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User
Posted 01 Dec 2016 at 13:11

Good afternoon everyone


I met with my urologist and oncologist yesterday.


I've having robotic surgery on Friday 9th December.  The oncologist said that as I am only 46, her recommendation was for surgery.  She did say she hopes never to have to meet me again as there is still a chance they might get all the cancer out in one go, but with T3aN0M0 there was a possibility that some microscopic traces may be left.


Naturally, I wish that none of this was happening.  But it is and so I'm reconciled to surgery.  I'm obviously not reconciled to the after effects of the surgery, but will learn to overcome, manage or live with.


Thank you all for your kind words of support over the weeks since I started on my journey.


Sadly and unbelievably, my 17 year old daughter who is studying for her A levels and hopes to become a doctor has just been referred on the two week cancer referral for skin cancer - a dodgy mole is of concern.  I was doing alright with my own diagnosis, but her referral has thrown me for six.  Keep your fingers crossed for us.  She's at the dermatologist on Monday.


 


Walter

User
Posted 01 Dec 2016 at 19:06
Viv

I hope everything works out alright for you. I think you're correct - cancer just seems to be everywhere.

Someone recently sent me 'thoughts of wellness', and I quite liked that phrase, so I'm sending thoughts of wellness to you.

Walter
User
Posted 06 Dec 2016 at 02:04
Walter,

Good luck for Friday - hope all goes well - I am sure it will.

KRO...


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User
Posted 01 Dec 2016 at 14:32

Hi Walter
I'm glad you are sounding confident and decisive. So sorry to hear of your daughters referral and I hope it turns out benign.
The Uros always cover themselves by saying there may be micro-met spread. I was operated on at 48 and am now 17 months on. Unfortunately my outcome has not been too good. However I would say that if they had got it all , and if I was undetectable PSA , then things would just be starting to come back together for me now. So you may have a slog ahead but have faith that it can come back good eventually. You face incontinence but hopefully only temporary , and definitely ED which for most seems very long term. But there are loads of threads and loads of people and loads of free advice to help you get through these challenges.
Hope all goes well for you and your daughter
Chris

User
Posted 01 Dec 2016 at 15:11

Good luck for the 8th Walter. Hope all goes well for you.

My niece has had two lots of skin cancer dealt with. My husband has had (so far this year) his chest and his face seen to and goes next week for a skin cancer to be cut out of his arm. He hasn't had any trouble so far, although his face did look grim while he was being treated but apart from being slightly pinker in places you'd never know.

I've got a dermatology appointment next week because according to my GP there is a possibility that there is skin cancer under my toenail on my big toe ! Never knew that was possible.

It's the word "cancer" isn't it, especially when it is in a young person. Fingers crossed for your daughter that it is just a precaution and nothing needs doing.

******

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails
User
Posted 01 Dec 2016 at 16:39

Good luck with your operation Walter, You will be in very good hands and just take it nice and easy post op,
Sorry to hear about the worry of your daughters referral, hope everything goes well for her too And good luck with her exams !!
I have been to the Drs today after finding a lump in my breast, But have decided not to let my dad know at the moment, Unfortunately the word cancer is becoming an everyday word !!

Keep us posted on yours and your daughters progress Walter

Viv

The only time you should look back is to see how far you have come
User
Posted 01 Dec 2016 at 16:49
Hi Walter
You may not feel like it, however very fortunate re. The Lions... early discovery gives you excellent long term success. Incidentally my gut feel when you first posted I wasnt expecting a pca dx at all. All the very best to you and your daughter. Gordon
User
Posted 01 Dec 2016 at 16:54
Hi Walter,

Great that you now have things planned out. I think you always feel better when you know what's happening when. It's sometimes harder not knowing what's going to happen.

Good Luck for next week and I hope everything goes well for your daughter. Hopefully they're just being cautious.

Steve

User
Posted 01 Dec 2016 at 17:23

Walter, I was 46 when I had surgery. For me, I was zero PSA afterwards for 18months. Unfortunately, some rogue cells slipped the net and it crept up and up. I'm still here six years later. However, I truly believe that you are doing the best for yourself and one thing I will say is forget Google. This disease is so random and individual. No two men are ever the same even with the same ages and stats. All outcomes will differ.

