Hello

Hello All,

about 8 weeks ago when I was informed that I too had been put on this path I found your forum and surfed through the contents. Still in shock and at the beginning of the journey to understand what was in front of me and what the options are, I noted the optimism here. After many conversations with MD's, reading Patrick Walsh's book and getting info from Johns Hopkins and other treatment centers I chose laproscopic surgery which seemed like the best alternative given my stats: age 55, very fit (cyclist), psa 5.3 (up from 2.3 in previous 18 months), 2/12 biopsy hits, (one 5% and the other ~10%), gleason 3+4, then I sent samples to Hopkins and they said 3+3, but then as my Doc says "It's still cancer". Nevertheless after weeks of just trying to figure out what to do it was clear that the best alternative was surgery. I am counting down to 3 days for catheter removal and then to next stage. Each stage, I suppose is it's own drama but I will say that the first stage, i.e. trying to figure it all out and then the anxiety leading to surgery was very tough, especially while working and dealing with typical family stuff. Now the surgery is finally behind me and I await the pathology report, catheter removal and pray that the first stage really was as bad as it gets.

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge what a powerful aid my wife has been throughout this process.

TeddyG

Welcome TeddyG,
You've arrived at a great place for information, both pre and post surgery, supplied by patients (and their loved ones) and for patients . All our journeys are a little different and likewise, our outcomes. Given your stats (relatively low PSA, low/intermediate biopsy Gleason) hopefully you will receive a good pathology report. Virtually every post treatment track record has been reported on and any complications and ways around them covered. Any question, ask away. Somebody has been there before and will freely help. Best wishes with your recovery and a good path report.
Bill

Thankyou for your responses. As further insights to the torturous deliberative process regarding "what does all this mean and the who, what where and why decisions that must be made" following initial shock of diagnosis, I live in Lexington, KY, home to the University of Ky Medical Center, College of Medicine which is also home of the Markey Cancer Center. Of course one of the initial issues is "where to get treatment? My wife and I researched major centers in the east and midwest and I kept coming to the conclusion that I would like to get comfortable with my home town team. Experience level kept rising to the top of the criteria, followed by "major academic intsitution" according to Dr. Patrick Walsh's book. Of course, type of treatment (in my cases surgery based on all technical criteria) was a factor. In discussions with Dr. Steven Strup at the University of KY College of Medicine, he had done over 1400 laproscopic and/or daVinci procedures and answered my questions including emails very promptly as I worked through the decision making process. Some centers appeared to "advertise" their success rates dealing with various post-op factors (e.g., incontinence, ED) which for a while clouded the decision process. (It also struck me more of a marketing tool by various centers as there are so many individual patient variables that relying on a center's putative sucess rates for, say ED was not really a valid criterion. (For example if you were one who would not be a candidate for nerve sparing technique, the success rate for ED was irrelevant.) I decided that, most things being equal regarding various centers and doctors around the country, that being close to the center, home and family would be the best alternative, both for pre-op and post-op issues.

I did send inititial biopsy report for second opinion at another center (Johns Hopkins) which down graded me from 3-4 to 3-3, but in reality it may be a distinction without a difference.

Nevertheless, as noted in my initial post, the first stage in the process was very difficult mentally but we did work through it and am very glad to have it behind me. Now to look forward, get detached from plumbing system this week, get pathology report and take from there, one step at a time. 

Welcome TeddyG.

Sorry you had to join us but glad your surgery is behind you. When you get the catheter removed you will really start to recover fast. You sure are lucky to have that loving wife by your side, mine has been invaluable. Here's to being fully continent and ED free next week. And I hope you can give us a good pathology report when you get it. All the best to you.