ggiro

here it is.....
i've been to more doctors in the past week than i could remember. and
the strings that got pulled for me to get into these other 2 urologists
on a 1 day notice. (i am so grateful)
first my referred urologist. he hurls at everything at about 100 mph.
we'll do radiation with temporary seed implants. we can fix this, that,
you'll be out and back to work right away. bone scan, MRI then the
radiation oncologist for 2 full hours. he says it's like flying the
"enola ***" over you. then 4 weeks of radiation, then hormone therapy
for 2 years. never mind the ***ual functions; what about who i become??
then to a second opinion, who by the way comes highly recommended. he
says surgery standard style. and the MRI shows maybe it's broken out,
maybe it hasn't. it's not in the lymphs or bones. and all the studies
that the 1st guy says; radiation is better in the long run are wrong.
that in 10 yrs the effects and quality of life issues are in fact better
than radiation. like your bowel and urinary functions.
so to a 3rd opinion. (this is all in one day) this time a doctor from
the dartmouth-Hitch**** medical center (nh). this man does the
laproscopic surgery and had dr. dahl mentored the first operations. he
too refutes the 1st guy and says surgery. then light chemo. he's done
168 of them.
that way we can know for "sure" if it's in the lymph nodes and how far
out of the prostate it might have gone. i'm leaning away from the
hormone treatments for now and going to try every low fat health diet
and supplement to attempt to naturally lower the PSA. do a blood test
every month. i was told that when prostate cancer strikes young men (i'm
51 PSA 9.8 gleason 8) it's usually aggressive. i look at my life and say
i got a lot to be grateful for. pray for me? i see a lot of people worse
off than me even if it does kill me 10 years from now.
so the official 3rd opinion is dec 2 and an operation date of dec 12
th. is reserved for me. no, i'm not waiting for the holidays. i'm a
little scared even with so many friends supporting, helping me. i can
only imagine what i'll be like as the day comes closer... praying. ~
greg

if you wish to email me use appleoaks then the web tv ...... etc

jimhoney

So there's no evidence it's in your bones, and you're going for laparascopic
RP to get rid of the bad stuff and grab some lymph nodes. I don't
understand the "light chemo," but others here will.

Sounds like a great plan to me. And with laparascopic surgery, you'll be
out and about a couple of days after surgery, still plenty of time to do
Christmas shopping. You're gonna have a Merry Christmas indeed!

jimhoney

wake

I just made my decision today for RRP. My numbers are better than yours, so
it was more straightforward - but still stressful to pick the "best" of the
options.

I felt much better after making the decision with my wife and the doc. He
seems to be experienced and confident. We have a plan now. However, I also
wonder how I'll feel when the day comes.

Best wishes,
Wake

mh

Greg and Wake....

At least you have reached a decision, and that will take away a certain
amount of the anxiety. As Wake said, now you have a plan! Just keep
looking forward.... Let us help with questions and support as the dates
approach. And start thinking of how you want to spend the rest of your long
lives!!

Take care!
MikeH

steve kramer

Greg,

My RRP was 12/15/2000. That Christmas Eve was the most special one of my
life.

One suggestion: Don't know what shape you are in, but I was in said shape,
not having seriously worked out in 10 or 12 years. When I found out I was
going under the knife, I quickly started a walking program, starting out at
20 minutes and one mile to daily 2-mile sessions in 34 minutes. While doing
so, I prayed they rosary using fingers and knuckles to count the beads (for
Catholics only). When I hit the operating table, my mind, body, and spirit
were in elevated condition. My doc was surprised that my BP stayed down and
steady. My family was surprised that I had no fear and was joking with
them, the doc, the nurses, and anyone else who wandered by. You have 22
days to get ready. My prayers will include you.

--
Steve Kramer
PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000
PSA .1 .1 .1 .3 .4 .8
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .3 .2 .2 .2 .3
Erection 05/12/2003 @ 48
Begin Lupron 07/21/2003 @ 48
PSA .1

steve kramer

What's your date?

--
Steve Kramer
PSA 16 10/17/2000 @ 46
Biopsy 11/01/2000 G7 (3+4), T2c
RRP 12/15/2000
PSA .1 .1 .1 .3 .4 .8
EBRT 05-07/2002 @ 47
PSA .3 .2 .2 .2 .3
Erection 05/12/2003 @ 48
Begin Lupron 07/21/2003 @ 48
PSA .1

keith340

Good Luck!!!!The prayer warriors got you covered.

Keith Lundy/So. California
40 Proton Beam Radiation Treatments
Loma Linda Univ.Med Ctr..3/03-5/03

appleoaks

okay... light chemo therapy means a class of very weak potency drugs. i
guess the radiation is not very strong. i'll find out on dec 2 what it
all means. today they weren't so sure about the 12/12 date. the doctor
did say a judge was giving him a hard time about missing jury duty. it
would then be on the 19th.
now about those mind, body, spirit connections... i thought i was ready
for any news when i first found out. but what happened instead is that i
almost threw up. i think my friends have been so helpful. i will do
something special for myself before i go in. i'm not an athlete but not
out of shape either. being a carpenter/ builder who still works 40 just
on the job site has kept me in shape.
what does worry me is that my immune system has been screwed up since i
was 18 with a type of arthritis in my back. and i'll need a good immune
system to keep this at bay (?). maybe i will go to mexico and see some
cancer 'doctor' to get help the alternative way to keep me from getting
sick AFTER the operation. and the 1st sign its smoke and mirrors then
i'll do the hormones. i just feel a bit (51) young to be on those things
so soon. ~ greg

alan meyer

Greg,

Going to Mexico for some "alternative way" doesn't sound like a good
idea to me. There's a ton of information available today in books and
websites about what works and what doesn't. If someone offers you
something "alternative" to what's known to work, it's virtually guaranteed
to be "smoke and mirrors". You'll have spent a lot of money to find out
what you can find out very cheaply by reading the literature.

wake

Don't know exactly yet - first part of January.