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90+ but still didn't die of PC

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Posted 10/9/2015 4:27 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I lost a friend this morning. I got to know him in a Sunday School class I teach which consists of the oldest guys in the church, most of them 20++ years older than me. Still, it is a very active and sharp group.

This gentleman had retired twice, but gone back to work as an accountant both times because he just couldn't stand being retired. He was still working full time. He came down with PC maybe 6 or 7 years ago(I don't know any gleason details) and had RT. He had just cleared the 5 year mark with no PSA rise, only drops, and thought he was home free, but then the next year it started rising and they put him one of the meds some folks here take, I can't remember which. Maybe it was Xtandi? Not sure.

But shortly after starting it he was in the hospital seemingly near death, and I think I started a thread here asking if his symptoms could have been SEs from the drug. But he recovered, I think he quit taking the drug, and for the last several months had been back to more or less normal. Back in SS and going out to eat with the guys once a month.

Got a call this morning: he got up to go to the bathroom, and collapsed and died. I will miss him, he was one of several WW2 vets in that SS class, and I loved to hear his(and their) their stories.

I'm not even sure why I am posting this here. I guess I am wondering how it would have gone with him if he had not had any PC treatment at about age 85, or most especially if he had not had the recent drug treatment when his PSA started to rise again about a year ago? Would he have done a lot worse with no treatment? I don't know, and I don't know if he was a G6 or 10.

I also have written before about my 80+ year old neighbor across the street(whose wife died of Alzheimer's about 5 or so years ago) with the PSA of 20+ , but with no symptoms or mets apparently, who just keeps on going, no treatment other that supplements. He does not know his Gleason, and apparently does not care. His choice and he has had several good years so far.

Going to the other end of the age spectrum, I also had another friend who got PC late 40s, had the surgery(by my local URO, though he sent me up to J. Smith at Vanderbilt), wore a diaper(as he called it) at work for a while, had a penile implant after a year or 2(had a pretty wife younger than him, 4 boys from age 8 to 18), then died of a massive stroke at 51. If he would have possessed a crystal ball to tell him of that upcoming death from stroke, I'm sure he would have said "no thanks" to treatment for PC. But like the rest of us, he did not have one of those.

Again, not sure what my point is, why I am posting about this man's death. Other than he died with PC, not from it. But would that have been different if he had no treatment? Who knows? I guess it can go either way.

Bill

Post Edited (BillyBob@388) : 10/9/2015 10:34:45 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/9/2015 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
Definitely something to ponder about as we try to continue with our own lives.
Posted 10/9/2015 4:59 PM (GMT 0)

BillyBob@388 said...

Again, not sure what my point is, why I am posting about this man's death. Other than he died with PC, not from it. But would that have been different if he had no treatment? Who knows? I guess it can go either way.



I've gotta question--we all should question--the sense of aggressively treating a man who lived 83 without being diagnosed with PC. I'm thinking that nobody explained to him clearly how his quality of life would be degraded, very likely without any impact to his longevity. Sad. Very sorry about the loss of your friend.
Posted 10/9/2015 5:55 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry about the loss Bily Bob,
I have to agree with the aggressive treatment of aa man in his eighties. It sure put a lot of pressure on my 52 year old system . . . Q
Posted 10/9/2015 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear about your friend BillyBob.

This situation brings with it a big reminder that we won't be here for long, but at the same time shows the human side of us that will fight it to the end, with absolutely no knowledge of what tomorrow brings.

My father just turned 71, and one thing he consistently says to me is, "The third generation after your gone will have no memory of you. You better be ready when it's your time to leave this world."

Sounds like your friend had been preparing for a long time with you along side him for much of it.

May he RIP.
Posted 10/9/2015 6:53 PM (GMT 0)
sad news about your friend.
My condolences,
Andrew
Posted 10/9/2015 6:54 PM (GMT 0)
I wanted to initiate a thread about SEs and the older man. My husband recently turn 79. Sounds old in years but not really if you met him. He plays tennis 2-3 times a week, goes to the gym 2x a week and meets with his trainer for strength training. He's a jazz musician by avocation and runs 2 bands. We travel extensively.
He held off getting treatment for 4 years because his cancer is slow growing and he wanted to preserve his QOL. But now that it's popped higher, he relented to start HT. He's waiting to see how he tolerates the SEs and what impact there'll be on his life. I can easily see him opting to stop treatment if the SEs really prevent him from leading the life he wants.
Posted 10/9/2015 7:16 PM (GMT 0)

