Posted 4/6/2013 5:35 AM (GMT 0)
Update:
Well, it has been about 10 days since my surgery. My surgery at Vanderbilt last Tuesday lasted about 4 hours. Dr. Smith found an umbilical hernia that he repaired also. The assistant doctor asked me the next morning if I knew I had the hernia. I had noticed over the years that my bellybutton was flattening out, but no other symptoms, so I had no idea.
I had terrible abdominal pain and tightness the next day and it has gotten better but is still such that my motions are very restricted. I walked from the first day out of surgery, because they said to help with blood clots, so I did, but with a lot of discomfort/pain.
My surgery was over about 6PM, and I got to my hospital room around 8:30PM. My girlfriend went back to our room at the Nashville Cancer Society Hope Lodge Room around midnight. They are so helpful and friendly there. I didn't get much rest at all with vitals checked every hour, etc. GF came back at 7AM and Dr. Smith came in around 8AM.
My gf and I stayed that night and Wednesday night at the Hope Lodge, but they had another patient coming in, so I had another hotel room booked nearby for two more nights, and we moved over there on Thursday. I wasn't comfortable, so I made a not so wise decision to travel back here on Friday. Well, after 600 miles and 12 hours, and what felt like millions of potholes, bumps and swerves, we made it here and I immediately slept (off and on) for 16 hours. Slept 12 hours the next day, and 12 hours the next, and 10 hours the next. I should have stayed in Tennessee at least for a week before trying to travel at all!
Dr. says he took wide cuts and got into right side nerve bundle, and he says he is optimistic he got all the cancer. Prostate was larger than I thought (43 grams), and there was more cancer than we thought.
Path report:
(1)
Soft tissue "periprostatic" excision: Fibroadipose tissue negative for malignancy
(2)
Prostate gland
Gleason 4+3=7 (unchanged)
Involving both lobes
30% of gland
Extracapsular extension at right mid
Surgical margins and seminal vesicle negative for malignancy
Tumor location: right apex to base, left apex to mid
Seminal vesicle invasion: not identified
Margins: negative
Lymph - Vascular invasion: not identified
Treatment effect: n/a
Perineural invasion: present
Pathologic staging (pTNM): III
Primary tumor (pT): pT3a
Regional lymph nodes (pN): pNx
Distant metastases (pM): pMx
(3)
Hernia sac: ? (tissue was dissected by pathologist but no commentary).
Dr. Smith told gf after surgery that normal blood loss was around 115cc, and I lost around 500cc. No transfusion.
My drain incision has not healed at all. It is still open with white edges, and a bit of red around that. There hasn't been any drainage. I messaged the nurse yesterday and she says it should be healing by now, and to keep an eye on it. The other incisions were closed with surgical glue and seem to be healing ok.
My catheter has been ok, just an annoyance, but not the problem I thought. I could get it out today but my new urologist here in Ohio can't see me until this Tuesday.
Otherwise, I am able to walk a lot without much discomfort, but sitting is uncomfortable.
So, I go back to Nashville and meet with Dr. Smith in 5 weeks. I have gotten a medical oncologist here in Ohio also. She (Dr. Hembrick), is hopefully going to help me navigate what my next steps will be with the other doctors, surgeon, urologists, etc. I meet with her next week.
I appreciate Dr. Smith's optimism, but it seems there is a chance of HT and RT in my future. I hope not though :)
Any thoughts and suggestions are appreciated in advance.
Wally