The Return of JayMot

First a big hello to all. I’ve been home recovering and taking it easy all summer. Since I had accumulated over 280 sick days in my 31+ years of employment, I was able to get 9 weeks sick leave from my surgeon. I added 5 weeks of vacation onto that so that I was off work (paid) for 14 weeks. Today I am back in the office. It was a touch commute this morning!

Although I have not posted, I have been reading posts almost daily. Anyway, as some of you may recall, my pathology was not the best. At the same time, I guess it could have been worse (See signature). I got my first blood draw last week (8/31) for my 1st ultra-sensitive PSA (3 months after surgery). The results were available online on Friday. However, I could not bring myself to access the information. I was having such a wonderful summer that I did not want to ruin the Labor Day weekend with potentially bad news. Yesterday, I viewed the results. <.006! Whew!

BUT, and here is a big BUT, I felt relieved, but did not feel relieved. I just felt that I brushed the dirt under the carpet. I could not help but feel that it’s only time before this rears its ugly head again. I guess I am trying to establish a new normal. I was able to accept my post-surgery pathology and its prognosis by mid-summer. I guess the PSA testing every 3 months for 3 years will settle in after a while too.

So, I am not sure of the significance of a first PSA of <.006 other than PCa is currently undetectable. Maybe the cancer at the margins or EPE was not grade 4 but maybe grade 3? Maybe the remaining PCa is so small at this time that it hasn’t registered yet? Maybe it’s all gone? Who knows? Anyway, I have a 3 month reprieve and will revisit this again in early December.

Thanks to all that have supported me. This forum is great.

JayMot

Jay, great to hear from you. You got the result you needed, now it's time to go out and live life. As long as you keep getting non-detects, it's all good.

Hi Jay, congrats on the undetectable and the time off you were able to pull off. I wish you continued success. Take care. -JR

JayMot said...
First a big hello to all. I’ve been home recovering and taking it easy all summer. Since I had accumulated over 280 sick days in my 31+ years of employment, I was able to get 9 weeks sick leave from my surgeon. I added 5 weeks of vacation onto that so that I was off work (paid) for 14 weeks. Today I am back in the office. It was a touch commute this morning!

Although I have not posted, I have been reading posts almost daily. Anyway, as some of you may recall, my pathology was not the best. At the same time, I guess it could have been worse (See signature). I got my first blood draw last week (8/31) for my 1st ultra-sensitive PSA (3 months after surgery). The results were available online on Friday. However, I could not bring myself to access the information. I was having such a wonderful summer that I did not want to ruin the Labor Day weekend with potentially bad news. Yesterday, I viewed the results. <.006! Whew!

BUT, and here is a big BUT, I felt relieved, but did not feel relieved. I just felt that I brushed the dirt under the carpet. I could not help but feel that it’s only time before this rears its ugly head again. I guess I am trying to establish a new normal. I was able to accept my post-surgery pathology and its prognosis by mid-summer. I guess the PSA testing every 3 months for 3 years will settle in after a while too.

So, I am not sure of the significance of a first PSA of <.006 other than PCa is currently undetectable. Maybe the cancer at the margins or EPE was not grade 4 but maybe grade 3? Maybe the remaining PCa is so small at this time that it hasn’t registered yet? Maybe it’s all gone? Who knows? Anyway, I have a 3 month reprieve and will revisit this again in early December.

Thanks to all that have supported me. This forum is great.

JayMot

Wow, JayMot, < .006? That is incredible! Good for you, man!

Ata Boy Jay. Success!

congrats buddy!

JayMot-

I wouldn't stress overmuch about Decipher. The significance of all the new info on uPSA is that even guys like you who had some adverse pathological findings can safely wait until uPSA rises above 0.03 ng/ml before reacting in any way. I think that tells you more than Decipher ever could.