So sorry to hear about your daughter. Please focus on her. It will help you blot out your own concerns about yourself and of course allow you more time to be more supportive to her. Hopefully, everything will be benign.

Wishing you and your family well brother.

See you on the other side of the surgeon's table with plenty of advice.

Bazza
(Barry)

User
Posted 01 Dec 2016 at 17:55

Hi Walter,


I found it a great relief when I had made my first treatment decision and expect this is true of most men. Hope it goes well.


As regards early skin cancer, I had a mole removed from my back not long before I was diagnosed with PCa. I asked whether that was the end of it but was told that I would just have it checked over the next 5 years (in some areas the monitoring is for a shorter time.) A few days later I was asked to go back to for a deeper excision  being told this was just routine. Hmmm - Well be that as it may, nearly 10 years on it seems to have done the job. This mole on my back was noticed by my GP when he examined me for another problem so I was lucky in this respect.


It must come as no surprise that I am very much in favour of medical checks to enable early diagnosis of skin cancer among other things. Better to be proactive than reactive after spread. Hope your daughter has a good result too.

Edited by member 01 Dec 2016 at 18:05  | Reason: Not specified

Barry
User
Posted 01 Dec 2016 at 18:59
Thank you all for your words of kindness and advice. In a week's time, my life will change forever. But that's the way it has to be. I'll have my ups and my downs, but ultimately I'll be glad to be alive.

This all started with a random blood test at the Lions Club. I still have no symptoms, so goodness knows how long it would have taken to discover the cancer and by then it may well have been too late.

I'll keep you all posted on my progress and that of my daughter.

Walter
User
Posted 01 Dec 2016 at 19:06
Viv

I hope everything works out alright for you. I think you're correct - cancer just seems to be everywhere.

Someone recently sent me 'thoughts of wellness', and I quite liked that phrase, so I'm sending thoughts of wellness to you.

Walter
User
Posted 02 Dec 2016 at 17:37

Hi Walter


You thank the Lions and I'm thanking a tooth abscess. I finally had the tooth extracted today - ouch. Fortunately the abscess made me feel so unwell that I had a full blood test (they didn't know about the abscess at the time) and it returned with a PSA of 72 and that fast-tracked me resulting in the PCa diagnosis. However I tested again last week and my PSA is now 3.4, which returns as normal. So even though I have regular PSA tests, the cancer could have developed more aggressively between tests, undetected unless the infection spiked the PSA. Moral of that story is you just can't tell - no symptoms doesn't mean no cancer.


I have also met the surgeon and urologist over the last week and yesterday I attended an afternoon session at the hospital with other men booked for and considering the RALP. I have decided on the operation but I'm delaying until after a holiday in February. Good luck on the 9th.


Sorry about your daughter but it's good that they have picked it up early at the surgery - from my experience surgeries are not very good at identifying and referring potential skin cancers. I have had to lie to get a referral - top tip is to say that it bleeds and crusts. I have had over 30 years of "removals" - basal & squamous cell carcinomas, fortunately no melanoma  - and of course treatment for actinic keratosis. Once you have been through it, you pay more attention to sun block, and early identification of other potential problem areas. I'm sure it looks quite positive for your daughter with her age - so don't fret too much.Best wishes


Chris


 

User
Posted 06 Dec 2016 at 02:04
Walter,

Good luck for Friday - hope all goes well - I am sure it will.

KRO...


User
Posted 09 Dec 2016 at 20:01

Hi Walter,

I hope you got on ok today.

Take care

Mark

User
Posted 09 Dec 2016 at 20:12

Hi Walter,


Hope things went OK today and that you will start to feel better soon.


Take care.


Steve

User
Posted 09 Dec 2016 at 23:42
Having tea and toast now in bed. Pain free.

Big delays at hospital so only back on ward at 11.20pm!

Thanks for all your best wishes.

Start of new chapter.

Walter
 
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