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YANA - YOU ARE NOT ALONE NOW

PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT SITE

 

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Gary Komaniecki and April live in Minnesota, USA. He was 52 when he was diagnosed in July, 2010. His initial PSA was 3.70 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 6, and he was staged T1c. His initial treatment choice was Surgery (Retropubic Prostatectomy) and his current treatment choice is None. Here is his story.

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

Due to family history, I was tested last year for PSA and had a slightly elevated count of 3.7. 10-shot biopsy was negative. My family doc at Mayo Clinic deserves the credit for urging me to continue to be tested. In April, my PSAs were still elevated. Doc wanted another biopsy....I made a deal with him...as I am a high school instructor, I told him to give me the summer to fish and kayak and re-test me later.

Late July PSA's were still elevated and I conceded to another biopsy. This time it was 20 shots, which came as a surprise to me after #10! Because I found this site after the diagnosis, the consult with the surgeon yielded just one surprise: the mention of an orchidectomy. I understood (primarily because of my "research" on this site) that this was a very remote possibility for me, but my surgeon always gave me a look at the worst case scenario, which I appreciated as it helped me prepare for any outcome. I asked him if this scenario did play out, could I have my testes preserved and returned in a jar so I could ask permission from my beautiful wife of 26 years for my testicles whenever I went out with the guys?? Apparently, Mayo Clinic frowns on such requests.

I elected for open surgery because I am still relatively young and healthy, though a little over weight. Open surgery seemed to me to have the best chance of long term success with fewer long term complications, though I realized that robotic surgery would yield a quicker recovery time.

I spent the month of August jogging and performing 300 push ups per day to get my conditioning up to a respectable level. When I asked my surgeon about his experience with this operation before consenting (keeping the 250 minimum for competency suggested here and at other sites) he told me he has been doing this procedure for 30 years and estimates he does at least 50 per year. He's the man! As an added bonus, an attractive resident would assist. In terms of accessibility and patience with all my questions, she really made this operation easier for me. She's going to be a wonderful doctor and urologist!

I am typing this 2 weeks post-op. Gleason was upgraded to 3+4, but cancer was fully contained in the prostate. Seminal vesicles and lymph nodes all negative as well. Doc considered nerve bundle preservation outlook to be excellent. This is important, as I still enjoy a roll in the hay with my wife and am not ready to hang up my spurs, so to speak. Five more days till I lose the catheter....it cannot come soon enough. My recovery has been good so far, though not without the usual complications and a few small surprises. This is where accessibility of your doctor helps. When a new complication arises, usually a phone call is all it takes to be reassured. I consider my self to be a very fortunate man regardless of my diagnosis and outcome. Being hit by a bus tomorrow would not change the fact that I have lived a full life, have a beautiful wife who is an amazing mother, 2 wonderful sons, and a job that I love. Docs loved my positive attitude, stating that patients with a positive outlook tend to have less complications. They were very impressed with my grasp of the disease and knowledge of the treatment options. For that, I can thank YANA!

Later: The catheter came out today for the 3rd time after wearing it for 4 weeks. Each time they ultra-sounded my bladder, I showed 276-305ml in the bladder. Each time I was re-cathed, less then 10ml came out and I felt fine. I am a happy man tonight because I'm "swingin' free!"

UPDATED

August 2014

Leading a normal and active life. In retrospect, I would have elected for the laproscopic procedure, as I developed complications from the open procedure, an abcess, that caused me to spend more time at the hospital than the original procedure. I had a catheter for nearly 3 weeks, which is not typical (or fun). I can only guess that their ultrasound of my bladder was picking up fluid from the abcess. I was told that I had 150-200ml of urine in my bladder, despite the fact that I had just voided. The catheter would go back in, and they would say "That's funny, we only got a few mls!" When my resident uroligist later probed the abcess site, we found out where the 200ml was hiding. My stress incontenence is minor, usually when lifting a leg to tie a shoe or something similar. I use a thin pad, but it's not a big deal if I forget, as it's just a few drops. ED is minor, and I feel no need to medicate. After all, I'm not 20 anymore.

Gary's e-mail address is: gakomaniecki AT rochester.k12.mn.us (replace "AT" with "@")

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


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