Ed
Wilson and Linda live in Texas-USA.
He was 61 when he was diagnosed on May 13 2006. His initial PSA was 3.9 ng/ml
and his Gleason Score was 6 and he would have been staged T1c although he was
not given this information. His choice of treatment was Laparascopic Surgery.
Here is his story:
My
wife Linda and I live in North Central Texas. We have been married for 42 years.
In the Autumn of 2005 I went to the local Auto Parts store that was owned by a
lifelong friend and he proceeded to inform me that he had been diagnosed with
PC and asked if I had been getting myself checked on a regular basis. I had not
had a PSA test since 2003 (too busy), so I went to the local hospital, had the
test done and the results were faxed to my Urologist Dr. Gary Price in Arlington,
TX.
I met with Dr. Price in Dec. and he informed me that my PSA had risen
from 2.7 in 2003 to 3.3 in Dec. 2005. The DRE was normal. He said that a few years
ago the normal thing to do would have been to tell me to go home and come back
in a year. Now, he said, we have learned better and he thought I should have a
biopsy. One was scheduled and performed in Jan. 2006. Thirteen sites were taken
and it was not the most plesant experience I've ever had. When I went back a week
later, I was told that twelve of the sites were normal and one came back abnormal
- not cancerous, just abnormal. He said he wanted to have another biopsy done
in ninety days. Woopie! I need to point out that I was feeling pretty unconcerned
about this, because I have no family history of any type of cancer on either side
of my family. Dr. Price pointed out that simply moved me into the national average
and if I had a family history of cancer it would increase my chances of PC.
I
had the next biopsy on May 15,2006. It was performed by a different doctor and
he did one thing that made the procedure 2/3 less painfull than the prior one.
After he deadened the Prostate he said now we're going to wait about 5 minutes
and let the deadening take effect. If you are unfortunate enough to have to go
through this, ask the Dr. to do this - you won't be sorry. I went for the results
on May 24 - expecting to hear the same results and that another biopsy would have
to be scheduled. Wrong. Dr. Price walked in and said "you've got cancer in three
places, but if you've got it this is the kind to have because it is a Gleason
6".
He recommended LR Surgery and recommened Dr. David Shepherd. My wife
and I met with Dr. Shepherd in June and we discussed all of my options and he
left it up to us to decide. We opted for surgery.
The date for surgery
was Sept. 21, 2006 at 7:00am. Prior to this I had CT scan, EKG and blood work
done. The surgery lasted about three hours and during the surgery Dr. Shepherd
repaired some damage from a TURP (roto-rooter) surgery that I mistakenly had done
in 2000. (I recommend avoiding a TURP if at all possible.) I had very little pain
and went home at 10:00 the next day.
I had to wear the catheter for a week.
Dr. Shepherd had told me that I would probably be incontinent for a month because
of having the TURP. I wore Depends to the doctors office the day the nurse removed
the catheter, there was no pain involved. When we got back home, we got the word
that one of our rental units was flooded because of a broken pipe. As a result
of this I was on my feet taking care of this problem for about 3 hours. When I
got back to the house the Depends was soaked. I hit the shower and took it easy
until bedtime. I had some leakage, but nothing like I first experienced. Another
shower, a new diaper and I went to bed. Later in the night I was awakened feeling
dampness. I got up went to the tiolet and checked the Depends. No wet pad. The
dampness came from me sweating because of the plastic diaper. I threw the Depends
in the trash, got a pad and pair of tight briefs and went to bed. The next morning
the pad was dry, much better than I had hoped for.
The following week I
went back to Dr. Shepherd for the post-op. I was shocked to hear that my Gleason
score had been raised to 7 (4+3) after the gland biopsy. Dr. Shepherd said there
was a possibility of me having to undergo radiation for a period of six weeks.
He said that he didn't think that this would be the case, but the next PSA would
determine that. He scheduled the next office visit and PSA test in Nov. I don't
know why it wasn't done sooner, but it was not. I got the results from the PSA
on the day before Thanksgiving and it was .005 or something like that. When I
heard the nurse say .00 and we will see you in Feb. I sort of blanked out from
the good news. Talk about a happy Thanksgiving!!
As far as my recovery
has gone, I think I've done better than expected. Four weeks after the surgery
I was playing golf. I made it through 5 holes before I had to change my pad. I
had put this pad in that morning and this was after lunch when it was changed.
I didn't have to change it again that day. When I played about 4 days later I
didn't have to change it at all. Around the first of Dec. I completely did away
with the pads. Sexually, everything works. I actually had some response down there
the week after the cathter was removed and now with a little help from that "little
blue pill" everything is wonderful.
I go for my next PSA in Feb. and will
get the results at my next office visit on Feb. 16. I'm hoping and praying everything
will be OK, but if I told you I wasn't concerned - I would be lying.
I'm
happy to report that I'm responsible for getting several of my golfing buddies
and other friends off of their butts and to their Urologists. I am so thankful
for the expertise of Dr. Price, Dr. Shepherd and the care I received at USMD Hospital
in Arlington, TX. I recommend all of them 110%. Also, to the folks at this wonderful
website - Thank You!!
On
Feb. 16, 2007 I met with Dr. Shepherd to get the results of previous weeks PSA
test. He came in to the exam. room, asked how I was doing and my reply was "you
tell me". He said I was doing great the PSA result was non-dectable. That was
welcome news, too say the least.
He asked if I was having any problems with leakage and I told him I threw away
my pads in Dec. and everything was OK. He sat down on a stool beside me, looked
over some of his paper work and then asked me how the erections were doing and
was I still using Viagra? My reply was - yes I still used Viagra, but the last
time I didn't have to have it. Upon hearing this Dr. Shepherd stuck out his hand
and as we were shaking hands said "all right!". Obviously, his skill with the
nerve sparing part of the robotic surgery had just been proven, again.
Upon
telling my wife this she replied that it's a wonder we didn't jump up and do chest
bumps and high fives. I'm feeling great, have lots of energy and am enjoying life.
I don't have to do another PSA and see Dr. Shepherd until Aug.
I
hope this encourages anyone who is about to go down this path. Stay positive!!!!
I
had my latest office visit with Dr. Shepherd on Aug. 15. My PSA results were .05
ng/ml below linearity. He was very pleased, not to mention how good I felt about
it.
I
filled out a questionare about any urinary problems and erectile problems. Dr.
Shepherd was so pleased with my answers that he is sending me back to my Urologist
Dr. Gary Price. Dr. Shepherd said "I don't need to see you any more" and set up
an appointment for me with Dr. Price in Aug. 2008.
Life
is good!!!!! Think positive!
After
posting my last update I was told that some urologists felt that a PSA of 0.05
after surgery might indicate the presence of some cancer cells. Obviously this
got my attention. I had another PSA done and my insurance co. had changed labs.
The reading from this lab was <0.10, which did not lesson my concern. I got an
appointment with my surgeon and the earliest I could see him was May 15, 2008.
I had another PSA done two weeks prior and the reading was still <0.10. He was
very happy with the PSA result. He said that if we had a score of >0.1 then we
would start doing something.
He
was so happy with my progress (no leaking, no impotence) that he said he wanted
to keep me and not send me back to my Urologist. My next appointment is in May
of 09.
I
had knee replacement surgery in Sept. and during my pre-op exam. I ran this past
my regular doctor and she told me that she expected my PSA score to remain at
the <0.1 level. She said her experience was that any movement in PSA scores would
already have shown up. Needless to say I will still be checking my PSA on a regular
basis.
Ed's
e-mail address is: edw897@yahoo.com
