[2006] Hey Guys...anyone having prostate problems?/Merged

[AwayWeGo]

1st Things 1st.

Did he not get treatment? Did he dismiss the diagnosis and choose to just live as long as he could without it?

Don't know about Dan Fogelberg specifically, but some guys are unwilling or reluctant to have prostate surgery or radiation for fear of impotence or incontinence or both.

They figure what good is living if they can't, uh . . . er, ah, um, you know -- get frisky any more.

Hey, tell me about it! That is, I understand those concerns completely.

But what those guys forget is You Can't Make Love If You're Dead.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[AwayWeGo]

Put Me Back In The M. R. I. Tube, Please. I Want To Hear The Rest Of That Song.

After chext x-ray & bloodwork & EKG & a long heart-to-heart talk with the anesthesiologist, I got my Big Casino advanced high-tech, high-intensity, non-standard, semi-experimental MRI session that goes with my guinea pig status at the National Cancer Institute. That was on Friday.

I was in the MRI tube about 45 minutes with various chemicals fed into my intravenous line while my pelvic area was draped with a special magnetic coil & another magnetic coil was placed right up next to the prostate as close it is humanly possible to place it (if you know what I mean).

They gave me ear plugs and a set of stereo headphones so I could hear the doctors tell me what was going on & hear them ask if I was OK. (I was.) There was also music, but after the opening strains of a Mozart serenade I couldn't hear the tunes very well at all over all the buzzing & humming & thrumming & pulsing & vibrating & beating & pounding that the MRI machine was generating. I had a hand-held Panic Button, but odd as the experience was nothing about it induced any actual panic, & not all that much discomfort, either. I think I dozed off during one 18-minute scan.

Prostate MRIs are already done at some hospitals, I hear, but this new MRI at the National Cancer Institute has a much stronger magnetic field, uses more intravenous dyes & contrast agents, etc., & results in more detailed & more precise imagery of the organ & the tumors (supposedly). The Cancer Institute is interested in improving & advancing the use of MRI imagery in the diagnosis & treatment of prostate cancer, & that's the "experimental" aspect of my participation with the Urologic Oncology section at the National Cancer Institute.

I am signed up now for robotically assisted laparoscopic surgery (prostate removal) on November 13th -- with a possibility that it could move up to November 3 if somebody cancels who's ahead of me on the schedule.

All my making light of the situation is simply false bravado. The truth is, I'm plenty scared & just putting on a brave face.

So it goes.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[pcgirl54]

I am so glad this is being discussed. I hope some of our members have gone for tests because of it or at least shared it with others.

Also get a colonoscopy- DH has had issues and has them every other year. I had one last yaer. The test is nothing but that ginger prep drink is the pits. I ran into an old friend I not seen in years who rold me she had colon cancer last year at 52. She was having pain and some bleeding and went to the doc. She told me how much she went through.The doc told her she had 6 months to live without surgery.

Rapmarks,Bill and Alan we are all here to support you. Glad you can take care of this right away. Alan I went in an MRI machine 3 yrs back and I had a minor panic attack. Never thought I was claustrophobic but my heart was racing and I had a hard time breathing. I never hit the get me out of this thing button but I sure wanted to. I tried slow breathes to control the anxiety.

Update on my 90 yr old Dad from a earlier post. The new PSA is 300 off meds from 83 a month prior which jumped from 33 on meds. Taking him off Casodex did not work as expected. On Casodex his PSA dropped to #2 for years until now. He was diagnosed with cancer 4 1/2 yrs ago. He had kidney issues 4-5 yrs prior to that. One would never know for the last 4 years that he has had cancer. It has had no effect on him until now so we have all been very fortunate. He has no other type of illness normal for someone his age. It has been amazing. He still has Lupron shots.

So now he is on Nilandron(sp) to see if that will lower the PSA since it is now accelerating so fast. There is also a drug you can take called Zometra to strenghten your bones. You must have good dental health to take it as a rare side effect is loss of jaw bone. He has just had most of his teeth out which were not in good order and is healing so he can take this drug. The cancer has spread for the first time outside the prostate to his shoulder and ribs. He is complaining about being extremely tired this week and won't leave the house. He did well with the dental surgery. No swelling ,bruising or meds needed.

