Husband just started chemo

My husband's only symptom was urination weak stream. His PSA came back 1124. A week later he saw a urologist and his PSA was 1800. He began taken hormone therapy injections. His bone scan, ct scan and x-ray showed lymph nodes in the pelvic area were cancerous. All 12 biopsy samples were cancer.
He was told he is stage 4 but should expect to live 8 to 12 years.
He went for a second opinion and the Oncologist said he needs chemo (six rounds, three weeks apart). We are halfway through the first round.
That Dr. said he should expect to survive 2-4 years.
We figure only God knows how long any of us have so we are living every single day and making the best of them. He has had a lot of foot, shin, knee and back pain on days 4,5, and 6 post chemo. We have hope that this will expend his life. He is 64 1/2 and aside from this shocking diagnosis he has never been sick. He worked 37 years without missing a day.
We would appreciate any advise, suggestions, shared experiences, etc.

Good luck to your husband, and to you, of course.

The first doctor gives a very optimistic prognosis, I sincerely hope it turns out to be so, or even better.

With him being Stage IV, and with a PSA that high, and with that kind of rate of increase, definitely a very serious case indeed.

Please keep us well posted on his PC journey, we are here for you, all the way.

Sorry that I am so new to this that I don't know all of the abbreviations, etc. His gleason was a 9 and although the Urologist who specializes in prostate (and is a very good Dr.) said he is a stage 4 the Oncologist who gave us the shorter life span prognosis says he is a T3a because the lymph nodes have only grown out of one side of the prostate. What has been such a shock is all of this just began right after Thanksgiving of this year and during that short amount of time he had the scans, the biopsy, began hormone therapy and chemo. I think we are both kind of feeling like this is surreal but he has the best attitude and every evening he says "we have had a really great day." I have been married to him for 44 years and 44 more wouldn't be enough. I'll try to learn all of the lingo. I wish every one of you the very best as we all travel this road. A forum like this helped me so much when my father had Alzheimer's disease. It helps so much to not feel alone.
Regarding disability he is lucky to have a job that provides sick leave and since he has been with them for a very long time it should cover the time he needs to finish these treatments. If not he is old enough to retire. Thanks so much for the replies. God bless.

Post Edited (tonka toy) : 1/21/2015 5:53:45 PM (GMT-7)

Tonka,
I don't have alot to add. There are some very smart and sharing people here, I'm sure you'll get some great advice. I just wanted to drop by and offer moral support! I'm thinking of you both.
All the best.

Also check out the sticky threads at the top of the forum. Lots of good info there along with a list of the abbreviations we use.

You might want to think about creating a signature block like some of us have - helps folks understand where you are without having to ask a lot of questions.

Don't underestimate the emotional blow this whole thing can land on you both. Up front it's a whirlwind of activity but sooner or later as things slow down the reality of what's going on will hit. Take time to deal with that side of things too.

Hang in there, we're here most days if you have questions, need support or just want to vent,
Andrew

"I think we are both kind of feeling like this is surreal but he has the best attitude and every evening he says "we have had a really great day." I have been married to him for 44 years and 44 more wouldn't be enough. "

Tonka, not much to add to what's already been said, but want to tell you that comment you made, above, made me cry. Although it may not seem like it, your husband is a lucky man to have his wife say that.

Don't listen to the statistics, in your case. They are just statistcs. They can be used to guide decisions for treatment, but as far as life expectancy, they are just averages, he may well outlive all of his doctors. The pace of advance, nets coming is rapid.

Keep the faith

Post Edited (Pratoman) : 1/21/2015 6:18:01 PM (GMT-7)

Thanks so much. I do have a copy of his biopsy report which I will post tomorrow. Thanks for the link to the G9's. It is not a club we wanted to join. Emotionally I was lying in bed repeating in my head stage 4, stage 4, a million times over. I finally processed that but I still find myself wanting to put him in the car and race away as if we can outrun this lousy disease. We thought his yearly work exam was checking his PSA. It stopped doing that years ago. Now this. I have fibromyalgia so we are two very worn out people who are determined to fight this with all we have and enjoy our life together as it unfolds.

Hi Tonka,
Sorry for your news, but welcome to this wonderful forum.
I am 50yrs old, but as you can see by my signature information your husband and I are very close to starting treatments around the same time - Hormone and Chemo. We are different though, as I have bone mets.
When I started my hormone therapy, I had what I considered bone pain for about 2 days at each location where they found tumours. It was strange, as I would get pain in my hip for 2 days, go away, then pain in my ribs for 2 days, go away, then my back etc. Seemed to be rotating pain in one sight per 2 days, but once it stopped, it was done.
When I started the chemo on Jan.16, I went through the same rotating pain, but it would last for a day or less, and now for the last 2 days have had a lot less pain. Mostly I have just felt some "flu like aches and pains". I am not sick - at least not yet - from the chemo, and am functioning like normal most every day. I did notice today, and yesterday as well that my abdomen is "bloated" a bit - it is a little uncomfortable but not too bad. Sometimes I get pins and needles in my back as well. Today is just day 6, so maybe more side effects will come? But I am hoping to be one of the lucky ones that does not get a lot of side effects.
So hopefully your husbands pain will start to subside over the next few days or so? I hope so. Thought I would share my journey with you. Likely to see each other's posts in the future. Best of luck and your hubby is fortunate to have you by his side to support him in this.