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Major surgery on Wed.

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 1/14/2013 7:07 PM (GMT 0)
Even though I have an aggressive prostate cancer (see my sig) it is well behaved for now with ARN-509. However, last month they found a mass in my rectum which was cancerous ....on Wed  I will go in to have my lower colon, rectum and anal canal removed all to be replaced with a wonderful bag....as you can imagine I am dreading this...my 3rd major abdominal surgery in 10 years....but if the mass isn't removed it will be game over  in a couple of years.Once I recoop from this, it is back to handling the Pca....so far the trial people have been very accomodating....all this is overwhelming. Oh, my litte dog Ziggy is starting to show the effects of her cancer.
Posted 1/14/2013 7:17 PM (GMT 0)
Ziggymonster, I'm so sorry that you're having to fight this battle.  Best wishes and prayers for a smooth procedure and a speedy recovery.  I can only imagine how tough this must be for you to confront, but I also sense a lot of strength and determination in your postings.  Good luck, my friend.
Posted 1/14/2013 7:44 PM (GMT 0)
Thoughts and prayers are with you.
Posted 1/14/2013 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry you have to deal with this. PC is bad enough.

Thoughts and prayers for you this week,
Andrew
Posted 1/14/2013 8:12 PM (GMT 0)
I wish you the very best on Wednesday...
Posted 1/14/2013 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
All my best wishes for a good outcome - and a request to the guy upstairs that he watch over you.
Posted 1/14/2013 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
Wishing you the vision to see past this and the strength to get by.

We're all pulling for you.

Good luck on Wednesday.
Posted 1/14/2013 8:28 PM (GMT 0)
Sending strength and comfort your way. Stay strong and keep fighting. Pass it on to Ziggy also.
Posted 1/14/2013 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
Best of it to you Ziggy. Praying for you.

Sorry you're going through this and about your dog.
Posted 1/14/2013 8:36 PM (GMT 0)
Wishing you the best, I am aware of how serious and complex this type of surgery is. Even more so than my Urostomy, much less was removed from me, then you will be undergoing.

It will be a long tough recovery, so you will have to pace yourself and learn a lot about patience. Having a good stoma nurse will help you make the transition to be an Ostomy person a lot easier. The hardest part, aside from the mental adjustment, will be finding the right device (appliance) that works best for you. There is a steep learning curve. Two years later, my wife and I do the changes as a team (helps her being a nurse), and I still have to expect the occasional "blowout". It can be frustrating, but you just have to work your way through it.

If you need any help or advice on that part, please feel free to emal me directly be happy to talk to you on the phone.

david in sc
Posted 1/14/2013 10:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ziggymonster my dad has had this operation on 1st may 2012 he too has an agressive prostate cancer too which hes on hormone therapy for. The mass in his rectum was picked up on the scans for prostate cancer so i guess we were lucky if you can possibly use that word in this situation. Hes doing just fine he had everything all removed he now has a barbie bum we call it (all sewn up) so it cant be reversed. Dad manages fine with the bag and still does everything he did before including riding his pushbike and motorbike. The stoma nurses in the hospital were amazing and even had days were you can go and see all the different bags to see which one you would prefer.

Good Luck Ziggymonster! I will be thinking of you xxx
Posted 1/14/2013 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
Zig, rest easy and recover quickly. Our best to you on Wednesday. Shot an email if you need anything... I'm just about 30 minutes away (well you know 880, pretty wide variance in that drive estimate).

Our best,
Jake
Posted 1/14/2013 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
Ziggy, will be thinking of you! The best advice I heard some time ago, is that one can expect, with age, things to go wrong. You just find a way to fix them, one by one, each time. You will be fine! Hugs.
Posted 1/14/2013 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
So sorry you have to go through this. If there is any good news, it seems like the ARN-509 is doing a great job on those PCa critters.

I'm an aminal lovers too so I can relate to how you feel about Ziggy. I hope he bounces back as dogs are very resilient.

Wishing you the easiest road possible.

Zimac
Posted 1/15/2013 12:38 AM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry about this. I will keep you in my prayers. God bless. Now is the time to fight.
Posted 1/15/2013 1:54 AM (GMT 0)
Oh man, I hate to hear this.

I'll keep a good thought for you on Wednesday. You and that dog take good care of one another. And please let us know how you're doing when you're up to it.

Jonathan
Posted 1/15/2013 3:14 AM (GMT 0)
Prayers for you and  your family that everything will go smoothly and your recovery will be uneventful. 

 

Posted 1/15/2013 3:29 AM (GMT 0)
Thoughts and prayers.
Posted 1/15/2013 4:17 AM (GMT 0)
As with many, many others, you will be in my prayers!

Chuck

July 2011 local PSA lab reading 6.41 (from 4.1 in 2009). Mayo Clinic PSA Sept. 2011 was 5.7.
Local urologist DRE revealed significant BPH, but no lumps.
PCa Dx Aug. 2011 at age of 61.
Biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma in 3 of 20 cores (one 5%, two 20%). T2C.
Gleason score 3+3=6. CT of abdomen, bone scan both negative.
DaVinci prostatectomy 11/1/11 at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), nerve sparing, age 62.
My surgeon was Dr. Matthew Tollefson, who I highly recommend.
Final pathology shows tumor confined to prostate.
5 lymph nodes, seminal vesicules, extraprostatic soft tissue all negative.
1.0 x 0.6 x 0.6 cm mass involving right posterior inferior, right posterior apex & left
mid posterior prostate. Right posterior apex margin involved by tumor over a 0.2 cm length,
doctor says this is insignificant.
Prostate 98 grams, tumor 2 grams.
Catheter out in 7 days. No incontinence, minor dripping for a few weeks.
Post-op exams 2/13/12, 9/10/12 PSA <0.1
Only semi-erections so far, with continued improvement.
Posted 1/15/2013 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks to everyone.....David for sure you know about this type of procedure. Terrified daughter... I will also have a Barbie bum thanks for the positive story I needed that, and Jakester thanks again for your offer....I had a boat in Alameda for 25 years...Ive spent lots of time there. Gotta start my bowel prep in a couple of hours , no food since yesterday and I'm getting really hungry.

Terry

Posted 1/15/2013 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
terry,

my offer to help you on the ostomy portion of your problem is genuine, i will be on stand by when you are ready to deal with that part. lots of difference in quality of stoma nurses, some better than others. i had a sorry one at first, didnt even realize that i ended up with a convex stoma instead of the more common concave type (i always have to be different, lol), so she kept me trying concave apliances instead of convex, made a huge difference with blow outs and leaking.

i am concerned for you, as i know this is a huge step, but needed of course, and its a life style changer one way or the other. my ostomy surgery was the most complicated and longest recovery i have ever had, not due to complications, just due to the nature of the surgery. hope you have better luck with that.

but i am here for you if needed

david
Posted 1/15/2013 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks David....I may take you up on your offer after I get back from the hospital...for now just trying to contain my anxiety. My stoma nurse didn't want to freak me out last week...she said the learning can start after the surgery. Coincidentally, my sister had the same operation for cancer 26 years ago. Bad genes somewhere in our family!!

Terry

Posted 1/15/2013 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
Ziggy:

Godspeed - My prayers are with you.

JAVGuzzi
Posted 1/16/2013 4:16 PM (GMT 0)
ziggy, i know this is your big day, thinking of you, and hoping the best results for you and the most skillful of surgeons operating on you.

david in sc
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