YANA - YOU ARE NOT ALONE NOW

PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT SITE

BRONZE

Jay H and K live in Florida, USA He was 51 when he was diagnosed on December 29, 2006 His initial PSA was 4.1 ng/m; his Gleason Score was 6 and he was staged T1c. He has not yet decided on his treatment. Here is his story, as told by his wife.

My husband was just recently diagnosed 2 weeks ago and is running into contradictory information.

His first PSA last year was 3.0 ng/ml , this year 4.4 ng/ml , repeated 4.1 ng/ml. The biopsy revealed 5/12 cores positive, Gleason 3+3 (6)- which was confirmed with a second opinion. Staging 1C. Had a bone scan that "showed" osteoblasts, and the CT was negative. Just had an MRI and we are awaiting results.

The MDs haven't been all that positive- but they say at this point they are unsure whether he can even have surgery. No symptoms at all, no family history, white male in great health.

If things are not good with the scan, we will need to find the best team we can- and they are probably outside of Florida.

 

UPDATED

January 20, 2007

 

After 2 harrowing weeks of waiting for all the "conclusive" tests, it appears that when one has over conservative MDs coupled with over conservative radiologists, you will have over conservative results.

The CT and bone scan allegedly showed osteoblastic activity, resulting in a T3 MR last week. Because of the PCa diagnosis, the radiologist "read" the MR as having a lesion of metastatic Ca to the bone UNTIl proven otherwise. This dx lead to our new surgeon questioning us as to the efficacy of surgery if in fact Jay had mets, etc, but agreed that the mets dx didn't make sense in light of the Gleason grading (6) and PSA (4.1). More troublesome to him was the % of postive cores (40).

I called back the radiologist and asked him frankly about his diagnosis- would he have made the same one IF he didn't have the CT and bone scans to compare to- and he said no- not at all. In fact, he questioned the original results of the CT and bone, and agreed that what he saw was really just a bone island in an hemangioma (still too risky to biopsy). He said he would write an addendum to that effect...so hopefully we can go on, get the surgery and begin healing.

Unfortunately, surgery is not scheduled until March 19 in Orlando, and hopefully not too much will happen until then. The moral of the story is that you always have to push- especially when something doesn't sound right.

Thanks for the support of this group....would love to hear from those who have recently had the DaVinci with similar scores and in a similar age bracket.

 

UPDATED

April 2007

 

This is Jay's wife Karin writing:

Jay had a radical prostectomy done March 19, via DaVinci- and is quickly on the road to recovery. Just received the final pathology report yesterday: clear margins, organ-contained, no spread to nodes, same Gleason score as before surgery (3+3/6).

We want to publicly thank Ed whom we met on this YANA site; he was so incredibly helpful and supportive, plus he gave us great hints to expedite recovery. Some things that we found helpful: take Gas-X freely; drink lots the first 24 hours-including a great protein drink (no sugar, no carbs) that one can find in health stores; change the foley bags in the shower- makes less mess; walk, walk, walk!; take stool softeners upon discharge; wear jockey shorts WITH the catheter for support for a very swollen scrotum. *

Jay goes back to get the cath out next week- and hopefully can then put this whole experience behind him! Will fill you in on progress as we get it....

Karin & Jay.

 

UPDATED

July 2008

 

This is Jay's wife speaking.

Jay is doing wonderfully----he had his one year PSA completed just recently and it was completely negative. Even the small scars from the robotic surgery are fading, so hopefully, this was just a road bump and we are moving foward.

Words of advice? ALWAYS get a second opinion; it was helpful to go to a larger city where there is much more competition among physicians and treatments. A university-affliated hosptial does not always provide the best, most- updated care, and we are so glad that we sought treatment elsewhere.

 

UPDATED

October 2009

 

 

All is well!

Jay and K's e-mail address is: kpolifko@cox.net

* FOOTNOTE: THERE IS ALSO A PAGE ON THE SITE USEFUL ITEMS FOR THOSE UNDERGOING SURGERY