Well Steve's numbers are in:
Gleason 7 (4+3)
T3
N0
M0
Biopsy 11/12 positive
The lovely Mr D C at Guys explained the options available: da Vinci, radiotherapy, hormone treatment but said that although there is a fair bit of PCa it is altogether so in his opinion ideal for surgery initially. He was very reassuring and said that we should meet with an oncologist to hear their opinion as well so that's happening in 2 weeks, it would have been next week but there are no clinics at Guys as the unit is being audited. He's given us plenty of leaflets to read at home and recommended speaking to the specialist nurses at PCUK if we'd like to speak to an independent specialist.
A quick trip to the pub before getting the train home was called for, it's been a long time since I've had a "double" at lunchtime!
Steve has now taken his head out of the sand, to be honest I think that he was thinking that he wouldn't see Christmas so he actually came out of the meeting a lot happier! The only thing preying on his mind is that he's likely to be off work for 6 weeks and he's self employed- but that's what credit cards are for.
The hardest thing was coming home and telling our daughter, she had her first AS exam this morning so she was waiting for us to get home. Poor Steve couldn't talk to her so busied himself in the garage, I'd rehearsed my speech on the train : "there are some rogue cells, in the prostate not spread anywhere else in the body, surgery suggested but going to see someone else in a couple of weeks to discuss alternatives. Surgery means 2 nights in hospital and several weeks off afterwards, might need some follow up radiotherapy treatment"
It went as well as can be expected, biology is her thing so there's no point pretending it's something it isn't, bless her she's a very analytical girl - "well they've found the problem and they're dealing with it then". She was concerned that we (me & her) are due to go off next month on a tour of university visits so would we be able to leave dad for a few weekends but I've reassured her that numerous favours will be called in if necessary!!!
So that's that for the time being, family pizza night planned and maybe another drink or two?
Thanks for all of your good wishes 😘
Maureen x
"You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think." A A Milne |
User
Well Steve's numbers are in:
Gleason 7 (4+3)
T3
N0
M0
Biopsy 11/12 positive
The lovely Mr D C at Guys explained the options available: da Vinci, radiotherapy, hormone treatment but said that although there is a fair bit of PCa it is altogether so in his opinion ideal for surgery initially. He was very reassuring and said that we should meet with an oncologist to hear their opinion as well so that's happening in 2 weeks, it would have been next week but there are no clinics at Guys as the unit is being audited. He's given us plenty of leaflets to read at home and recommended speaking to the specialist nurses at PCUK if we'd like to speak to an independent specialist.
A quick trip to the pub before getting the train home was called for, it's been a long time since I've had a "double" at lunchtime!
Steve has now taken his head out of the sand, to be honest I think that he was thinking that he wouldn't see Christmas so he actually came out of the meeting a lot happier! The only thing preying on his mind is that he's likely to be off work for 6 weeks and he's self employed- but that's what credit cards are for.
The hardest thing was coming home and telling our daughter, she had her first AS exam this morning so she was waiting for us to get home. Poor Steve couldn't talk to her so busied himself in the garage, I'd rehearsed my speech on the train : "there are some rogue cells, in the prostate not spread anywhere else in the body, surgery suggested but going to see someone else in a couple of weeks to discuss alternatives. Surgery means 2 nights in hospital and several weeks off afterwards, might need some follow up radiotherapy treatment"
It went as well as can be expected, biology is her thing so there's no point pretending it's something it isn't, bless her she's a very analytical girl - "well they've found the problem and they're dealing with it then". She was concerned that we (me & her) are due to go off next month on a tour of university visits so would we be able to leave dad for a few weekends but I've reassured her that numerous favours will be called in if necessary!!!
So that's that for the time being, family pizza night planned and maybe another drink or two?
Thanks for all of your good wishes 😘
Maureen x
"You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think." A A Milne |
User
Sounds like a plan Maureen!
User
Hi Maureen and Steve,
You should be very relieved at those results,
I know from our emails how worried you were, but this is good news.
I have said loads of times that although my own diagnosis was T4 in 2005, those zeroes after 'N' and 'M' have made all the difference in the world to my outcome.
Since radiotherapy and Hormone Therapy back then, I have been on intermittent HT ever since.
I've been on a break from treatment this time round for 17 months, and will probably resume HT in a few months time, as my PSA has slowly risen to 10.0.
Go forward and fight with confidence.
All the very best,
George
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All in all as good as it can be, means he is in the curable camp.
dave
All we can do - is do all that we can. So, do all you can to help yourself, then make the best of your time. :-) I am the statistic. |
User
Hi Maureen,
It's always a stressful time for everyone when waiting for results...
As Dave says, hubby's clinical staging currently puts him in the curable camp, so you should all take encouragement from that.
It's a good idea to arrange a consultation with an oncologist and ask for his/her views in my opinion.
