I really should not complain, such things about
going to the URO are so minor compared to the main reason for going there in the first place. But yesterday I had a 2PM appointment to get my 1st PSA since I lost my < sign 6 months ago(at 18 months) and went from <.01 to simply .01. Now was time for the 2 year (actually, 25 months) post RP checkup which this time was supposed to include a visit with the doc, not just lab.
Made almost late by a deluge that hit while I was trying to find a parking place, still I signed in at exactly 1359. I have learned not to get there early, does not seem to help anything. After about
30-40 minutes, they call me back to draw my blood, then send me back out to wait. At maybe 1500, they call me back to the waiting room. And I sit, and sit(Y'all know the drill). Giving me plenty of time to stew and grow anxious about
my #. While I had been hoping for an unlikely actual regain of my < sign, I knew it was far more likely I had gone the other direction. And am I actually up above the .03 level or even higher, maybe above .1? I found myself growing a bit anxious. But I'm sitting there reminding myself all of the things that can happen to delay a surgeon, I know because I used to work with this very surgeon. Finally, about
2 hours after my appointment time, I think the doc is finally about
to come through the door as it
opens, and in comes his new, very young PA. That's it, a 2 hour wait even for the PA? Good grief!
She says the doc just wanted me to know that it was perfect, I was still undetectable. I informed her I had lost my < six months ago, and asked if I could have the actual #. She told me it was still .01. Frankly, I got the feeling I might know more about
the subject than her, and just had an urge to get out of there, so I got no useful info. I just didn't feel like asking her anything, I could just tell any discussion was going to be at a lower knowledge level than I needed. And her superficial questions about
do I have any complaints just did not interest me. I knew she would just have to go back to the doc to get the OK on what to tell me, so I was out of there. I was not rude to her, not her fault, but I just wanted out of there by this time. I must be getting old and cranky.
But anyway, by the time I got home, I was over my irritation and realizing that, even though I did not get my fantasy wish of a regained <, I was still very blessed with this report. Considering that I am a surgery only for a G9 with a positive margin and SV+ and a pre surgery PSA of 10.9, I know I am very much on the winning side to still be hanging at .01 at 25 months, with no increase since my 1st increase 6 months ago. Or, as the PA told me, "perfect, still undetectable". Even though they did detect some, undetectable in their opinion, by their standards. Good enough. I have bought myself 2 years now of healing with no potential troublesome salvage or adjuvant treatments, with no apparent harm. So, I feel very blessed. So blessed that I celebrated with a gut stuffing wifey's delicious homemade lasagna washed down with a sweet Cabernet Sauv!
