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PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT SITE

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Michael Wilhelm and Cindy live in Indiana, USA. He was 49 when he was diagnosed on October 10, 2007. His initial PSA was 6.2 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 7 (3+4) and although he does not state his staging it seems that it would have been Tic . He is undecided as to his choice of treatment Here is his story.

I had absolutely no symptoms at all. I went in for a routine physical. The Doctor did a blood scan for just about everything. He did a physical exam of my prostate and it felt normal to him. However, when the blood tests came back all but the PSA was normal. It was sitting at 6.8 ng/ml. The Doctor sent me to an urologist, which I thought was unnecessary. The urologist wanted me to wait a month and do another test. The PSA dropped to 6.2 ng/ml. He now insisted that I get a biopsy, he scared me, and I went to get another opinion. Doctor number two recommended the same thing. He said the fact that my Grandfather died of it and his brothers all had it, and my PSA was elevated that I was at risk.

So under extreme duress I agreed and endured procedure.

Ten days later I get the results and now I am facing some life altering choices. I have been assured that they got it soon enough and at present my life is not in danger. However the quality of my life is about to change and I am approaching all of this with great trembling.

 

UPDATED

November 2007

 

 

I have researched a lot of information on the Internet after the intial shock wore off. I submitted my first entry here on Yana and found many e-mails sent to me from other Yana members giving support and encouragement. It has made this whole process a lot easier and I can't thank you all enough.Your suggestions and concern has convinced me that I will get through this.

I've just completed my MRI in preparation for the Da Vinci surgery. I have an appointment with a radiologist coming up, just to make sure that I haven't missed anything. I think, however, that surgery is going to be my choice. Based on my age and the recovery process I feel fairly certain that this will be the route for me. The surgeon said that he would like to do it the first week in December generally 8 weeks out from diagnosis. I hope the catheter is out by Christmas.

I continue to scour the NET for assurance that I will function in all departments after the surgery, and so far the prognosis is good. And yet, I find myself skittish about watching the video that the doctor gave me which explains the surgery. Ah well, bravery comes in baby steps.

 

UPDATED

December 2007

 

 

On Dec 7th I went in for the Da Vinci Robotic PROSTATECTOMY. The prep was easy, they set me up with some leg massagers, shaved my stomach around the naval, set up my IV drip. They were unable to get my wedding ring off; they told me they would try something after I went under. The doctor came in and asked if I had any further questions. As he was talking they began to seep some of the anesthesia in to my drip and at once I began to feel panicked and the doctors voice was really grating on me. They assured me that they would give me something to calm me down. We Wilhelms have a history of not getting along with anesthetic. We can survive the operation fine it's the anesthetic that does us in.

They did calm me a bit and wheeled me in to the operation room. A pastor from my church caught us on the go and prayed for me as I was going in. We got to the OR and they wheeled me over to the operating table. The nurse said that I would need to hoist myself up on to the platform. It was blue and had extensions that supported the upper part of my legs the lower part of my legs would dangle from my knees. There was a rectangular opening on the table that she wanted my rump to line up on.
I remember seeing the Monstrosity in the corner with a tarp thrown over it. It looked like a shriveled up dead spider with all of its arms folded inward. That was the last thing I remember seeing.

I was told by my wife and sisters, that on the hour as the operation was in progress the nurses kept coming out and telling them that I was doing fine. They even gave my wife my wedding ring which they didnt have to cut after all.'

I woke up with a strong urge to urinate. But I was already doing that through the catheter. I realized that those muscles were traumatized by the operation and that is how they were saying ouch. Now the operation went smooth enough but the anesthetic had me woozy and nauseous. I began gagging and pulling on my stomach muscles that were very tender. However they held firm and I was able to rest and sleep it off for about a day. I was in recovery for nine hours due to the fact that they couldn't find a room to put me in. I was pretty much out of it all day so I didn't mind at all. However, my family was anxious to see me, the hospital did eventually let them in the recovery room but I was totally out of it. My operation was set for 7:00 am I finally got wheeled into a room at 9:00pm. I woke up around 1:00 am the next morning the anesthetic had worn off and I felt good. It was quiet and restful the night nurse came in checked my vitals, my catheter, and the drainage tube in my side. I was not in pain, the urinating urge had subsided and I felt at ease. I did notice a band-aid on my ring finger I peeled it back and there was a good size gouge on the side of my finger, must have been done when they took my ring off.

The next morning my kid sister came in with a coffee and we had a great time talking and she was pleased at my condition considering were I was the day before. The doctor came in that night and checked every thing. He explained that the operation spared all the nerve bundles for potency and when he held my prostate in his hand he could feel some hard tissue inside it on the right side. He added that the pathology report would verify the true condition of everything. He was a bit concerned about the drainage tube it was still draining pretty hard so he kept me an extra night.

The next day he was confident that it was okay to take out the tube and patch me up and send me home. The nurse went to great lengths to explain to my wife and I how to rewrap the bandage. I strapped the leg bag on to the catheter. It is really uncomfortable when you switch bags. You have to kink the tube coming out of you and then disconnect from one bag and hook up the other, then you need to un-kink the tube. The kinking and un-kinking process can change the pressure in the tube all the way up to the bladder and boy can you feel it, I try to do this as slowly as possible.
I have been living with this catheter for nine days now. I generally keep the leg bag on all day and at night put the big one on and sleep through the night.

I have noticed that with a bowel movement, which is a challenge in itself, there is some slightly bloodied leakage from where the catheter goes in. I called the doctors office and they seemed to think it was fairly normal.

Tomorrow I get to take it off. The doctor told me that they will shoot a dye up into my bladder and x-ray my insides to determine the condition of my bladder before removal commences. Knowing how it feels when the bladder tube backs up on me, and when I kink the tube, I can only imagine how shooting dye up there is going to feel. Plus, I am not eager to feel the catheter coming out either. I felt them pull the drainage tube out and that was a very uncomfortable feeling. However, my desire to get rid of it all together is motivation enough to endure what I must.

The pathology report came back five days later. All surrounding tissue and nodes were cancer free. The tumor had rested primarily in the right and middle lobe of the prostate. For the most part it looks like we got it all. For that I am grateful.

 

UPDATED

March 2008

 

 

It has been almost three months since surgery. When the Urologist took the catheter out it felt weird it didn't hurt it just felt odd. It was out in no time.

I passed quite a bit of blood in my urine for several weeks after the catheter was removed. It kind of freaked me out, but the doctor wasn't too concerned. It gradually eased by New Years. When I went in for my one month follow up they said they could still detect blood in my urine on a microscopic level I couldn't see it but apparently it fades really slow. On my second month follow up there was no blood detected.

I have been fortunate that I have had good bladder control from day one. I could easily start and stop the urine stream, my muscles have been in good shape there. I really only leak if I laugh, sneeze, or move to just right, and then it's just a dab, so I keep a pad on for those reasons. However, even that is improving.

The impotence front is not as good. I am not discouraged but hopeful. I have tried the Viagra but all it did was make my face flush. The doctor has suggested the injections, I am thinking it over. But I'll tell ya, I can't think of anything that would put me in the mood more than sticking myself with needles. But it is still pretty soon yet. I have time to experiment with various treatments. Things will improve I have no doubt.

There are some occasional twinges of pain now and then. Just enough to remind me that major surgery took place down there, and it is still a bit tender. The doctor told me to try not to sit on hard chairs or bicycle seats.

I have come out of this major surgery very easily I would recommend this method to anyone facing prostate cancer.


Michael's e-mail address is: skunkguy75@yahoo.com