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

When I went for my physical in December 2009 I had no idea that my life was about to change forever. Without going into unnecessary detail, I was advised that my PSA count had risen from 3.4 in April 2008 to 7.7 in December 2009. The nurse who delivered the news said I needed to go see a urologist ASAP.

I immediately set up an appointment with a local urologist. An additional risk factor for me was that I had been on Testim for 3 years and had gone 18 months between PSA tests. I didn't know that Testim, as the urologist put it, "Sets prostate cancer on fire...." [This may be overstating the case somewhat. The only reference I have seen for the side effects of Testim state that it appears to increase the risk of prostate cancer.] The urologist performed my 12 needle biopsy which came back showing 10 of 12 positive samples and a Gleason Score of 7 [3 + 4]. So, on January 29, 2010, I learned that I had cancer. It felt like a mule had kicked me in the gut. I have a long family history of heart problems and expected to die from a heart attack. I was ready for that. I was not ready to hear that I had cancer. I was gripped by a fear I've never known before. Cancer scared me!!! During that time I don't know how I would have been able to function if it had not been for my sweet wife of 34 years and my faith. Fortunately, I had great medical care from that point forward. My bone and CT scans were scheduled quickly and came back "clean" except for two suspicious lymph nodes.

Throughout the entire process, the waiting between appointments and test results was the hardest part of the journey. The more I researched the more fearful I became about the next test or the next result. At each step I experienced mounting anxiety while awaiting test results. During that time I came to appreciate my wife, children, friends and God in a way I've never known before.

When my urologist went over the scan results, he said that he would recommend surgery as an option for me due to the size of the tumor and the fact that it appeared to be contained. He said he performs about six prostatectomies a year. He also warned me that the first thing he would do during the surgery is biopsy the suspicious lymph nodes and if they were malignant, he would sew me back up and not remove my prostate. By that time I had already learned how important it is to find an experienced doctor and I also knew I didn't want the open radical prostatectomy. Therefore, having my urologist do the surgery was not an option for me.

One of my first sources for help and inspiration was the YANA site. I quickly learned that I was a new member of a club that no one wanted to be a part of but that included some of the most compassionate and caring folks I've ever known. I read about others dealing with the beast and started to look at their treatment choices. In my gut I knew that I wanted the cancer out of me if that was an option. I found a YANA Mentor in my area who mentioned Dr. Scott Miller who performed his Da Vinci surgery. I also recalled an email I had received regarding the successful surgery of a local pastor who I later found out also used Dr. Miller.

My wife had already scheduled an appointment with Dr. Miller before I had my scan results so we met with him the day after I got my results. He was very encouraging and optimistic about my chances for being completely cured by the surgery. For the first time in the process I felt hopeful. For the first time a doctor told me that I was going to be OK. I'll never forget him telling me that I was going to be here for decades to come.

From that point forward, everything has gone better than I could have hoped. I had the surgery on March 15, 2010 at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. Dr. Miller is an outstanding surgeon who is a pioneer in the Da Vinci surgery. He has performed well over 1,000 of the procedures. The technological advances for this type surgery are amazing! The surgery went very well and, thankfully, the lymph nodes and all surrounding tissue were clear. I was released from the hospital the day after the surgery a happy man, despite my new friend the catheter! I lived with the catheter for 10 days after the surgery. While there was a good bit of pain and living with a catheter is no fun, given the alternatives I was very pleased. In fact the catheter eliminated the need to get up to go to the bathroom at night so there is good to be found in that too!! My post surgery PSA test, six weeks following surgery, revealed a PSA level of <0.01, undetectable!! So, it appears I'm cancer free. Statistically , 65% of men who's PSA level post RALP is zero are still cancer free 10 years out and I'm counting on being in that group.

I'm still dealing with some effects from the surgery but they were expected and I have no complaints. I'm still experiencing some incontinence but am down to just one pad a day now and really only have a problem when I'm fatigued or have stress while my bladder is full. Unexpected sneezes are the worst....... Due to the stage of my tumor, only a part of one nerve sac was salvaged. I'm working on recovering natural erections but so far nothing much is happening. I am using the "pump" to keep good blood flow and am taking a low dose of Cialis every other day. I'm beginning to experience some light erections at this point but they are infrequent. I do expect to have natural erections at some point in the future. My surgeon has been a great help in this area as well and will continue to work with us to regain my sexual function.

While I had the benefit of outstanding medical treatment, I know that my healing was from the Great Physician. I was humbled by the outpouring of support from my friends, family, co-workers and folks I didn't even know. I had people praying for me from all over. And, God heard those prayers. I've learned a great deal about prostate cancer and the need to take charge of my own health. Like most men I suppose, my health fell way down the list of my daily priorities. I've learned that our doctors don't always act in our best interest and that our health is ultimately our responsibility.

