It's been 5 years since my surgery and finding you guys!

It has been 5 years since a doc surgically reduced my weight by 2 ounces. What a difference those 56 grams make!
In some respects it seems much less than five years. In others it seems like a lifetime.
Five years ago today, at a little after midnight, I was sitting in my kitchen, 60 hours post surgery, researching my odds of incontinence, impotence, and meeting with an early demise. I was in pain, hooked up to a leaky catheter, and fearful for my future. As I calculated each number from the nomograms I got more and more frightened, worried, and depressed.
It was precisely at this low point that I wrote my first question here: Prostatectomy - How do I get to sleep?
I was crying and feeling sorry for myself when, suddenly, I got a response from Sleepless09 and Tony C.! They validated my feelings. Then geezer99 and Ed C. and Goodlife and Purgatory and wd 40 and James C. and others helped me laugh about them.
By the morning, I was no longer depressed. Uncomfortable, hurting, worried - certainly. But depressed? No.
When my wife walked into the kitchen she found me smiling. Soon, a few of you showed me it was ok to laugh at the absurdity of the situation - and I did.
That highly respected medical journal "Reader's Digest" has been saying "Laughter is the best medicine" for decades. In my case, I found that to be true as long as it's paired with either surgery, HT, radiation, HIFU, etc to enhance its effects.
It was not long after that we started joking how we could get our wives to do almost anything if we said we heard it was Good For Men's Prostate Health. "Dear, I heard that a week vacation in Bermuda is Good For Mens' Prostate Health." "Really? OK, I'll book the tickets today."
"I heard that a box of See's chocolates is GFMPH." "Really? I'll order some today." "I heard that doing XYZ is GFMPH." "Really? Well, if that will help, I'd be glad to do that."
And GFMPH was born! It was not long before we started getting together every year and the party gets bigger each time! We are now a registered 501 (c)3 Not-for-profit!
I truly believe it was the humor and camaraderie of the guys here that saved me. Had I been left alone to stew in my wet pee pads who knows where I would have ended up.
You guys helped me and I consider GFMPH my small way of helping the next guys down the line.
Thank you Cajun Jeff and Sonny for hosting events in Baton Rouge and Orlando.

And Thank you all for helping me get though this and making me a better man. .

Jeff - Your GFMPH host in NY.

Jeff, this PC sucks but the only thing positive I can think of is getting to meet great people like you and the rest of the GFMPH family.

PS. remember, "It's always sunny in Philadelphia " ;-)
Cmetalman&Wife

Big Mac Bill,

I remember the peeing in the dark incident. Not too long after I had my sling installed I was caught in a public restroom by one of those "Energy Saving" motion sensing lights with a timer.
Dangerous Energy Saving Measures
There were a lot of good suggestions for new products.

Thanks for the reminder. I always check now.

Jeff

Jeff – Congrats on your continued membership in the Zero Club. Wow 5 years – that’s fantastic. And a special commendation to you as one of the founding fathers of GFMPH and host of the first GFMPH event. It has been both an honor and a pleasure to meet and get to know you and your wife … and all the other GFMPH’ers. In reading your post I couldn’t help but think of the logo on the coveted t-shirt:

GFMPH
An exclusive “Gentleman’s Club” Est. 2009
Price of admission: One small “walnut”
Cost to remove the walnut - $15K to $50K
Lifetime Friendships made – “Priceless”

The last line says it all doesn’t it?

And Healing Well and the members here are such a blessing to us all. I’m sure it has helped many of us, including me; keep our sanity as we take this PCa journey.

All the best -- Jon

My wife : So where are you going this weekend ?

Me : Over to Rochester, NY

Wife : Who you going to see ?

Me : Oh, some named Worried Guy I met on the internet.

Wife : What are you going to do ?

Me : Not sure. Probably talk about a Prostate Cancer .

Wife : Do you know anything about these guys ?

Me : Not really. He is really funny though, and enjoy chatting on Healingwell.

Wife : You call me when you get there and let he know where you are.

Last year,Worried Guy's wife, told he she went out and took down our lucense plate numbers before she took off to her Mom's for the weekend. I can't believe how much fun the three of us had that first weekend. But if you read the minutes, and the published accounts, we never let on that only three of us were there.

This year, it appears we are pushing 50 or 60 people, many with their significant others. The food will be marvelous, the Bon fires will burn up a large portion of Worried Guy's winter firewood. The laughter, the fellowship, and the one heck of a good time will be amazing. It's a shame I had to get PC to start attending these events, but it certainly takes a lot of the sting out of having a nasty cancer.

I hope many of you will come join us !

Goodlife

The way Jeff tells his story, he was in a bad way after his surgery and he found this forum where people are brave and funny and loving and it saved him. It's true, I guess, and a valid way to look at it.

But if you read through that first thread its hard to escape the notion that most of what he found was an audience. This forum has been a braver, funnier and more loving place since he found it.

Jeff, 5 years. How time fly's when your having fun. We are glad you are here and a cornerstone of this community. Todd

Worried,

Over the years I've enjoyed your analytic analyses. Keep 'em coming.

Congratulations on five years and best wishes for a life of zeros!

Jeff,

Sorry I missed your 5th anniversary post. We were celebrating my Dad's 75th Birthday!
Five years ago, you were sleepless and my Dad was celebrating his 69th. Who knew?

You might have gotten rid of the yucky gland, but you and Mrs. Worried will never be rid of all the friends who have come to know and love you guys! I don't like giving cancer credit for anything, but dang, we've met some wonderful friends along the way.

While you're celebrating your 5th.... we're still sad that it's been exactly 18 days since we last broke bread with great friends.

One last thing....
"Unfortunately my wife won't let me drill a hole in the floor above the sump pump. Nor will she buy me the 50 feet of tygon tubing. Women! "

Seriously???? Mrs. WorriedGuy is going to be canonized as "St. Wizard's Wife!" :)

Jeff,

Happy 5th anniversary. I wasn't here five years ago (glad I wasn't)!! Yes, HW family is truly a close, caring and loving family. I'm so glad I found you guys.

Jeff, Dorothy and I are ecstatic to get to attend our first GFMPH meeting. I know it will be fulfilling and just what my doctor ordered! Thank You in advance for hosting! I know everyone appreciates you.

Take care and keep on keeping on!

Dave in Bartlett, TN

Hi All,
Peter and I have learned a lot just from reading the posts in the forums.
Thank you for sharing so selflessly.
Does anyone know if there is an organisation like the one you call GFMPH in Australia?

What do the letters stand for?..... and where would we go to get info on it in Australia?

I'm a pretty new member of your forum and have only asked a question, which one kind man answered with excellent, sensitive advice.....
His advice was really helpful.

It would be good to meet others as you do.

Take care,
Jenny

This is by far the best site I have found for prostate cancer. The men and their spouses here are an inspiration to me.
It has been 21/2 years for me and this site has helped me more than anything else.
Thankyou
Paul

Thanks Peter for explaining the letters.
That's so funny!
Um... I think your wife would enjoy the Australian outback at the moment.
It's pleasant in the daytime, but freezing at night.

She would enjoy our sunny Queensland coastal towns too. Weather is great.
That's where we live.

I was thinking you had meetings somewhere, or get-togethers.
Don't know how I'd go organizing that.
Thought there might have already been a group.
For now, I think this online one gives plenty of great support.