Now we are seeing an oncologist as well as the urologist who has treated him for the last 8 yrs. They are wonderful. Do you know that they would give someone 90 chemo. I was amazed. There is another drug to try if the Nilandron does not lower his PSA but you have to take steriods with it and I think as a last resort there is chemo. We are now at the trial period for what could work so it is a stressful time.

I am so lucky to still have my Dad at 90 but I am feeling very stressed with the way he was yesterday.

 

[rapmarks]

just want you to know I do not have prostrate cancer. I do have breast cancer.

 

[rickandcindy23]

just want you to know I do not have prostrate cancer. I do have breast cancer.

Oh, so sorry to hear it. What will you choose for treatment, and what is the doctor recommending?

 

[rickandcindy23]

Don't know about Dan Fogelberg specifically, but some guys are unwilling or reluctant to have prostate surgery or radiation for fear of impotence or incontinence or both.

They figure what good is living if they can't, uh . . . er, ah, um, you know -- get frisky any more.

Hey, tell me about it! That is, I understand those concerns completely.

But what those guys forget is You Can't Make Love If You're Dead.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

My father-in-law had both problems, as a result of prostate surgery. Of course, we didn't find that out until after he died a very strange and sudden death in his home office. Rick's stepmom, who is very open about such things, told us he hadn't been happy most of his last remaining years since the surgery. I think Ronnie is worried about all of that, but he chose the treatment and says he is doing okay. We will see.

I am worried that Rick is next, but Rick gets a physical every year for the fire department. I am also worried that the middle brother probably never gets anything checked, and he has been smoking since the age of 14. He just gets skinnier every time we see him. I think he has something wrong already, but we don't dare say anything to him.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Ooooooh -- Sorry To Hear That.

I do have breast cancer.

Bad news. I'm so sorry you have that to deal with.

I'm sorry anybody's got to deal with any cancer, regardless of the tissues & organs involved.

I'm gladdened & encouraged about all the marvelous strides that have been made in early detection & effective treatments.

That helps, of course -- lots -- but it does not take away all of the dread & anxiety of having to deal with it once it's detected.

Wishing you all the best for complete recovery.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[AwayWeGo]

Live! From 3NW Medical & Surgical Oncology.

This NIH facility is the most deluxe of any hospital I've been in -- cable TV, hi-speed Internet, room service (i.e., phone down to food service to order off the menu & somebody brings it right up), & I don't know what-all.

The room is on the chilly side. I'm OK but The Chief Of Staff was shivering there for a while.

Today is devoted to what they call "prep" -- i.e., chugalugging magnesium citrate & taking the consequences.

Surgery bright & early tomorrow. Then after that, we'll see.

My hospital roommate (from Boston) had abdominal surgery last week -- his 6th cancer operation in 6 years, he said. I'm pretty sure mine is the tamest case anywhere on the ward, & they wouldn't have let me in to the National Cancer Institute at all if they hadn't been so interested in perfecting & advancing the use of high-tech MRI imagery in connection with prostate cancer.

I should be out of here by next weekend.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[taffy19]

This NIH facility is the most deluxe of any hospital I've been in -- cable TV, hi-speed Internet, room service (i.e., phone down to food service to order off the menu & somebody brings it right up), & I don't know what-all.

The room is on the chilly side. I'm OK but The Chief Of Staff was shivering there for a while.

Today is devoted to what they call "prep" -- i.e., chugalugging magnesium citrate & taking the consequences.

Surgery bright & early tomorrow. Then after that, we'll see.

My hospital roommate (from Boston) had abdominal surgery last week -- his 6th cancer operation in 6 years, he said. I'm pretty sure mine is the tamest case anywhere on the ward, & they wouldn't have let me in to the National Cancer Institute at all if they hadn't been so interested in perfecting & advancing the use of high-tech MRI imagery in connection with prostate cancer.

I should be out of here by next weekend.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

I am glad yours may be the tamest case of all. Good luck Alan and I hope everything goes well for you. You sure have the right attitude and writing so frank about it may help another person to get a test sooner. No man seems to like to go to the doctor unless they are in pain. I will think of you tomorrow.

 

[Passepartout]

Surgery Bright & early tomorrow. Then after that, we'll see.

I should be out of here by next weekend.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

Good Luck Alan. You will be in all our thoughts.

