Yesterday Was A Good News Day

When I hit this detour, I started at a sprint.

For six weeks I went to a bunch of medical appointments, and did a ton of research. The biggest chore was just lining up the appointments, and dashing from one to the next. I regularly had two or three appointments per week. I brought a notebook to all my appointments (which I'm still using) to take notes, so I wouldn't lose the information I was being given.

It wasn't until I missed my first surgery date that I finally had time to catch my breath. And now I've had weeks of recovery time. There have been milestones along the way, but I haven't had to dedicate as many brain cycles to the cause. Lately, the pace has picked up a bit, as I research the use of Hormone Therapy (HT) combined with Radiation Therapy (RT) after Radical Prostatectomy (RP).

Yesterday was an important day - Day 30 after surgery. I got my first PSA test done, and the result was an awesome 0.04ng/mL. Any value  less than 0.10 is considered "undetectable", and achieving this low a PSA level is the goal of surgery. Mission accomplished.

Tomorrow is an important day. I drive to Chicago for my post-surgery follow-up. The recovery has gone well, so I don't expect any surprises. And tomorrow I'll get my first hormone treatment.

Yesterday I also met with the Radiation Oncologist who will manage my radiation treatments in April and May. We had a very reassuring discussion about the technology and treatment. This guy sounds like he knows his stuff, and he should be easy to work with. He also set me up with a consultation with a Medical Oncologist, where I expect to get an overview of where I stand, and all the treatment options that are available and appropriate.

Seatbelt fastened; I know it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Back To Work

I'm glad to be getting back to work (as a software developer for the University of Illinois) next week.

I'm in limbo in a way that I did not anticipate, since I'll have to return to work with the cancer still present. I hope to be cleared to return to Tae Kwon Do at my end-of-January appointment with my surgeon.

Research over the past week or so has reassured me regarding the proposed follow-up treatment. That treatment is expected to be 4 months of hormones starting in February, with 6 to 7 weeks of radiation starting in April. A PSA test I have scheduled for the last week in January will tell me more.

The Journey Continues

My recovery during the current week has been steady, and I'm feeling much better.

On Wednesday of this week, 9 days after surgery, I had my catheter removed, so I'm no longer hooked up to a bag like the one pictured. That did a lot to make me feel more human. I don't have to carry the bag around anymore, and I can now take showers without that thing at my feet. It also means that I can now drive my car again, and I'm glad of that.

On Monday evening I got a call from my surgeon with the results of the pathology report on my excised tissue. Although the news was all good right after surgery, it's clear that my detour is not yet over. The report shows extracapsular extension, one positive margin, and one positive lymph node of 12 that were examined. Together, these findings indicate that I need further treatment to eliminate the cancer.

The way forward, subject to second opinions and further research, appears to be four months of hormone therapy to deprive any remaining prostate cells of the androgen they require to grow and reproduce. The hormone therapy should start at the end of January. After two months I'll be halfway through the hormone treatment, at which point I'll start radiation treatments for five days each week for six to seven weeks. The calendar tells me that this radiation treatment will be during April and May of 2016. Fortunately, I'm young and healthy; I remain hopeful that side effects during this period will be manageable.

I have my 1-month follow-up appointment with my surgeon on Friday 29 January, at which point I'll learn more about my future treatment. I'll keep you posted.

Surgery Was Monday

Surgery was Monday and it went very well.

I spent Sunday night (12/27/15) at a hotel across the street from the hospital so that I could arrive bright and early at the hospital at 7AM for my 9AM surgery. I had spent all of Christmas Eve baking Christmas cookies, and I had a tin of cookies with me for the surgical team. There was nothing remarkable about the prep for the surgery. Everyone was very professional and very good at their job. They gave me something "to help me relax", and then it was time for me to wake up in the recovery room.

The surgery itself took 4 hours. Waking up wasn't much fun, but as soon as I was alert they were able to provide effective pain meds. I spent a couple of hours in recovery, and then waited another couple of hours in recovery for a room to be ready for me.

When I made it to my room, three of my daughters were waiting for me. It was good to see them, though I was still groggy.  Even though it was the same day as surgery, the nurses helped me out of bed and had me walk once around the hospital floor, just to get me moving again.

Some of my visitors left soon after for the long drive (3+ hours, in bad weather) back to Bement, IL. My oldest and youngest daughters stuck around a little longer, long enough to be there when the surgeon stopped in to check on me. He gave me some of the details of the surgery, remarking both that the lymph nodes removed during surgery were not visibly affected my cancer, and that the prostate itself looked healthier than he had anticipated, based on the biopsy report. He did tell me that he got one of the Christmas cookies that I brought with me that morning.

Unfortunately, Bement picked up several inches of rain on Monday. I didn't know about it at the time, but when Alyssa, my 17-year-old daughter, got to the house (by herself), she found a few inches of water in the basement, and the pilot light out on the furnace. Sadly, she was stuck with quite a mess at a very inopportune time. I'm proud of the way she handled the cleanup.

Tuesday I was on my own in Chicago, and I managed enough laps around the hospital floor (13) to complete one mile. Pain management was very effective, and I have no complaints.

Wednesday morning I confirmed that I would be released that afternoon. I got lots of instructions on taking care of myself. The bandage over the incision and the drain tube were removed. And then I got to take a shower. That made me feel a lot better.

My friend Mark and my oldest daughter Tia drove up that day to pick me up and bring me home. The drive was uneventful, and I was home by 7PM.