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SONNY - THE PATH REPORT IS BACK

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Posted 9/23/2009 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
Okay the path report is back. Could've been better, could've been worse. But before I post it you guys have to promise no hang dog looks and condolences. EVERY DAY IS A BONUS.

The Dr. said that based on my report I have a 7%-9% chance of having to deal with cancer in 10 years. I told him that I have 91%-93% chance that I won't. Tell me I have 10 years and I will kiss you on the lips. 10 years means I won't leave my wife behind. It's all relative. Her cancer is not curable. If she stops taking her maintenance drugs her numbers come back with the force and fury of a 1000 mad mess-cooks at a hot dog rally. (Yes I was in the Navy too David, SC). Her cancer and treatments have weakened her immune system, her organs and her bones. Comparatively my cancer is a piece of cake walk in the park.

I am not for one second minimizing PCa, you guys know me better than that. But my wife is my hero, she is the fighter and I just need to be here to support and help her.

Okay enough, enough.

Gleason score Pre-Op 3+4=7 Post Op 4+3=7

Tumor volume = 12.5%

Prostatectomy Margins = focally positive for invasive carcinoma right posterior (mid-level) close to base

Invasion of Seminal Vesicle = absent

Angiolymphatic Invasion = absent

Venous Invasion = absent

Perineural Invasion= present

Right Internal lymph node resection =reveals zero

Left Internal iliac lymph node = reveals zero

General Appearance 30.07 grams

Dr. said that my tumor was small, the problem lies in the fact that I had a small prostate and there was no room for the cancer to grow and stay inside the little Walnut B*ST*RD.

So there you have it. It is what it is. I'll get tested vigorously, watch the numbers and deal with any return at the time that it does, IF IT DOES. But I promise you that I will not lose a minute of sleep worrying over it and I will not waste a day of living life to it's fullest. At least that's my story for now and I'm sticking to it.

Sonny
Posted 9/23/2009 10:00 PM (GMT 0)
Sonny, that's the right attitude to have. Doesn't mean it will come back, that's one possibility. May take years if it does, may take months, PC has a mind of its own. Yes, your walnut was on the small side, less room for cancer to make a home. My gleason did the opposite of yours, I went from 4+3 to 3+4, but I have reaccurance, so you just can't make predictions.

Your wife sounds like a wonderful fighter, woman, and inspiration to many others. Sorry she is in a terminal situation, but she will continue to inspire you to fight and live on. You even inspire me, and that takes a lot, lol.

Thanks for your great reports.

David in SC
Posted 9/23/2009 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
Sonny, What a wonderful attitude. Yes non of us know for sure is this thing will come back or not. "It is what it is" Your lady sounds like a real trouper. She is a real winner. I think you have a keeper there.

Now get your self healed.

Jeff T
Cajun Country
Posted 9/23/2009 10:09 PM (GMT 0)
David, as always you find the right words. But I may mixed it up a little. My wife IS NOT TERMINAL. She looks vibrant, healthy and is recovering nicely from her stint in the hospital. We just have to be a lot more cautious and vigilante that most about things that will affect her weak immune system. You and I might get the flu, she develops pneumonia and goes into ICU. She spends to much time on her feet and her back (compressed vertebrae ) lay her out for a couple of days. You get the picture. We live life fully and now that she is disability retired we are going to travel some. It just may takes us longer, we won't go snow skiing, hang gliding or scuba diving, but we'll see the country and the beauty we haven't seen yet.

We are all terminal; The day we are born we start dieing. It's what we do with the time we have here that counts.

When we come up to see you in a few weeks/months you will never know she is sick just to look at her and talk with her. AND DAVID SHE CAN EAT SOME BBQ.

Looking forward to the trip up from Orlando,

Sonny
Posted 9/23/2009 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
Sonny, I feel bad ,guess I just read too much into your prior post. Not trying to do away with your wife. Hope I didn't offend you. The two of you are most welcome to drop in if you pass through South Carolina. And we have mountains here, up to about 3,800 ft. Lots of forests and crystal clear lakes. After all we have been through, some good R & R might be the answer for us.

David in SC
Posted 9/23/2009 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
David, absolutely no offense taken. I just got carried away talking about the difference in ours cancers that I may have painted the wrong picture. You are just a truly compassionate man and it comes out.

Looking forward to it.

How are you doing. Any new development.