Because hubby has a clinical T3 diagnosis there may be a possibility that RT will be required as an adjuvant therapy in addition to surgery anyway?...... so worth asking the question, 'why not go for RT as a primary treatment in the first place? ' and see what response you get.
If hubby decides to have surgery the full extent of the tumour and staging will not be known until his histology report is available from the lab, as I'm sure you are aware.
Whatever treatment route you decide to take, I wish you all well in your forthcoming journey.
Best Wishes
Luther
Edited by member 05 May 2015 at 17:03
| Reason: Not specified
User
Hi Maureen, I was thinking along similar lines to Luther. If OH is self-employed, he might decide to go straight for RT so that he doesn't need to take time off work at all. Certainly worth waiting for that oncologist appointment before any decisions are made.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
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User
Hi Maureen,
Must be a relief to finally know Steve's situation. I think it looks pretty good. At least he's being a offered a choice of treatment including the da Vinci option.
I had no choice, with my treatment it was take it or leave it (due to my high PSA and suspected spread).
Pleased that Steve's in the curative camp.
May I wish you both the best of luck and keep in touch.
Steve
User
Relieved to hear that everything has gone as well as it could in the circumstances.
Have a lovely family night tonight a few drinks if that is what takes your fancy. Tomorrow you can start looking together at the pros and cons of the treatments that are likely to be offered.
Folk here can tell you about their experiences, the choices they made, things to be prepared for etc.
You need to look at each option weigh it all up and discuss things with the specialists and each other. Then Steve will make his decision based on all he knows and what he feels is the right option for him.
Now just waiting to hear how Trish and her Husband have got on. Hope it has gone well for them too.
Xx
Mo
User
It's great news and th choices are positive ones. Enjoy the moment and then there are decisions to make and some treatment to endure but the end goal is relatively positive. Enjoy that thought.
User
Hi Maureen
For what it is worth we told our daughters because we did not not want them speculating about what the cause of our stress might be. For our eldest that was 6 months before her A-Levels and she got 3A's and an A* in Phys, Chem, Biol and Maths respectively, so in my experience telling our children was the right thing to do.
good luck
Andy
Edited by member 05 May 2015 at 19:12
| Reason: Not specified
User
Hi Maureen,
Happy to see you're also in curable camp! We saw Oncologist today about Brachytherapy and as Stuart has poor urine flow he would need to have a TURP first and 6 months later the Brachytherapy. Seeing the surgeon Thursday about Da Vinci which is now starting to look more appealing. Will wait to see what he has to say.
We are now on way for a large G&T think we deserve it!
Best wishes
Trish x
User
Hi Maureen, sorry that it's not the best news.
I told my kids after I was diagnosed too so I think you did the right thing by telling.
My daughter is also doing AS now, she took a letter from my doctor confirming my condition to school and apparently they will give her a few percentage point increse so no matter how well she may appear to take things it is worth doing that now. 5 months after I told her she burst into tears in assembly as the content reminded her of my situation ( I am not in the cure camp) however the school are supportive and the few percentage points have taken some exam pressure off.
Take care.
Kev
Dream like you have forever, live like you only have today Avatar is me doing the 600 mile Camino de Santiago May 2019 |
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Dear all
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement, all very much appreciated.
Andy, Kev & Lyn - thanks for your insight with regards to the AS exams, I''ve emailed the head of 6th form with an update as I'd already spoken to her when PCa was first suspected.
Trish - glad to hear your news too, perhaps we could have a gin & tonic together one day as our hospitals are just across the road from each other? Gin & prostate talk, what a combination that would be!
The next challenge Steve has to face is telling his 88 year old mother, she's an old school Londoner - he's on his own with that one - she'll be wanting to go to the appointments with him to make sure the doctors are looking after "her boy"!!!!
Maureen x
"You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think." A A Milne |
User
Sounds like a plan Maureen!
User
Hi maureen,
quite a few on here have made decisions not to tell aging parents - does Steve's mum really need to know?
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
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Lyn
In an ideal world Steve wouldn't tell his mum but he visits her several times a week, as he drives past her house on a regular basis, he knows that he needs to get her used to the idea that she can't depend on him as much as she has been. She is rather pampered, she has no health problems and is out and about most days but does call on him for the most trivial of things on a regular basis. His nephew visits regularly too but when he offers to help out he's told "leave it for Steve to do", the nephew is 35 years old!
"You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think." A A Milne |
User
Hi Maureen and Steve,
You should be very relieved at those results,
I know from our emails how worried you were, but this is good news.
I have said loads of times that although my own diagnosis was T4 in 2005, those zeroes after 'N' and 'M' have made all the difference in the world to my outcome.
Since radiotherapy and Hormone Therapy back then, I have been on intermittent HT ever since.
I've been on a break from treatment this time round for 17 months, and will probably resume HT in a few months time, as my PSA has slowly risen to 10.0.
Go forward and fight with confidence.
All the very best,
George
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