How can I help?

Hi!

Do you have more stats? Gleason core etc?

Have you guys looked into all possible forms of treatment? Depending on the type of cancer, there are multiple effective ways to tackle this. The effectiveness of these very much dictated by our individual particulars. Please share more information.

I'm a veteran of surgery and things could not have gone better for me. The short story is that my cancer was contained, I'm creeping up on 3 years of scoring zeroes (fingers crossed) was never incontinent from minute 1, and was having sex with my wife at the 30 day mark with meds and without meds within months. The PSA anxiety has greatly diminished (for now) and the PTSD seems to have subsided. Things went extremely well for me.

I had the catheter for a week. It was uneventful, albeit a nuisance I was thrilled to shed. I'd say taking a week off is about right. He'll really need you those first 1-4 days when the soreness is still annoying.

Let me know if you want the longer version and we'll email.

16 of 16, you guys need to be investigating other treatment methods

davidg, you were diagnosed so young! I am very encouraged by your post. Dr. Samadi will also be doing my husbands surgery. He sat with us for nearly 2 hours going over the test results and presenting the options. I recall a series of 3+4 and 4+4 numbers. I didn't ask too many questions because I was afraid I would start to cry. It's a female thing, I guess. My husband said he was already pretty sure that the diagnosis would be cancer...just from knowing his body and how he is used to feeling.

I did google diets for prostate cancer patients. My poor husband thinks the new diet will kill him before the cancer does, but I just feel the need to do what I can to help. He has a bone scan scheduled for next Friday. He is 53 years old and began having abdominal pain a year ago. We've been married 32 years and I'm hoping for an additional 32 years before I make up my mind if it's going to last. :}

James C. said...
Here's a link to some general info concerning some of the treatment options, including robotic and open surgery.

www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=35&m=1717641

Thank you so much.

Reltnie said...
Everyone heals differently. My wife stayed home for a three days until I got used to the catheter and dressing with it, etc. I probably could have done it myself, but it was sure nice to have someone help put my socks on--little stuff you take for granted until you're unable. Robotic surgery usually is a fast recovery, but of course that depends on your husband's age and level of fitness before surgery. My catheter was in for 11 days. Some guys are a few days shorter--some longer. Just her being there was nice. Once I got my pathology report, which was thankfully good, I felt much better physically and emotionally. Rest assured that there is every likelihood that he will recover quickly. I was out walking 3-5 miles daily at three days post surgery.
Good luck,
Tom

This information is very helpful. I'm praying for similar results for my hubby.

You'll get those years, don't worry. Your husband is also very young, too young for this. You're in great hands with Samadi, he really did right by me and continues to be a friend and an advocate for me. He'll be there for you all along and well after your surgery. It think it's wise that you're doing the bone scan, that's a good prudent call before the surgery.

Did he discuss diet change with you guys? I noticed on his social media sites how focused he is on healthy living. I didn't get that talk almost 3 years ago, I'm jealous.

It's okay to cry, probably good, but rest assured that you are at one of the hardest parts of this journey and that things will get easier and you'll get stronger. As a bonus, post surgery rehab is a blast. I hope you've met Helen already, she's my angel.

Let me know if you want to email.

David

Hello Live Out Loud,

Welcome to the forum! Sorry you find yourself here -- nobody wants to wind up here -- but glad you found us.

Excuse me for asking a bunch of questions you've already answered. I type slowly...

Let me start by repeating what DavidG said: it would help us know what to tell you if we knew a bit more about your husband's cancer. Since all of his 16 cores were positive we can probably skip the part where we try to figure out if he needs to be treated at all. He
does. But if we knew his Gleason score that would help us understand his situation a bit more clearly. A Gleason score is a number in the range six through ten that is the sum of two other numbers (three through five) that are also given. For instance, my Gleason score is written as 9(4+5) but most men will have a score of 6(3+3). We'd also like to know how the doctor who looked at his samples described the percent of the samples that was affected. This all makes a difference in terms of how likely it is that he will have side effects from the surgery.

There are a few thinks you can do to get ready for his surgery. When he comes home from the hospital he will have a catheter (which he will hate, by the way) and will need to spend a lot of time laying down which tends to be boring. It helps to have a recliner where he can see the television with a table beside it where he can put a stack of books and the TV remote. He won't be able to help you move furniture after the operation so best to do it before.

He will also need to take frequent walks. Around the house for the first few days but then around the neighborhood as he heals. He'll still need to recline between outings (to keep the swelling down) but you should have a few routes picked out. As he heals he will probably graduate to a leg bag -- a catheter bag that straps to his leg. That will make it easier for him to get out and about. He will need loose pants to go over the bag and what is really good is a pair of pants where the legs come off (zippers or velcro) to convert to shorts. Those are really handy for giving him access to the leg bag.

A week should probably be enough. He will be able to move around the house after he has been home for a week. He can warm up his own food but shouldn't stand on his feet for long periods so pre-prepared foods that he can warm up without a lot of cooking will be good.

When he goes to get his catheter out (often seven to ten days after surgery) be sure to take a pair of high-absorbencey pull-up incontinence pants for him to put on. Most guys leak pretty much at first and that will get better slowly.... most of the time.

Good luck. Let us know how we can help you.

outstanding, Doug. My PSA is also in October (doing it end when I get back from Italy). We are going to celebrate together.

Hello and Welcome!
I had a week off when Hubby had his surgery, and then just three days the next week, which I am thankful for. But after that first week I think he was ready to be on his own.
I think it was kind of hard, mentally for him at first, he'd never had surgery before. So I think it took him a couple days to realize his body was still just fine.
He was able to eat a regular dinner the first night of surgery, and every meal thereafter. He did have some constipation issues the first week or so, but I think that was due more to lack of activity - trusting his body again. Stool softners every day, and milk of magnesium did wonders.
He chose to sleep in the reclinor until his cath came out. (We have dogs & cats- was afraid one would mess with the tubing...).And we kept the cath bag in a bucket, in case of leaks & keeps it off the floor. Don't worry if you see blood in the urine when he exerts himself at all, completely normal and clears quickly with drinking plenty of water, etc. I also got some 'incontinence cream', that he put on the tip of his penis as it became irritated from the cath tubing. Hubby liked wearing loose basketball type shorts.
He really didn't have any issues from the surgery, everything went pretty smooth. Having a desk job, he went back to work three weeks after.
I think having a weird sense of humor also really helps.... We cheered and laughed over each early bm, and cracked up laughing when he sprayed me with the 'hose' once. ;)
We were both scared to death and bawling, and I read every single thing I could when we got his diagnosis, but in Hubby's case it turned out to be very 'do-
able'.
We wish you two all the very best, and please don't hesitate to ask any questions. It sooo helped us in having the unknowns removed! This group is a true gift, such a blessing!
Diana


able'.