;0.9 indicated ineffectiveness of SRT – on to medical oncology
5/30/12 negative bone scan; ct scan showing enlarged adrenal gland and 1 pelvic lymph node "involvement"...
6/5/12 initial meet with med oncologist began daily use of pomegranate extract; need baseline psa w/same protocols
6/5/12 psa 1.5…7/10/12 psa 2.0
7/17/12 begin 50mg Casodex (Bicalutamide) for 6-7 weeks then new psa blood test + ctscan
You are so right - RP recovery is a journey not a race.
Had my RP almost three years ago and recovered steadily and well over time (3-4 weeks) - biggest annoyance for me was the catheter, (I too was a "bucket boy" but that constant feeling of peeing constantly was not fun). Once that was out, (week 3?) it was a great relief and helped my recovery and mindset.
Funny was that for three days after coming home I thought I was taking the vicadan for pain and it turned out I was only taking the ibuprofen and getting "relief" - go figure. Everyone is different but don't be surprised, (or discouraged), if you actually feel a bit worse/tired in second week and want.need some of the (proscribed) stronger pain relievers than the first week as I did - that can be quite normal and then the recovery is usually steady and upward after that
In any event, stay the course, get rest and deal with all the well meaning "chatty" phone calls...(as best you can!)
Bridgewater
*
__
Age 62, dx age 60, PSA 2.9 ; detected by dre
Stage t3b Gleason 7 (4 +3) tertiary pattern 5
11/10 Post-prostatectomy path: extensive extra-prostatic growth 60% tumor both lobes; perinural + l seminal vesicle and lympho-vascular tumor invasion; Lymph nodes:14 right obturator; 9 left pelvic (no regional lymph node metastasis)
10/11 adjuvant IGRT radiation 8 weeks
4/10/12 psa rise from 0.3;0.5;0.9 indicated ineffectiveness of SRT – on to medical oncology
5/30/12 negative bone scan; ct scan showing enlarged adrenal gland and 1 pelvic lymph node "involvement"...
6/5/12 initial meet with med oncologist began daily use of pomegranate extract; need baseline psa w/same protocols
6/5/12 psa 1.5…7/10/12 psa 2.0
7/17/12 begin 50mg Casodex (Bicalutamide) for 6-7 weeks then new psa blood test + ctscan