Hard time with this post

Educator,

You were real lucky to get into surgery with Dr. Harrell so soon. I was wondering why we have not heard from you. The perineural invasion just means that they found some of the cancer in the nerves within the prostate. Don't worry about it as there is no consensus that it means anything. In fact, several hospitals have stopped noting it on path reports including the Mayo Clinic. Be sure to ask Dr. Harrell about it at your appointment. The 5% prostate involvement was the same as mind. You are right this is good news so congratulations. Sorry to hear that the post op was not too kind to you. I felt real good and was not sick until I took those first few steps after surgery then I dry heaved a few times and was good from that point on. You know the drill now. Don't push it too hard and take it a day at a time.

Welcome to the other side!!

Tamu

Good news indeed. No long wait to get nervous and a good outcome.  The path report sounds really good, with clear margins (that's always good).  Now that step one is over, time to start with step 2-continence.  You don't mention if you have the catheter in or out, so how's it going in that department.   Get to walking a bunch, it will decrease your recovery time dramatically.

   Hey ~ Educator & Very Wise Wife….   This is fantastic news.   Remember ~ every part of our journey is important to share… Good, Bad, and/or Scary.   That’s what makes HealingWell so powerful.   We learn form each other and the positives help to overpower the negatives.   Your wife was right on!!!!   She deserves an extra HUG!!!   You are now on the recovery/healing stepping-stone and that means.   Heal well by taking the proper time to do so.   It also mean you should be walking, resting, sleeping, eating, walking, resting, …. You get the picture!   Truly ~ you must listen to your body and not over do it when you start feeling “good”.   We don’t want any backsliding.  Walking??... see "Our Journey" located in our signature to see the regiment we followed!!  It worked for us!   I’m sending you a little more information about your question re: Perineural Invasion?   ** Excerpts taken from “Dr. Patrick Walsh’s Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer” by: Patrick C. Walsh, M.D. and Janet Farrar Worthington.    Copyright 2001   This book gave us so much knowledge… and Knowledge is Power .     Page 145 ** What about Perineural Invasion? As cancers grow, they compress normal tissue, looking for “elbow room”—spaces with less resistance, where they can spread.   Nerves are usually surrounded by some empty space; for cancer, this is the real estate equivalent of a nice suburban lot with a big backyard—plenty of elbow room.   Thus, it’s not uncommon to find prostate cancer in the spaces around the nerves; this is called ‘perineural invasion.”   Because the nerves are most common close to the surface of the prostate, the findings of perineural invasion on a biopsy suggests that the cancer is close to the edge of the prostate, and may well have penetrated the capsule.   However—this is important to keep in mind— cancer that has penetrated the capsule can still be cured .   Which makes this a paradoxical finding—because, although men with perineural invasion are more likely to have capsular penetration than men without it, perineural invasion has no long-term impact on whether or not a man can be cured .   For this reason, some noted pathologists have suggested that it should not even be commented on when found in a biopsy, because it’s not worth worrying about . <end quote>   So ~ continue moving forward “with all of us”.   I see in your 1 st posting that you will have the catheter in for 2 weeks.   We had Mr. Hang for 17 days and we truly feel that the extra time gave extra healing time.   That’s a good thing.   Our opinion!! Keeping you close in thoughts and prayers ~ Stay Close… Okay!! In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy  

That is good news to hear. We all like to hear the good reports. I don't think anyone considers it bragging. We have absolutely nothing to do with the outcome of our pre or post op path reports etc. Good news like yours does encourge others with their journey. My numbers were very similar to yours my surgery was 10/12/06 Eveything is working very nicely now and the numbers are good. Other folks have not been so luckey and we do continue to think about and pray for them as we become aware of their

situations. Welcome to the forum and please share your news as you move on down the line good or bad. God Bless You.

Great news educator. Now just try to take it easy for a while and don't overdo it.

Mika

You've gotten lots of good advice about your walking schedule since I mentioned it.  What I found most effective for me was to take shorter brisk walks several times a day, followed by climbing into the recliner for a half hour or so of rest.  If you have the time (retired or on sick leave) , the walk/rest cycle will really help in healing and kick starting the systems to begin functioning again. Also, increase you water intake, you got the bag now, take advantage of free pee time.  After the catheter is out, I was advised to restrict liquids for a few days, to allow the body to adjust, then to slowly increase liquid intake, to flush out surgery leftovers in the body and bloodstream.  I would walk 1/4 mile at a moderate fast pace, then rest.  Repeated it 4 times a day.  As I gained my strength back, I started adding hills to it.  Walking, then hills or stairs are excellent therepy for getting that single spincter muscle to working and training it to take over the full load it has to do now.  If you live where there aren't hills, then find a building that has several floors and hit the stairwells, maybe a local mall if nothing else is available?  I seem to remember you as living near Nashvillle, so there should be plenty of opportunities to find places.   Up here in E. Tn hills is all we got...lol

James C.

Thanks to everyone for your information. Very helpful. I walked alot today shopping for a wedding dress for my daughter. When I saw the price I wanted to run.....fast and real far away.

I will take it slow but I think I can get back up to my 3 mile routine pretty quickly.

I am getting a lot more used to the cath now. It was nice during the shopping trip as I didn't have to look for a restroom like I use to do.

Thanks to all,

Educator

Thanks Tony,

Reading your report was on of them I was talking about. From everything I have read it is possible to cure compeltly every state of cancer if the right circumstances are met. I must say I felt positive but still was quietly doing my homework on what might be my next steps if the report came back not as good. I am glad to hear the PSA dropped out on your report and has not returned.

I too am surrounded by good friends and family and I know things will work out so that I can enjoy them long into the future. I have found it hard to complaine at all because someone else has always got it worse than you.

Keep up the positive spirits and you too will continue to win over this thing completly.

Educator

Educator,

I too have felt hesitant about publicly celebrating my victories....
  - and yet as Susan said, we MUST!
We owe it to all those readers out there that need real facts about real people.

Congratulations on your daughter's planned wedding!
     I photographed a wedding two days ago in the Texas Hill Country.
     The families kept it simple, elegant, and meaningful.
     I think the hardest part is whittling down the guest list. 
     Catering prices seem to be the only motivating factor!
Regardless of your plans, "many happy returns of the day....."

However humbly, we must acknowledge our victories to be thankful.
Thanksgiving has a most very special meaning to me now!

Thankfulness for my friends here is near the top of the list.

C^Cedar
ICTHUS!