The Da Vinci surgery and the surgeon I used were the right choices for me. I'm actually healthier than I have in the last 25 years!! I would not change anything about the treatment decisions I made at this point. I'm working on improving my overall health. I've decided to retire and focus on the more important things in my life. I've begun to exercise daily. I walk about 3 miles a day as well as do other exercise. I have begun using several vitamins and supplements such as pomegranate, saw palmetto, lycopene and vitamin D. I avoid red meat and all dairy products. I try to let fresh vegetables and fruit be a large part of my diet. I've lost about 45 pounds since my physical in December and want to lose about 50 more.

After the diagnosis, my wife told me that she has been praying that I would get a "wake up call" about my health. Well, she assures me that she did not pray that I would get prostate cancer but truthfully, it has all worked out well. I wish it had not taken cancer to get me to focus on my health but that's what it took and I'm actually grateful now that I'm at this point. I hope to spend about 50 more years focusing on what's really important in life. I truly believe that I'm now a cancer survivor and want to be supportive to other men who are dealing with this disease.

The year 2010 was one for the record books. January DX PCa; February only Grandchild born; March successful life saving prostatectomy; April my Mom died; and in December I retired from my career of 35 years!! Wow!!

So far my PSA is still undetectable. I have a test coming up July 18 and as usual I'm having some PSA test anxiety in anticipation. This will be my first test one full year post surgery so I'm anxious to get another good report. I think once I hear that I'm still zero I'll feel more like I'm out of the woods.

Otherwise, the PCa was a wake up call for my mortality clock so I chose to retire December 3, 2010. I'm loving the freedom and wish I had retired earlier. I have more or less full bladder control at this point. The only exceptions are when I'm fatigued and have a stress leak (sneezes are the worst!!). But, I've been "pad free" for 10 or 11 months now.

I'm still working on my ED. I think I will have better results if I lose weight. I've put on some weight (over 40 lbs) since the surgery. I have been much less active than usual. I've had some hip pain ever since the surgery. I had minor pain pre-surgery along with a herniated disk so I believe the surgical process aggravated an existing condition. [This can indeed be a side effect of RALP surgery because the body is in what is termed the Trendelenburg position with the feet higher than the head. This can put some pressure on the upper spine and shoulders.] I plan to see an orthopedic doc in the near future.

My wife of 35 years stood by me through it all. She is a rock and the greatest blessing on Earth. All things considered, I would not change my decision. My surgeon was outstanding and the da Vinci procedure is a miracle of modern science. I'm glad I chose the surgical option. I would never have been comfortable watching my PSA fluctuate and wondering whether the cancer had spread. I know the cancer cells are probably still in my system but at least I know if I have a detectable PSA reading I have some options.

Mentally and spiritually I'm a new person. God's divine grace, love and healing are undeniable. I appreciate life more than ever before and now see others in a way I di dn't see them before. I'm grateful for each day and give God the glory for delivering me and comforting me through the toughest time of my life.

I recently celebrated my 3 year anniversary since my successful RALP. My surgery was March 15, 2010. My most recent PSA test was March 19, 2013, PSA <0.01. So, 3 years cancer free. I chose the DaVinci Robot and still believe that was the right choice.

My last YANA update was in 2011. Frankly, not much new to report. My ED has continued to be a problem however I am still working on it. I am still continent and pad free however it does seem that I'm having a bit more problem with emergency leaks than in the past. I attribute that to my failure to do my Kegels and lack of excercise. This past year I had a hip replacement and laproscopic knee surgery. That has impacted my ability to walk and exercise. I'm getting back to normal again now and hope to get in better shape this summer.

I am a cancer survivor. My cancer had progressed further than is should because I failed to see a urologist as my PSA increased. I believe my family doctor placed me in severe risk by prescribing Testim despite my already elevated PSA. I should have taken more care and should have been aware of the possible side effects of Testim. I believe I was cured because I chose the right surgeon, the right procedure and had my biopsy done just in time.

I thank my Lord Jesus for my healing. He knew what I needed and led me to the right doctors.

Sorry it has been so long since my last update. Truth is there is little to report. My condition has remained pretty much the same. I have good bladder control so long as I don't allow myself to become too fatigued with a full bladder. I do Kegel exercises but not as regular as I should but that is due to the fact that I have practically no problems with bladder control. The ED is manageable with help from suppositories. However, a lot of that problem stems from my need to lose weight and the fact that prior to the PCA diagnosis I was having some problems in that area. I am happy with the treatment choice I made and believe that I am cured. I will reach my 5 year mark March 2015 and I expect to be at Zero. I'm happy to respond to questions from anyone making the decision or from those who have gone through the DaVinci process themselves. I attribute my good result to answered prayer and a talented and experienced surgeon. I would not recommend DaVinci to anyone unless they are SURE their surgeon has the skill and experience they need to do a perfect job.

J.T.'s e-mail address is: jamestcastleberry AT gmail.com (replace "AT" with "@")

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