URO appt yesterday...stunned

I wanted to tell our friends here that Ian's URO pronounced him "cured", (a word I never consider using) at his appointment yesterday. This begins year #4, we feel very blessed and quite stunned actually. Ian has remained healthy and all of his labs, scans, films, etc. have always had positive readings. His HT SE's started to decline over the last 4 or 5 months, but his memory/mind problems have remained and gotten worse. Dr A attributes the success with Ian to "blasting him heavily with the radiation and drug doses." The memory/mind problems, Ian is being referred to another doctor for evaluation. Dr A said it could be possible dementia caused by some of the drugs. So the lining is still silver but with a bit of tarnish. lol

Of all the appointments for me to miss, this was not the one. What I am relaying is what Ian has told me, and I have already established that can be a problem. Until I can make an appt to see Dr A myself, I have a couple questions.

Ian's prostate remains, he had the radiation, brachytherapy and HT. Dr A said in about a year after all of the drugs have left his system, he is still on some yet, his prostate will begin to function again. I don't understand this at all, does this make sense to anyone? Ian said he asked about having sex, Dr A told him he would begin to function normally as he once did sexually. His penis will begin to become noticeable...haha..once more. (some penis humor) I was under the impression he should have been using a device or such over these past years to, you know, keep it stretchable. lol

Any thoughts about the above I would appreciate. I realize each man is different, and each doctor may have different theories. I thank so many of you for all of the support I have had the last 3 years. Your knowledge and friendship has helped me tremendously. I feel in my heart this battle is not over, and I pray I am wrong. Regardless, I am still a member and continue to follow so many wonderful people I have come to cherish.

Kathy

Thanks Bud, you were one of the supporters I talked about.

Now, it's your turn, keep up the fight and beat the f--- outta this crap.

Thinking and praying for you as always,

Hugs,
Kathy

A Yooper,

Thanks so much for your kind message...now I am beginning to cry.

Best Wishes to you,
Kathy

Best news in a while, so glad you have gotten some positive news!

Thinking about you
Susan

Susan, Terry and SC...thanks so much my friends.

I must say I know it's important to hear good news, it gives hope to others. But I am feeling very sad at this moment. If we all can't celebrate, maybe I wish now I hadn't posted. I know I am being silly but it's how I feel.

Kathy -

Think of it as if you and your husband had been crossing a wide, hot desert and you just found a cool oasis.

Think of it as if you two were in the middle of a heavy rain downpour, the rain stopped, and the sun has just broken through the clouds.

Think of it as if, well, you get the picture.

Seriously, many congratulations to both of you!

Kathy and Ian - congrats on the good news - here's to a lifetime of "being cured"....

-sorry to hear about your "survivor guilt" - that happens to the best of us ( Viet Nam vets, cancer, AIDS, assaults, etc...) ... enjoy the moment and put guilt aside - share your good feelings and life experience to help give other people hope and encouragement ... we all like to hear success stories...

hugs from north of the border,
Bronson

I hope for you and your husband's sake the doctor is correct.

There is a lot of double speak in medicine. The word cure can be used as a relative thing. Others use the word remission. Some use more generic words like under control.

I personally don't believe I will be cured in the purest sense of the word. I think that I will always have some PC cells in my body somewhere. It is just a matter of common sense to me.

But I will take temporary cures as long as I can find them.

Good luck to both of you, my fellow Buckeyes.

Goodlife

Well, enjoy the pronouncement. That is just wonderful, especially starting out with such a serious G-score!!!

It is nice to read the news!

Mel

Thanks Mel, so much. tdnjam, thank you as well. Welcome to this site, you will be treated as a longtime friend...best wishes to you.

Kathy

Purg,

I am with you as I am not comfortable with the word cured either in the case of PC. My last appointment with my URO in December he came close to using the C word when he changed my PSA tests from 3 months to 6 months. I get asked the question all the time by friends and family if I am cured? I tell them that I hope so, but at this time I am in remission and any recurrence is unlikely. I have seen a couple of cases in the last few months on HW where guys have gone 3 to 5 years with undetectable PSA's only to suddenly have a BCR. I guess for me PC will always be the elephant in the room.

Terry

Casper, we were told the treatment Ian received would be considered successful he was still alive in 5 years. He asked over and over until the Rad Onc told him he had a 40% chance of making it to 5 years. Yesterday came outta the blue, we knew he was doing well but didn't expect the news he got from his URO.

To also clear up any confusion, I never use the word cured because I personally don't believe one is "cured" of cancer. This is my opinion only, but boosted my our RAD ONC who told us this fact in the very beginning. In his opinion, there can always be cancer cells so small they are not detected by current means. Makes sense to me.... I also wonder if his URO used the word "cure" to make sure Ian understood the significance of what he was telling him? Could be...

Thanks for your kind words,
Kathy