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The Night Before Diagnosis Phone Call

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User
Posted 01 Jun 2020 at 19:12

Hi everyone. I have decided to join here in advance of supporting my 75 year old Uncle tomorrow as he faces a consultation with the results of his recent bone, CT, bloods and MRI scans looking for PC.

I have found this site excellent for preparing for the call tomorrow (Covid dictates his consult is over the phone) and has helped us both prepare a great list of questions for the consultant. He is obviously anxious and scared and googling like crazy - so much so I jokingly told him I would change the wifi password if he didn't stop looking up 'prostrate cancer' and clicking links. The response was "well you shouldn't have bought me a tablet and showed me how to work it". (He has asked me to look into CBD for pain relief - bloody Google!)

He is very pragmatic about his situation. When he was being scanned etc they alluded to Prostrate Cancer and 'something at the bottom of his Ribs/Pelvis' that they were investigating.

He is not of good health, and struggles with his mobility. Registered Disabled, he has been experiencing pain in his lower back and thighs for 14 months (Possibly longer, and It took 3 months to get him to a doctors). He has been told it is PC they suspect but the detail and official diagnosis comes tomorrow at 3.30pm.

So, I have used this site to increase my awareness about the 3 types of PC as well as the list of questions to ask tomorrow.

I survived Testicular Cancer myself 20 years ago and can empathise with what he is going through and I have a decent grasp of cancer terminology (It never leaves you), which is why I think he asked me to go on this journey with him. He laughed when I thanked him and told him I would be happy to support him how honoured I was that he picked me. I know everyones journey is different but I hope that my experience having 'served my time' with the big C myself can be that what he needs and wants tomorrow.

So other than my prep and the list of diagnosis questions on here, Is there anything else i should be looking to ask tomorrow?

I appreciate any replies and forgive me if I don't get back on here for 24hrs or so from tonight - I suspect tomorrow is gonna be a busy, horrible day!

Cheers

Frank

User
Posted 01 Jun 2020 at 20:33
Hi, not sure what you mean about the 3 types of PCa?
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 01 Jun 2020 at 21:40

My shorthand for Prostrate Cancer.

I have read that the 3 possible diagnoses are Localised, Local Advanced and Advanced cancer.

 

 

 

 

User
Posted 02 Jun 2020 at 01:15
3 types also puzzled me. What you detail are 3 stages of PCa. Actually, there are many types of PCa, some say at least 27 and some of these have different characteristics, one or more being more radioresistant than the most common type Adenocarcinoma for example.
Barry
User
Posted 02 Jun 2020 at 01:21
So there's a good question to ask the medics - if the biopsy was positive, was it adenocarcinoma that was found, or one of the other types. I assume you have already noted down to ask how many cores were taken, how many of those were positive for cancer, what % of each core and whether the positive areas of any cores indicated close to edge or urethra.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 02 Jun 2020 at 01:24
Having said all that, I now note that you haven't mentioned him having a biopsy at all which may indicate that either his PSA was extremely high and / or the cancer could be seen on the bone scans and is advanced.

Best wishes for tomorrow.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 02 Jun 2020 at 09:37

I can only wish your Uncle well. My husband and I are new to this but he has his diagnosis following TRUS biopsies. Due to CV19 he only just got an MRI yesterday so we are waiting hyper-anxiously for a call with results.

Good luck 🌹

User
Posted 02 Jun 2020 at 10:16
Localised, Local Advanced and Advanced are "stages" of the spread of the disease, Frank, not types of cancer. "Localised" corresponds to clinical stages T1 or T2, locally advanced is T3, and advanced is T4. They have nothing to do with the type of cancer.

Best wishes,

Chris

 
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