What would my doctor/surgeon do? - I asked the question today

When I was through with my procedure and appointment today with my doctor/surgeon, and we had shook hands as usual, I asked him point blank, Dr. Smith, if you had my exact pre-surgery specs, what would you do if you had to make a choice of treatment.  He didn't hesitate, he said he would have had surgery, but robotic even though his robotic guy isn't highly experience yet, and he wanted the robotic for the faster recovery time since he is a doctor.  We talked about 2nd guessing and what a cruel game it is on the mind.  He said that with my specs, especially the intense PSA velocity, that any kind of watchful waiting would have been a death wish.  That even allowing the cancer to grow another 6 months to a year might have allowed it to become untreatable in the normal sense.  As a surgeon and urologist, he refuses to do salvage surgery after radiation.  He said it is always a disaster, he knows surgeons that will, and he just forwards the patient to one of them if they insist.  He said if I were 75 years old instead of 56 at dx, he may have told me just to wait and watch, but at my "young" age, lol, he wanted me to have the best chance of living many more years cancer free.  He also said that in my very case, due to the deep and narrow prostate bed, and scarring from previous surgeries, any attempt at robotics would have been aborted and switched to "open" as soon as they saw what was ahead.  He shook my hand again, and was certain, that for me, the choice I agreed to was the best one to be made to hopefully be rid of the cancer and finish my life.  Just thought I would share his opinion.

David in SC

I agree with your reply, James. Had I been well in my 70s instead of mid 50s, probably would have never had the biopsies, let alone treatments.

David.

As usual, Todd, your opinions are welcomed and just. What I have to accept, and I do most of the time, is that I didn't ask for this PC to happen, it was there anyway, growing its evil self unknownst to me. From the first positive biopsy, based on prior cancer experiences, there was no way for me, that I wanted it left inside me if my specs allowed for surgery. It's kind of brave and cowardly at the same time, I admit that in my case, but if I can help it, I don't like things to linger in my life, more of a fast decision maker, and then stand by my decisions, how I have been most all my working life in the business world. Think through things, act, then stand by the decisions. I hope you are feeling good today, wishing only the best for you.

David

Thanks Diane for your post, I'm hoping with all my heart that things go better for Pete then they appear on the surface. My remarks about salvage surgery were not directed against his case, but meant as a general observation and personal opinion. I know a little something about radiation from my past 35 treatments which ended 9 years ago, they were directed from about the level of my nipples to just below my nose. To this day, I have chronic fatique, constant thirst, the inability to drink/eat anything spicy or acidy, i.e. orange juice. On the left side of my neck where the lymph nodes were reeking of cancer, they double zapped me. Had they not made me a special titanium guard for my voice box, I would have lost my voice for life. It took me months afterward to even be able to taste food in the regular sense of the word. I hear some people act as if radiation is no big deal, and perhaps for some its not, but it had a brutal affect on me, after the first 2 weeks, both my ears shrivel up and turned almost lobster red, and my skin burned like the worse kind of sunburn imaginable. I know Pete has been through so much, so I can empathize with him all the way. Please keep me/us posted of his situation and hopefully, good progress.

David in SC

Hi David,

Well, the hits just keep on coming don't they.  Maybe the doc is finally on the right course and Friday will be the end to all the ills.  I certainly hope so.  I think you are quickly becoming the leading authority of the different varieties of cath. equipment.  If I have any questions in the next couple of weeks you're the guy I'm going to call on.  Hope your Mother is doing well.  All the best,

Bob

Oh David, you made me laugh!! Your mother is a tough old bird....!!! She gave birth to another tough young bird...)I was going to say cock, but decided against it..........! ) The radiation problem is definitely a strong probability, and one that the urologists and radiologists don't like to talk about. You should have seen the urologist today when Pete called the former Radiology Oncologist..."Dr. Hiroshima"...He stared.....blankly..... Pete's hip surgery is due to the radiation he had for the prostate cancer in 2002. And the cancer is coming on strong again, despite salvage surgery of the prostate in 2006....Who knows what is going to be.....Di.

Thank you so much, David... I would have loved to meet your mother. I probably would have gotten on very well with her. !! I am sorry for what you had to endure with the radiation. It helps get the cancer , but it also can damage good tissue at the same time. ...My best to your wife. She is amazing and I understand what she is living with. Your catheter issues are enormous....and we had the same thing. Pete had the catheter in for One Year....So I know what you are dealing with....Good luck to you in getting the "devil's tail", (as Pete called it) out..... Diane

David, first I'd like to say I'm glad that your mother is recovering from her stroke. my best wishes to her.

When Jeff was diagnosed, he asked his doctor what he would do, and the doctor's reply was "I had prostate cancer last year and had surgery." that along with the fact that Jeff just wanted the cancer out of his body as soon as possible helped Jeff make his decision to have surgery. he hasn't second guessed it since. whenever we get down about the lack of erections or dribbles, we remind ourselves that it's better than having cancer.

keep up the good fight!! kat