Jim Ricks

 

[MULTIZ321]

My prayers and thoughts are with you Alan.

Good Luck.

Richard

 

[Kay H]

Good luck tomorow, Alan. Will say a prayer for you in the AM.

 

[happymum]

Wishing you good luck and a speedy recovery.

 

[pcgirl54]

Good luck Alan!

 

[AwayWeGo]

Surgery Successful -- Now For The Recovery Process.

Thanks to all who wished me well. My TUG-BBS friends are great.

I am filled with gratitude & respect for the wonderful doctors & nurses here. World Class all the way.

And my wonderful wife has been super, looking out for me & taking care of me in all kinds of large & small ways.

The procedure & aftermath turned out to be trickier than the doctors were expecting -- not involving tumors, etc., but with mundane complications like internal adhesions that made their work (& the robot's) harder & more time consuming.

I was feeling awful last night but OK this morning & highly encouraged at my post-op progress.

Just 12+ hours after major abdominal surgery & I'm sitting here typing on the electric computer.

Amazing.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[MULTIZ321]

Alan,

Here's a glass of Florida Orange Juice to a continued speedy recovery!!!


Richard

 

[M. Henley]

Glad it's Over

I am glad for you that it is finally over and you are feeling pretty good, apparently, all things considered.
:whoopie:

 

[Kay H]

Isn't it amazing what a human body can endure? Glad you are feeling well, relatively speaking. Each day should be better.

 

[JudyH]

Don't even think about getting frisky now. :whoopie:

 

[swift]

Glad your back Alan!! Hope you will be feeling well soon. Now don't let that Devil trick you in to doing anything you shouldn't be doing too soon. Take it easy and relax awhile.

 

[Jaybee]

Hi, Alan... We just got back from a 3 day trip to Laughlin, NV, and I missed your surgery. I guess the important thing is that you didn't. I'm so glad to hear that things went well, and Phil & I both wish you a speedy recovery, and all good things. I'm glad to see your kudos for the Chief of Staff, too. Please don't expect all that room service nonsense after you get back home, though. LOL! Cheers! Jean

 

[pcgirl54]

Alan,if you are reading Tug posts you are indeed feeling better.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Impatient Patient.

Alan,if you are reading Tug posts you are indeed feeling better.

Feeling semi-crabby.

I'm hurting a bit, but they give me pills for that. I just took 1 & am eager for it to kick in.

Breakfast is on the way -- soft foods, a step up from clear liquids.

Still hooked up to a surgical drain & a Foley catheter -- very humiliating walking the halls with my collection bag on a rolling I-V pole, not to mention my This & That hanging in the breeze.

Going in for surgery seemed like a good idea at the time.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Gramma5]

Alan,
I'm so happy to hear the surgery is over and now you can concentrate on recuperating! Be sure to take those pain pills BEFORE the pain gets too bad. Now that you are up and about, you may need them abit more often, so you can keep mobile and comfortable. We will be praying for a speedy recovery. Our friend had his robotic surgery in May and he thought the catheter was nearly the worst part! All his functions returned to normal after several weeks....
God bless you as you recover.

 

[AwayWeGo]

No More Pain Pills. (Well, Maybe Some Tylenol.)

Alan,
I'm so happy to hear the surgery is over and now you can concentrate on recuperating! Be sure to take those pain pills BEFORE the pain gets too bad. Now that you are up and about, you may need them abit more often, so you can keep mobile and comfortable. We will be praying for a speedy recovery. Our friend had his robotic surgery in May and he thought the catheter was nearly the worst part! All his functions returned to normal after several weeks....
God bless you as you recover.

Thanks for your kind words -- specially now as I enter the Poor Me phase of dealing with various minor inconveniences & indignities.

The pain that's left seems to be less straight-ahead postoperative hurt & more just real bad gas pains & cramps as my poor bloated & gas-filled belly struggles to get back to something like normal after being subjected to what was after all Major Surgery.

I slept from 11PM till 3AM, then got up & will be staying up so I can get to the bathroom quick as often as necessary.

Pain pills did not help with cramping & bloating -- might have added to the problem somewhat because the narcotic pills can be constipating. So now it's just Tylenol, which also helps bring down my temperature when it hits 101 F as it's been doing.

Fortunately instead of staring at the 4 walls I can type on the electric computer.

Hoping I can go home today.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​