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09/08/2005: "Prostrate Cancer Treatment Story"
ON the more tab.... from a longtime friend of the family.... Explicit details maybe not for weak-tummied folk......
Rolled out of house, 9/7, 5:30 A.M. Picked up [friend] to drive back & keep [wife] company.
Arrived [Prostate Cancer Center], 7:50 A.M. Endured [wife] & [friend] bragging about delicious coffee I couldn't have.
9:10 A.M. brought to pre-op for brachytherapy, implanting of radioactive seeds in prostate. Procedure approx. one hour. 25 needles to implant 98 seeds in almond size prostate. Went through perineum, area between scrotum and anus. Recovery approx. 2 hours including x-rays and mri to see if they missed. That would have made me an extremely unhappy camper. Couldn't leave 'til urination.
I have new appreciation for you ladies & pads. Especially first timers. Out of nowhere (actually out of proper body part) bled like stuck pig including clots. That wasn't good enough, so had to stay until actual urine joined blood or would have gone home with catheter for 2 - 3 days. No way was that happening! I believe I willed urine to the mix and finally escaped. Of course, not before [wife] got to play Marquessa de Sade. She didn't even feed poor [friend]. She was afraid she'd miss a dr. telling her that there was a nuclear mishap and a mushroom cloud destroyed all my vitals. And she wanted pictures, especially of me in the stirrups (see new appreciation for you ladies). Docs wouldn't let her do that but in recovery she got shots of me in bloody gown and "cute" shower cap. They'll probably appear on my next birthday cake.
You guys- beware your docs!!!! While this has been going on I've gotten horror stories of docs waiting WAY!!!!!! too long. I had no symptoms, docs with elbow up my butt could only feel slight prostate enlargement which is age appropriate, no lumps, bumps or anything that made weird noioses in the night. PSA was only slightly high, 4.2. They said between 2 & 3 would have been normal, 4 & 5 for smokers. But they wanted to be thorough.
Ultrasound showed nothing. Biopsies- 12 needles inserted to withdraw needlepoint samples- 11 were clean, the 12th had 5% of a slow growth cancer cell. The seeding should take care of that with no problem. PSA's 3 mos.,6 mos. & 1 yr. By then # should be 1 or less.
The horror stories- docs had let fellas build up PSA's to the 20's, 30's and 40's, giving Flomax for swelling prostate & bypassing rest of tests. If your doc comes up with even a slightly elevated PSA- 4 or over, ask for all tests including biopsies. They're pain in butt (literally) but if caught early the seeding is the least invasive, least side affect prone procedure & has best all around results. Chemo & radiation have major side affects as in affecting urination and sexual functioning longterm. If bad enough to have to have prostate removed same symptoms are 100 times worse - permanent.
After 4 pit stops on the way home, urine was clear by evening. Frequency wasn't much greater than than normal. Bowels could have revolted for a few days but they're back to normal too. Some discomfort in perineum area but pads provide soft landings. Can't lift anything greater than 10 lbs. strain or stretch crotch area for 2 weeks because they're afraid seeds will move- 98 in size of almond, where are they going to go?
Screws up bowling for a couple of weeks but if that's all it takes to be cancer free it's probably worth it (how far can the team fall behind in 2 weeks?).
Guys get your tests. Gals make them (if they get the procedure they'll more fully appreciate your menstruation) (or they'll appreciate that you go through it rather than them- we're such wusses, we don't want monthly bleeding and don't want pain of child birth- shame on us!).
Love and prayers to all.
