Hello, I have been lurking for about 6 weeks now. My hubby age 55 was Dx on 9/15/2016 with PC
It all started the year before in July when his routine exam blood work showed increase to his PSA 4.01, His PCP referred him to an Urologist. He had his first biopsy on 8/15/2014 took 12 cores all were negative.
so, we then started the surveillance period, We waited until March 09, 2015 6.0, April 27 8. This where he was given an antibiotic for 2 weeks wait a week and do a test., July 13th 10.75, my husband was given the choice of biopsy now or one more round of a stronger antibiotic, he choice the antibiotic, retest not good August 24th 11.25.
So, Biopsy 9/11/2015 2 out of 12 were positive G7 (3+4) 5%, G7 (4+3) 10% both on the right in the same lobe area. Hubby wanted the Prostate out that day, but of course we couldn't. We met with one of the surgeons in the practice Dr Girasole. He was very good about explaining the findings and went over the biopsy results.
I had gone there with many questions, a lot of them came from me reading this forum. He gave us an option of seeing a provider that could inform us about radiation therapy. We were very impressed with his excellent personal skills (sometime surgeons have no people skills)
His education was at Yale and Vanderbilt University, his professor at Vanderbilt Dr Joseph Smith He is author of Robotics in Urologic Surgery and the third edition of Hinman’s Atlas of Urologic Surgery. Dr Girasole, spoke with candor and confidence. among many things he spoke of nerve sparing, and surgery will include left nerve sparing as the cancer is in the right side in the same lobe area. even though speaking with a radiation provider was offered to us, But my husband wanted the surgery, he was confident in his decision.
RALP Surgery is for this Monday Oct 26th at noon.
To say we have been on a roller coaster of emotion would be an understatement. I am trying to strong for my husband, but at times when he isn't around I just loose it. Thanks for letting me bend your ears

Hi Thanks!
question; regarding the leg bag.. is that only used for walking around? or can he still use it while resting in the recliner? I have been to Youtube as well they have some great post op care videos. I just wonder with the leg one is that gravity enough while sitting?

Sweetie tea, welcome to Healingwell, sorry you needed to find us but you've come to a unique and supportive place, with a wealth of knowledge.
Pretty much all of us have been in your shoes, so we get the emotional roller coaster you've been on. After Monday's surgery, things will begin to settle down a bit as you guys focus on recovery. As. You've already been told the catheter is a bit of a PITA. But manageable, and not terribly uncomfortable, just annoying. Once it comes out, you'll be amazed at how fast your husbands recovery starts to happen.
Good luck stick around and keep us posted.

The leg bag definitely makes it easier to get around. My problem with it was that it seemed to fill up so fast and having to empty it so often became a nuisance.

Hey thanks, sweetietea, for passing on my tale. I found that I was OK with eating what I wanted right after surgery, but I was really conscious about fiber and fluids, because of the statement "absolutely no bowel straining for at least 6 weeks--the surgery thins the wall of the bowel".

I only used the leg bag a few times. I carried my large bag around in a bucket when I was in the house...which was most of the time because it was mid-winter.

We'll be waiting for you on the other side.

Pleased to meet you.

The catheter bag can be worn all of the time and emptied as needed. Just make sure it is low enough that the fluid runs down into it and he will be fine. I spent the week I had mine on the couch so I could leave my leg on a cushion a bit lower than my body.

We who have walked in your shoes fully appreciate the stress - this too shall pass. Just a few points from my recovery experience:

- I didn't use a leg bag, it was much easier to walk the halls of the hotel with the urine bag in a shopping bag
- he needs to walk every hour for several minutes
- drink lots of water
- he will want to sleep in a recliner chair, it's way too painful to get in/out of a bed
- it might be a week or more before his bowels return to normal
- when it's time for the catheter to come out, have him take a shower - the cath might fall out or just take a slight tug to pull out

Best of luck and be sure and check back in with questions or progress reports.

Sweetie
I never got a "leg bag", don't even know what it is. Lol. I just pinned the regular bag to my sweat pants; I found that using a treadmill was great for the required walking around and I used it frequently. I have one at home.
I suppose if one needs to go out, a leg bag might be helpful but I did not go out for the two weeks I had the cath. I did fly home with the regular bag pinned inside pants but I was pushed around airports in a wheel chair. At home, I kind of treated the cath bag like a tail , being careful not to step on it lol!
Good luck: he'll do fine.
Bob

halbert said...
A comment on the catheter: a properly installed foley catheter is NOT removeable at home. There is a little balloon on the inside of the bladder that is filled with saline solution. To remove it, they have to remove the saline from the balloon before removal. ....

The nurses at the hospital part of MD Anderson gave my wife and one other lady cath care instructions including how to deflate the balloon for removal of the cath. Of course it helped that my wife is an RN (but I make a lousy patient!)

Sweetie,
You and your husband are moving way to soon. With only 2 positive cores at less than 10% you have a lot of time to research all of your options. there have been may polls on this site as to what you would do differently and the clear winner was that I should have taken more time and reviewed different options. This is sound advice from those that have been there.

For your own piece of mind you should see a radiologist and at least consider other options like SBRT or HDR or LDR Brachytherapy. The recovery times are much shorter and no catheter. Taking one nerve also increase the chances of ED which are high to begin with. Be aware of all the side effects of both surgery and RT and make a rational choice based on what is important to you. You only get one chance at doing it right and a few more weeks or months will have no impact on cure rate

Hi John,
With a rapid rising PSA, and 4+3 Gleason..I think we're making the right choice. My husband still works and it's not a desk job..he wants to get the cancer out, and doesn't want radiation. He thought more of a risk going that route. If he were 70, then yes that may have been a different decision