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

I found out I had PCa as the result of a infomercial on TV. I was flipping channels one Saturday morning and I hear the guy say "If you get up more than twice a night to go to the bathroom" It got my attention, I watched more, there was a lot of questions and I answered yes to all of them. Time to make an appointment with the doctor. I really wanted to use the product being advertized but I knew better.

The blood test confirmed a high PSA (first time I ever heard that term PSA). I also had blood in my urine, which was another problem. I was set up with a meeting in my town with a uro. He brought my attention to the high PSA and also the blood in urine problem. First order - cystoscope, not fun but not really painful, cancer was found in the bladder. He set me up for surgery the very next day and the cancer was removed. That wasn't all that much to go through, I was nervous, but it went well, I was home in a couple of hours, coul d have gone to work the next day but took a day off.

The uro explained a lot to me, hard to comprehend all that information at first. I started doing research right away, I found this site and one other I really like right off. Thank God for that. The biopsy showed cancer in 11 of 12 samples, some as low as 2% and the highest of 50%. I looked at a lot of treatment options and also where I could go.

I'm 90 miles south of Buffalo so Roswell Park Cancer Institute is an option. I was really leaning toward the Da Vinci Robotic surgery until my URO told me it's good but nothing can replace the feel of your fingertips for finding things. I also read that same thing here on YANANOW. So I then considered a doctor from Roswell. I ask my Doc how he could compete with a Cancer hospital full of surgeons to which he replied. "They have about fifty Doctors, here we have three, all in this office and when you go into surgery, two of them are with you." He has more experience than the big hospital because there are only three in this town doing the surgery. He says he does about one a week every week for the last 5 years. I liked the guy right from the get-go and he's kind of cocky, but I want him to fix me, not go out and socialize with him. He's the man, I know it in my heart.

I didn't think I could go on like this, but anyway, the surgery is on Wednesday the 15th of Feb. (two days). Everything I can think of that needs to be done is done. I've asked all the questions I know to ask, got all the answers I need to make a good decision, which I've done. Now I have to show up, go through with it and pray for great results. I have more people than I can count praying for me, that means a lot and I know it works. So for now, all I can do is wait, and get to the other side of this - RECOVERY.

I just returned home from the hospital yesterday, everything went well and at this point it's believed the cancer was confined to the prostate and it's all been removed. Dissection of the lymph nodes showed no signs of cancer. By the day of the surgery, I had relaxed quite a bit, most of the anxiety had left me. A lot of prayers were sent up for this. The surgery went well, about two hours, very little blood loss. I had general anaesthesia and that went well, woke up a little disoriented but that's all. The rest of the day I didn't do anything, hit the morphine pump when I needed and slept. I wasn't required to get up until the next day, man, those first few steps were rough and wobbly, I took two more walks that day and each was a little better and a little farther. My surgery was Feb-15-2006 and I came home Feb-18-2006. I have a belly full of staples and a catheter.

I got around the house pretty good yesterday, found that the recliner is probably the best seat in the house. Went up and down the stairs quite a few time with no problem. Today I fell more sore than I did yesterday but that is probably from the activity. I have Vicodin for pain and I am using very little. I took two yesterday and one today so far. I have my first bowel movement last night and that wasn't all that bad. My doctor suggested I use Milk of Magnesia which I did, that really helped I think. I don't have much else to report.

Appointment with doctor next week and get staples out. So far I guess everything is pretty much text book, I just pray it stays that way. I'm not trying to put my beliefs on anybody, but I know my faith and attitude have a lot to do with the healing process. I will post again as soon as I have new information.

Just a few words about the Jackson Pratt drainage system. I've read many of the stories on this site and got a lot of good information that really helped me before, during and now after surgery. One thing I didn't read about was this drainage system called "Jackson Pratt" I think some men mentioned getting a drain removed but that's about it.

Just before I was released the doctor came in to remove the Jackson Pratt. I wasn't really concerned about it as I read nothing about it, and I thought the tube coming through my tummy connected to the reservior was all there was. He said take a deep breath and he pulled hard, he said take another deep breath and pulled again. The nurse joking said it was coming all the way from my toes. The doctor the third time said take a deep breath and pulled hard and it did feel like it was coming from my toes, I felt some strong resistance and it came through. He said ok, it's out. I looked down and saw the tube, quite long with a white thing connected to the end of it which was about 1/2 inch wide, 1/4 inch thick and maybe 6 or 7 inches long full of little holes. I thought he was kidding, that was all in there. I guess maybe it's a good thing I didn't know about it, but it was just more weird than painful, you could feel it moving all around before it came out.