His bride said...
I wanted to initiate a thread about SEs and the older man. My husband recently turn 79. Sounds old in years but not really if you met him. He plays tennis 2-3 times a week, goes to the gym 2x a week and meets with his trainer for strength training. He's a jazz musician by avocation and runs 2 bands. We travel extensively.
He held off getting treatment for 4 years because his cancer is slow growing and he wanted to preserve his QOL. But now that it's popped higher, he relented to start HT. He's waiting to see how he tolerates the SEs and what impact there'll be on his life. I can easily see him opting to stop treatment if the SEs really prevent him from leading the life he wants.

A G5 with mets? They must have missed something on biopsy. EDIT: of course, that G5 was back in 99 so a long time ago.

Thx every one for the condolences, he was a good guy. I'm sad for his surviving wife and children.

Post Edited (BillyBob@388) : 10/9/2015 1:19:50 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/9/2015 10:24 PM (GMT 0)
NKonney makes a really good point. And I'm guessing it's also the real reason you posted this here, Billy.
But with that said, the human spirit in most people, I believe, is to fight for our lives.
Very sorry for the loss of your friend.p, very sad.
Posted 10/9/2015 11:22 PM (GMT 0)
BillyBob@388

I don't know why you posted it either. All I can say is that I'm just glad you did. As a matter of fact I may even be better off for the fact that you did.




So sorry to hear of your loss.

David

But...I'll say it anyway...maybe we don't need to know the reason. All we need to know is that there was one.
Posted 10/10/2015 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
Billy
Your post reminds us how precious life is in that we never know what's around the corner. So we fight as hard as we can to stay alive as long as possible and as long as life is actually worth living.
Bob
Posted 10/10/2015 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
Thx again one and all for the kind words. He(Bill) certainly got more good years than most of us PC or no PC! I simply can not remember for sure if I saw him in Sunday School(SS) class last week or not, but I was just about to answer a forwarded e-mail from him yesterday when I got the call. His absence from SS will surely be greatly noted in SS tomorrow. He was an active class participant and commentator right to the end! Visitation tonight and funeral tomorrow. I think he had a really good and blessed life. At ~ 90, obviously most of his friends and loved ones had gone on before him, but definitely not all. But counting me, the so called teacher, there were 3 Bills in that class of 10 or 15 max, now there are only 2.

The other Bill(age 91?) was the Lieutenant who took in the first(or one of the 1st) groups of GIs who met up with the Russians in Wurzen, Germany on April 25, 1945. They were under orders to go not one step further, since any further gains were to be given over to Russia via prior agreement. He took thousands of German prisoners who were in a hurry to surrender to the Americans as the Russians were closing in. But a newsman in his platoon knew the Russians were across the river, and he could not stand it. So he took a jeep and got across to them, and came back with a jeep overflowing with 4 Americans(including a Lt. Wm. Robertson) and 4 Russians. (the reporter almost got a court Martial for disobeying orders) When they saw the Russians coming across the river, one of the German soldiers wrestled an M1 rifle away from an American guard and shot himself through the chin, fearing they were about to be turned over to the Russians. The Russians stayed a while, shook hands and shared some drinks, then went back across the river. He has great pictures taken with his camera of all of this. I don't think this was the official 1st meeting in late April on the Elbe River about another 20 miles to the east, but the actual 1st meeting. He has pictures of the mayors home, where the mayor, his wife and daughter and a **** official who- like the German soldier mentioned above, had all committed suicide(but before the Americans even got there). And pictures of himself and Lt. Robertson and other US soldiers with the 4 Russians, with the Russians names, like Lt. Alexander Silvashko, for example. Here are Robertson and Silvashko in the official/arranged picture: /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbe_Day

This same man until just very recently was still participating in track and field events and winning his age related group(shot put and discuss I think). The last one he went to he said he figured he would win it by default as no one else in his age group would show up. But a guy from IL showed up(this was in MS) and he had to compete. He won it though. Only in recent months does his stride seem diminished. He has had problems from his prostate and worse problems from the treatment, but not PC.

I have access to a lot of interesting history from these guys in that SS class! But obviously my class #s are dropping steadily over time. I hate seeing them go.
Bill in MS

Post Edited (BillyBob@388) : 10/10/2015 11:27:21 AM (GMT-6)

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