Update on my fathers oncologist treatment

Good News!!!! First off due to a pet scan, ct scan and p.s.a levels, she was going to begin with chemo. I had prayed and prayed  that this wasn't it. We kept getting calls while we were gone to our oncology appointment from our urologist. At first as I posted before our oncologist had more of a different response to all his testing and said she was starting with chemo. Both doctors thought for sure he would have a Gleason score of 10.We had a second biopsy done, his biopsy got read the Gleason score is an 8!!!!!!! Which was why we were getting calls. 95 percent on right , 95 percent. left 1 to 24 mm, right 2 to 21 mm grades 4 + 4!!!Which apparently made all the difference in the world. We started treatment yesterday!!! Lupron 3 month shot, Casodex  and 15 mins of zometa. He is stage 4 bone mets from the neck down. Lymph nodes in the pelvic, hot spot on the bladder which she said could be some urine too. Never the less I am so grateful. Treatment plan changing suggests to me its more manageable. She came in smiling and said you want to stat treatment today! I just broke down and cried! I have always been a spiritual person, hadn't attended church since I was little, but I always knew the power of prayer. I know we have a long road ahead, but now I feel like I can breathe. He told me for the past 2 months he felt like he was spinning and spinning and someone just hit the brake. Now we  just hope his body responds.

what a relief. You're in good hands.

Dotson,

I'm so glad to hear your good news about your father!! Every day, I pray for all our brothers and families here on HW as I know that PC has changed our lives in so many ways!! I'm glad you've found HW as it has encouraged and helped so many of us. I know first hand and with you in the fact that prayer changes things. Keep coming back and ask all the question you need to as there are a great deal of people here that has a great deal of information. Again, thank you for being at the right hand side of your father.

Dave in Bartlett, TN

I do realize chemo can manage it and one day that may be the treatment. I just had read it was typically used when HT stopped, that scared me that the treatment was starting with chemo, I'll be honest. I also was afraid of flu/cold season and still real crazy about keeping hands washed and any coughs, sneezes covered with the Lupron. Cancer is all new to me and although I can't stop reading about PC sometimes it all seems to be a lil overpowering. I know I'm just like all of you, wanting a cure, new meds, medical advancements and I believe it will all come and some on its way. In many ways I'm not like many of you because I don't have the disease, I don't experience the pain, the unknown, reading Purgatory's story I now think about a man often that I don't know that I just found a few days ago goggling this disease. My dad has severe pain, although I've never felt it, I've seen it and heard it and know how it makes me feel in a panic wanting to just take it. I couldn't imagine CP. I've read other threads about the surgery and I read Todds Blog which helped explain a lot of my dads emotions. So many of you have helped in so many ways and I could name each and everyone one from Dave to David, Allen, Sonny, Peter, Redwing  and the list goes on and on. I'm really not sure how I can begin to express my gratitude. I'm just so overwhelmed with joy that treatment started, as I said in one post I feel like a race horse at the start gate. Early post where I asked if there was anything I could do with the support side. After treatment at the car my dad stopped me. He told me not to think everything I was doing he didn't know although I wasn't mentioning all of it. He had seen the numbers written, notes taken, me always reading. He said all he knew was he had stage 4 cancer and friends were telling him to get his affairs in order, my mom was treating him like he was sick by not wanting him to work and do lil stuff, but you had never done that. I don't know what just happened but I know you do. I could never repay or thank you enough, you were the only reason I knew I would wake up the next day with this disease. You never and will never give up. Of course I cried and told him that's the best thing about family, and love, you never have to repay you just accept it. I know days he will be hateful, he is a strong willed man and I'm down for that. To the ones standing by these men's side, listening, being encouraging, showing them your fighting too and most important never let this disease make them feel less than who they are, strong men!!My dad once told me cancer made him feel less of a man and I told him it makes you so much of a stronger man, maybe that's why it happens to men like all of you. You're so strong you can show the way and fight this, be an inspiration to others. Just thinking out loud as the whys of the universe.

Post Edited (dotson) : 11/22/2013 3:04:07 PM (GMT-7)

Dotson, great news with your day, and trust me, "faith" is another powerful tool in are arsenal in fighting cancer, I wouldn't be where I am today without a healthy dose of that in my program.

Good luck, and never lose hope

David

Allen They have been good. She started him on Lupron and Casodex but started them together. Iv'e read casodex should have been started at least a week prior to Lupron. He is staying with me. I'm afraid of a flare. Tonight he is in a lot of pain. He says its nothing he hasn't felt before but I'm a lil worried and watching him closely. Is a flare a defiant due to both being started together? I've found conflicting info on the internet and by calling. When I call cancer centers they say its subjective. His doctor and urologist seemed fine with the two started together.

Thank You so much Allen. You are a world of knowledge and a blessing! He's a sleep now and his pain has left except some in his legs. His chest was hurting bad and I figured from the lymph nodes. He says he feels like someone is bear hugging him :(

Tonight he can't keep anything down. He keeps throwing up and sweating. He doesn't seem to be dehydrated when I check the skin. I'm thinking about making him go to the e.r. which he refuses because the weather is bad. I know its probably the meds doing its job but its all worrisome. I called and they seem not to be concerned as long as he stays hydrated. Staying hydrated is hard when your sick. He's sleeping now and did keep some water down. Thankful he has no pain, first night with no pain.

Dotson - I'm very happy that he's without pain tonight. That's been our constant ongoing battle, dealing with the pain issue. It's a great relief when one can focus on the other issues knowing that pain management has been successful.