Humm, do I post this or not, do you want to know about this? Yes, I think so, it really is more strange feeling than it is painful and I think I would have done better with it had I known what to expect.

I am now about 2-1/2 months since surgery, I'll do my best to recall events from right after surgery until now. The staples came out without hardly any pain at all and the incision was healing well. There was a bump on the incision right at the waist line which was pretty uncomfortable. I found out it was an internal surgical knot. I wasn't able to wear jeans comfortably for almost two months. Sweat pants are the thing to wear. I never even owned a pair until this, got quite fond of them.

Ok, now for the catheter removal. First let me say, whoever wrote in on this web site to use some neosporin where the catheter goes in - thank you very much. I think it saved me a lot of discomfort. I never had a problem getting sore or irratated. I was relieved to have it removed, which was really no big deal at all, I thought it might be, but it wasn't.

Next - incontinence!!! I had it in my head that it wasn't going to be an issue with me. Some guys get it real bad for a long time, some don't have it at all. I just knew I was going to be dry, MAN, was I wrong. I leaked so bad the first couple of days I didn't think it would ever stop. I started to do Kegels like crazy, read all I could find out about how to do it correctly and did as much as I could stand. It started getting better, from soaking 10 to 12 pads a day, to about 5 after a week or so, and then slowly getting better after that. I went back to work at 8 weeks. I have a very physical job and do quite a bit of lifting and bending and walking. On real hard work days, maybe 2 pads, but now, after 2 1/2 months, 1 pad per 24 hours and I'm not even close to soaking that one. I think I'll be able to be pad-free soon, but if not, one a day ain't bad. I have had very little pain or soreness. The worst thing I experienced for awhile was kind of a prickling/shock thing from the surgical knot in the incision and wearing jeans. Not real bad, but not fun. That is all but gone now.

Oh yeah, the most important thing, I had my first check up last week. No detectable PSA and a cystoscope showed no signs of cancer. Doc told me the cancer in my bladder which I kind of dismissed and no big deal, was actully quite large and we really need to keep watch on that. So, for at least a year, PSA's every 3 month along with cystoscope every 3 months.

I'm feeling good, working at the same level as before and I have good energy even after a days work. Doc gave me some samples of Viagara which I've only tried once. No sign of an erection yet, but it did enhance the experience. From what I've read, one year is pretty normal for the nerves to rejuvenate which is also what my Doctor says. It is so weird to have the sensation of an orgasm but nothing else happens, very strange. I must say I'm feeling better than I thought I would at this point. Other than ED I feel pretty much as I did before.

I certainly wouldn't wish this on any one, nor would I in any way want to go through it again, but there is life after prostate cancer and life is good.

First off, I apologize for not updating this much sooner. You get to feeling good, back to work, doing what you used to do and you tend to forget where you turned to for help and information when you felt desperate and didn't know where to turn.

YANA is a great wealth of information, and if you care to take the time to read through the stories and different parts of this site, you can learn a lot and also find some kind of peace. Mostly as the YANA letters represent, You are not alone anymore.

I have a checkup next month and it will mark one and a half years. My last checkup was pretty good, PSA undetectable but I have a cystoscope every time (man I hate those) and a small tumor was found in the bladder. The doctor immediately burned it out. It turned out NOT to be cancer, thank God and that was that. As bad as I think the cystoscope is, I guess it is necessary.

I haven't had a problem with continence in over a year. I do still suffer from ED, but it is getting better, I would say I'm at about 50% erection, enough for penetration, (just enough). I quit taking anything to enhance that. It all gives me horrible side effects, not worth it and it really doesn't do much. I did try Caverject - an injection. Never again on that one, ya'll have seen the ads - if you have an erection for more than 4 hours, call the doctor immediately, well, that was me. I tried to go to the hospital, but I couldn't get dressed. Just the slightest touch was more than I could stand, I paced the floor for about 3 hours and it finally started to go down a little. I did a take a 750 mg of Vicodin for pain, and it helped only a little. I've seriously considered the pump, but it's coming along on it's own, so I'll wait and see about that one.

So that's where I'm at right now. I do know how blessed I am. Many men who have had prostate cancer have suffered for a long time and have had all kinds of treatment etc.

My heart and prayers goes out to all of you.

God bless all.

Well, I just had my 2 year check-up. PSA is undetectable. I do not have any incontinence, and the ED is about the same. I'm able to have sex but it's not what is used to be and certainly not what I want it to be. I think I will look into the pump, I've been saying that for awhile, guess it's time to do something about it.