Sonny
Posted 9/23/2009 11:30 PM (GMT 0)
Sonny, my wife and I are going to meet with my uro/surgeon at 330 tommorow in the big city of Greenville at his main office. We are going to have to do a lot of talking before I agree to anything at this point. Want to know why he thinks another dialation is in order, sedated or not, and what is his game plan if I have an emergency blockage during radiation. Very apprehensive about this visit, been on my mind all day. Suppose to start that first salvage radiation zap a week from next Monday, so I don't want my other doctor having me all messed up before that happens.

Bet you will be glad to get home.

I still remember the pre-Disney World Orlando. Don't know how long you have lived there. Before there was even a single mall built, lots of brick streets, etc. I use to be able to drive my motorcycle from east to west through all of it in about 15 minutes top. The Orlando of today is foreign to me.

David in SC
Posted 9/23/2009 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
Sonny,
Attitude is everything. You sound great. We can all get well together...see the last line of my signature. At first I thought I wrote it for everybody, but it serves to remind me to do the same...

Tony
Posted 9/23/2009 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
Great attitude. When I start "whining" about the cancer and what may or may not be in 10 years, I come down to earth fairly quickly. I have a friend and she says "...is there a chance you can get hit by a truck in 10 years". As you say, we have today. We'll worry about tomorrow... well... tomorrow.
Posted 9/24/2009 12:38 AM (GMT 0)
91% to 9% Hey if you could go to Atlantic City with that kind of odds you could come away the richest man in the world.

Wait a second -- with your attitude you already are the richest man ion the world. God bless you and your wife.
Posted 9/24/2009 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
Sonny,
I love your attitude. I too worry about leaving my wife behind more than I worry about myself. She is diabetic and is very dependent on me for everything. I always pray that I can stay beside her long enough that she won't be alone for too long.
Posted 9/24/2009 1:02 AM (GMT 0)

 ..I too love your attitude, as I say , don't worry about tomorrow until today.(keep an eye out for those buses, better chance there)  You and your lady have a ball....love it all man! You two have a ball.....I watched  your progress, it touched me, don't know why, just happens you know............. you hang in there brother  you're doing great!

Posted 9/24/2009 2:53 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Sony, Great Path report, your stats very similar to mine, I also had a very small prostate with approx 10% tumor involvement.  I intend to keep pulling the zero's, you just make sure you follow suit. lol.................Congratulations from down under (Australia) ..........Kev.
Posted 9/24/2009 4:29 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Sonny, I don't want to minimize the breakout, but it does seem to be a half full, half empty situation.

I too am a seven, and the doctor has told me I have a 90%/95% that I'll be cancer free for ten years --- and who knows how long after that. He gave me the glass half full report, sounds to me like your doctor gave your the glass half empty report.

And, fact is, after they radiate us, hormone us, and chemo us, we're going to pop off from some other cancer, a stroke, or a heart attack. A well meaning medical friend suggested to me the other day the really dangerous cancer for me is the one I don't know about that's lurking somewhere, happily growing, with no daVinci attacking it. Perked me right up, that did!

I'm sorry to hear about your wife. I knew she had issues, but not just what. Perhaps I missed some earlier post the rest of the group read. I'm about to turn out the light and you both are at the top of my prayer list tonight. The rest of you aren't far behind.

Love the idea of the travel, Sonny. Perhaps we can meet up in Hong Kong, or South Dakota, someday.

Sheldon AKA Sleepless
Posted 9/24/2009 10:47 AM (GMT 0)
Sonny,
My Sloan Kettering numbers are about the same as yours. 92% for 10 years. Good thing they don't know about my Kawasaki 500, the chainsaws, guns, fires, ...
I figure by the time I need to worry about it, the recent medical advances will fix it.
In the meantime, I am going to enjoy what I've got. Even if that includes swapping pads.
Rest easy,
Jeff
Posted 9/24/2009 10:55 AM (GMT 0)
Great attitude Sonny, I wish you all the best. I can definitely learn from you.
Posted 9/24/2009 12:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sonny,

Well, it would seem that not all things in life are fair, but you have the right outlook to fight this thing in the future as your role model sounds like a true hero to me. I have always looked at the cup as half full rather than half empty, and it sure helps.  Your odds sound a lot better than half full so I say good luck in the future and all my best to you and your couragious wife.

Regards,

Bill

 

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