Cary
Babinec and Donna live in United States. He was 57 when he was diagnosed in April,
2007. His initial PSA was 3.3 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 6 and he was most likely
staged T1c. His choice of treatment was Laparoscopic Surgery: Radiation: Hormone.
Here is his story.
The first Doctor who diagnosed me was arrogant and since
I was near a major Cancer center in St Louis, MO (Barnes-Jewish Hospital - Siteman
Cancer Center) I opted for surgery with a good sparing of the nerves doctor. He
went in with the 5 Laparoscopic system. Said he disliked the Da Vinci device.
I came out of surgery with my prostate still in. He said their was too much tissue
connections and it would have left me impotent and incontinent.
I am now
undergoing radiation treatments on a Varian
Clinac photon machine. 42 treatments everyday for 8 weeks. I have been on
Casodex and the shot in your stomach that goes with it.
Other than hot
flashes and some fatigue I have been pretty good. My Cancer center re-evaluated
my Gleason Score to a 7 from 6. My scans showed no cancer in my bones.
I
changed my diet and stopped all red meat and went on a high vitamin C and D diet.
Also I am taking a product called JUICE PLUS which claims to have the value of
16 fruits and vegetables. I drink a lot of pure juices like pomegranate and grape.
The
need for your good cells to recover is high so anything that will help my immune
system is worth it for me.
My radiation treatments are about 25-30 minutes
long and I can see the targets on a screen as the machine is hitting them with
the beam. The targets beside my prostate are the lymph nodes and first centimetre
of the seminal vesicle. When I am on the table of the machine I pray.
I
wanted a proton machine but there isn't one near me. Proton machines cost over
$125 million and my hospital is supposed to be getting a less expensive one soon.
My
doctor is Jeff Michalski and has me on a 2 year hormone plan. He does lots of
research and teaches at Washington Univ.
I am not the easiest patient to
deal with because I ask LOTS of questions.
I want to know everything about this disease and every possible treatment. I challenge
the why and benefits to everything the doctors do. I'm on the net constantly looking
for information.
My advice to anyone who reads this is get the best possible
Doctor you can find. Also know what your total program involves and what the success
rate is. Ask questions! Don't be worried about looking foolish if you don't know
something.
Also get on the net and find out as much as you can about what
works and why.
Don't be surprised if some friends disappear. They don't
know what to say and they will avoid you.
I hope I can help guide and inform
with this information.
God Bless!
My
radiation treatment was over February 16th 08. During that time they rushed me
in for a new CT scan. It seems my Gold Markers had moved and my Dr.Jeff Michalski
seemed worried. My radiation had not stopped the cancer from growing. They opened
up the targets for the radiation to be much broader with the seminal vesicles
and bladder increased. I had a new meeting during radiation treatment that basically
said "We suspect we haven't stopped the Cancer from Growing". As you can guess
I was upset. I finished my treatments and prepared for the worst.
I
am now showing symptoms of the Cancer spreading. Bad muscle, bone aches and fatigue.
I have trouble with my balance.
I
am taking high doses of Vitamin D and C. I drink lots of pomegranete juice and
Flax Seed. I eat very little RED MEAT. Im getting lots of exercise and sleep.
Major
Horror! I was due for a hormone shot in January and some how it got missed by
the hospital. When I called my nurse she checked my charts and said "Oh S__T".
I was in that day for the shot. How much damage that missed shot caused I dont
know yet.
Testosterone
feeds the cancer and those shots stop your testosterone. So it may have fed my
Cancer by that missed shot.
So
much for a seventh in the nation Cancer hospital! From all I have read on line
I am in deep trouble. My symptoms have raised the alarm that I may have less than
a year. I am waiting for my PSA results to be done in first week in April.
Cary's
e-mail address is: bjmbjm1998@earthlink.net