Right when this all started, a tumor was found in my bladder and removed. Another was found and I said it was not cancer, My doctor tells me they were all cancer, low-grade but still cancer. At the 2 year mark, prostate and bladder cancer, I have had a total of 4 tumors in my bladder, two removed in the office with the cystoscope and two at the hospital with surgery. Next week I am going to start a treatment of BGC. BCG is a vaccine for tuberculosis which is put into your bladder with a catheter. (here we go again with the catheter) I get that once a week for six weeks. There are good results of the cancer not coming back. I really didn't want to do this, but I guess you do whatever it takes to beat cancer. I have some issues, but mostly I feel good, can do most of the things I want to and I'm in pretty good shape for a 60 year old man. Other than the treatment coming up, I take NO medications, that's pretty unusual for a guy my age, I am blessed. No prostate cancer and soon, no bladder cancer.

God bless you guys.
JD

I had a checkup yesterday. Mostly it was a 3 month checkup for bladder cancer tumors which I was diagnosed with at the same time as prostate cancer 4 years ago. A cluster of tumors was seen and I'll have out-patient surgery next week.

For the first time in 4 years I had a detectable PSA which has me concerned. It's only 0.08 but I don't know what that means for someone that's been undetectable for 4 years. My doctor is more concerned about the bladder cancer at the moment but the PSA has me really concerned. I'll talk to him in detail next week. He also suggested Mitomycin treatment for the bladder, I have no idea what that is except it's done with a catheter for 6 weeks. I'll start researching that today.

Other than that my health is good. Sex is good but different. I've tried all the pills, even the shot, I either prefer nothing, (I'd say about 60% erection as compared to what it used to be) or I use a VED. It's not the most romantic thing in the bedroom, but it does make for a much better experience for both of us.

I hope to get a new PSA soon and find out what's going on with that. If anyone has had this kind of experience after a few years, please email me. God bless you all.

JD Smith

It's been five years since my prostate surgery and I'm happy to say that in January this year my PSA is undetectable, thank God for that.

I have not had a problem with incontinence since a couple of months after surgery. My wife and I have a healthy happy sex life, not the same as before PC but good, a new normal.

From my early posts you will read I was diagnosed with bladder cancer at the same time as prostate cancer, I'm still dealing with that. Just finish my third round of six treatments of BCG, I've had many turmors removed especially in the last three years and have gone from low grade to high grade in the last six months. I still feel good, and as long as I stay with it, cystoscope every three months, I'll probably be alright.

God bless you all, hang in there. Life is good.

I am now 6-1/2 years away from a radical prostatectomy which was considered the "golden standard" at the time, not sure if it is now. I have no side effects to date, I know things aren't as they used to be, but it's all so normal today, that I really don't remember how it use to be. I have a wonderful wife and we have a very good and active sex life. I would even say that my desires are stronger today than before PC. When your way of life is threatened, you tend to really grab ahold of things and not take it for granted. I get regular check-ups and it's all been good so far. I still have bladder cancer and deal with that on a regular basis. Actually tomorrow I'm having surgery to have some tumors removed, been doing this for over 6 years now. As long as I stay on top of it, I'm good. I'm 64 years old now and other than dealing with this bladder stuff, I'm very healthy, I take no medication what-so-ever which in itself is pretty amazing. Hang on to the good things in life and pray a lot.

God bless,
JD

It's been a little over a year since I have updated my story. I still have no issues as a result of prostate cancer or it's removal. PSAs are undetectable. My bladder cancer got to be quite serious and I had a radical cystectomy in June. I am now 3 months post-op and doing pretty good. I've had a few set backs but doing alright now. I have a urostomy bag and that takes some getting use to.

The surgery for RP and RC are similar in that it's major surgery and your abdoman it opened up. The RC is usually quite a bit longer and the hospital stay is longer and recovery is longer. Most men that have a RC will have the prostate removed at the same time. Mine was already gone so it wasn't an issue. I don't want to go on about the bladder cancer too much as this is a prostate site.

As far as I know, I am cancer free right now. I start testing this week for my 3 month check-up. Blood work, CT scan, Xrays and all that good stuff. I just retired so I don't have to go back to work. Thank God for that, I don't think I could ever work as hard as I use to or lift as much.

Oh, I almost forgot, sex, well that definately took a hit, I recovered quite well after PC, but this is a different kind of thing. I don't know if it will ever come back. I won't do pills and I'm not about to try the shots again, I do have a pump, but so far it doesn't do enough. My wife and I do have sex and it's very pleasing, but not the same, just different. I may consider a penile implant sometime in the future.

So, that's my update for now. Life is not the same, but it's good. I am able to do just about anything I want and I feel good most of the time. What more can a guy ask for.

God is good.

God bless

JD

JD's e-mail address is: studio9 AT windstream.net (replace "AT" with "@")

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