THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO AN UPDATE REMINDER IN 2015 SO THERE IS NO UPDATE.

A call from my GP after my annual check-up including blood tests. Please come in. Not urgent. Of course you make the first appointment you can. PSA up (have no idea from what). Let's see if it's an infection. Antibiotics and re-test. Much the same, so that's not it. Time to see a urologist. Who? I can recommend a few says my (very good) GP, but maybe you'd like to check around since you seem to know a lot of doctors. Well, the internet was my friend. And of course some of the people I knew. Best in Sydney was my quest and Dr Justin Vass was the knight in shining armour. He operates at North Shore (private and public) and Macquarie University Hospital.

You have been through the first series of checking, so it's a biopsy next. OK. Booked in for December 1. Done under anaesthetic and didn't feel a thing. Home straight after and down went thee ultra strong antibiotics for all the reasons we know. They worked just fine.

Back to Dr Vass after a bit and out came the diagrams to illustrate the story. Prostate cancer, but we got it early. Yuck. And I drank all that tomato juice!!

Next were the various scans. Nothing there to worry about in the end, except it coincided with Christmas so the wait was a bit of a downer in the festive season. I survived and overall have been pretty stoic, or philosophical, all the time. How else could I be?

My wonderful wife came with me for the next appointment as we went though the options. Those we all know. No decisions right now, so back in two weeks.

Ok. I'll go for surgery. Robotic laparoscopic at Macquarie University. Dr Vass was one of the finest laparoscopic surgeons in Sydney, but newish on the Da Vinci. Still, his skill could only be enhanced was my view. How about March 15? The Ides of March? No thanks. So March 22, 2012 it was.

The day comes. Early start (on first). In I go. There's the machine, but only for a micro-second as I disappear to somewhere I don't know. Hang on, another room, there's Dr Vass. Well, that's as good as I can do he says. It's over.

Into my room after about five hours (around lunchtime) and call my assistant for her birthday. What are you doing? she says. Well, it's your birthday. Then the visitors started turning up. Of course J was there all along too. And that's how it was for the afternoon. Oh yes, of course the catheter and all that. Well, I knew it was coming so didn't bother too much. Sent a bunch of emails, got to sleep and then it's morning. Can I go now? Wait for Dr Vass. OK. Physio came. Can I walk down the hall? Sure. Up the stairs? How many? Do you want me to trot up (and did)? Can I go now? Yes says the Dr.

So. back home and the catheter routine. Took the week off work in the sense that I was home not at work. Catheter out after 10 days (two weekends prolonged it) and back to work. Pads were required for a while, but after about 10 days not at night. Dr prescribed Cialis and got onto that. Pretty darn pricey. No pads after about a month, though the occasional leakage. Nothing to worry about.

Got back to golf after a month, but my surgery didn't improve that.

Dr Vass suggested I might like to join a new trial involving radiation. After discussion with the Drs concerned, decided not to. First PSA test was negligble.

Life was starting to return to some sort of normalcy. As I said, as I was in recovery, Dr Vass said that was about as good as he could do, and he was right. What about ED? I'm sure Cialis assisted early on, but within a few weeks erections were clearly in evidence. Then decided to save the money and drop Cialis and fortunately, while a little different as we know, sex is pretty much normal. I'm extremely lucky and I put this down to the skill of the surgeon aand my general good health before.

More than a year after surgery, all the PSA tests have been neglible (<0.01) and hopefully that's how things will continue. I'm not foolish enough to believe it's past me now, but I guess I can hope that is indeed the case. I am still reading a lot and follow the YANA site regularly, but apart from the very early weeks, haven't let the whole thing get me down. What's the point? I have had a pretty good experience all things considered and being positive about life and all it has going for it surely must help. With a wonderful wife, three terrific kids and a great job, what more could I ask for?

I waited for some time to post my story, but will update now from time to time.

A year or so since I added my story to the YANA site. Hard to believe. In that year have gone from 3 monthly to 6 monthly PSA tests with results, so far, undetectable. No continence issues and no ED issues at all. I still have a couple of Cialis pills left over from two years ago ht I never used, so I guess that's a good thing. Mind you, they are so expensive I wish I'd known back then. Still working a full load as I was a couple of weeks after surgery and playing golf too. Bought a farm though and we spend every second weekend there plus a few extra days, so that's cut out a bit of the golf, but I'm not really complaining. Am able to do my normal work up there too and that's wonderful. In good shape really, but could still lose a bit of weight.

More next time.

Talisker's e-mail address is: cardhu38 AT gmail.com (replace "AT" with "@")

NOTE: Talisker has not updated his story for more than 15 months, so you may not receive any response from him.