Author Topic: I Have Prostate Cancer  (Read 33243 times)

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Offline BobbyR

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #75 on: November 23, 2009, 02:41:21 PM »
I have collected of of the data that I can from various sources includng Doctor friends of mine, including a Pathologist I personally know and is a recognized expert in the area. He confirms the diagnosis, so there is no issue there. I will now begin interviewing Specialists, I do mean interviewing and through my connections doing a deep dive into their backgrounds. I am hiring someone to do a job for me. My Brother and several friends are MDs so I have no illusions.

More importantly here is what I found so far that you should be aware of:

In the US one out of seven men will diagnosed with Prostate cancer.

I have spoken to people in their late 30's with a large number in their early 40's, so this is not a old man's disease. DO not think since you are 35 you are immune.

Many I have spoken to have had their Doctors simply rely on PSA with no digital exam. My PSA is in the normal range, but I have a small number of cells that will can become aggressive over time. The super aggressive small cell prostate Cancers do not raise PSA levels. So a well trained finger is better than a blood test.

I will now be speaking to various specialists to find the proper treatment and the proper person to perform that treatment. Surgery and Radiation appear to be my choices.

I will report on my findings and share with you all.

Dedicated to Sgt. Howard Bruckner 1950 - 1969. KIA LONG KHANH.

But we were boys, and boys will be boys, and so they will. To us, everything was dangerous, but what of that? Had we not been made to live forever?

Offline kghost

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #76 on: November 23, 2009, 03:04:36 PM »
Keep us posted Bobby

Still pulling for you
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Offline greasy j

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #77 on: November 23, 2009, 03:15:16 PM »
man, I really hope everything works out for you. it sounds like you have taken proactive measures to get the best treatment and are very well informed. taking things into their own hands is the best thing anyone can do, even if only for peace of mind. 

I'm only 34, but I've never had an exam. you have made me consider one.

Offline bill440cars

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #78 on: November 23, 2009, 03:18:54 PM »

        Bobby, I sure admire how you are taking this and going ahead so positively. Also, the way you are trying to get our attention as to the importance of getting checked out for this,
ourselves. ;)  My Prayers are with you as you go into this.

                                              Take care My Friend, Bill ;)  
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Offline bucky katt

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #79 on: November 23, 2009, 04:56:30 PM »
i'm getting my first digital exam next week, mainly because of this thread.
Of all God's creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the lash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat.
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Offline DRam

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #80 on: November 25, 2009, 12:39:54 PM »
Good luck, Bobby.  Those who read this thread and then went for an exam should thank you.  You may have saved some lives.

Offline Hush

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #81 on: November 25, 2009, 09:03:09 PM »
I'm booked in for Monday, thanks Bobby. :)
I think the thing I most like about motorcycling is the speed at which my brain must process information at to avoid the numb skulls who are eating pies, playing the ukulele, applying make-up etc in the comfort of their airconditioned armchairs as they make random attempts to kill me!!!!!!!

Offline Ecosse

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #82 on: November 25, 2009, 11:36:23 PM »
thanks again bobby. your thoroughness and perseverance set an example only a fool would ignore.

   
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Offline Uncle Ernie

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #83 on: November 26, 2009, 06:31:37 PM »
Yeah, well- exams cost money.  Good thought, though.
(not a healthcare debate- just sayin)
Dude- your 8 layers are showing!

Offline BobbyR

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #84 on: November 26, 2009, 06:51:00 PM »
Yeah, well- exams cost money.  Good thought, though.
(not a healthcare debate- just sayin)
If you do a web search you will find free exam clinics in your area.
Dedicated to Sgt. Howard Bruckner 1950 - 1969. KIA LONG KHANH.

But we were boys, and boys will be boys, and so they will. To us, everything was dangerous, but what of that? Had we not been made to live forever?

Offline Sam Green Racing

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #85 on: November 26, 2009, 07:17:57 PM »
Yeah, well- exams cost money.  Good thought, though.
(not a healthcare debate- just sayin)
If you do a web search you will find free exam clinics in your area.

Good luck Bobby, hope you had a good thanks giving day and hope you see a lot more. ;)

Sam. ;)
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Offline BobbyR

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #86 on: November 26, 2009, 08:25:47 PM »
Thank you Sam, I actually did. 

I interviewed my second Doctor yesterday. He is a Radiological Oncologist. With the new high tech machines the cure rate is equal to surgery. The machines today deliver extrememly high doses of pinpoint radiation. They begin by giving you a chemical that essentially shuts off the testosterone in your body for 90 days. The Cancer cells are fueled by testosterone so they cannot multiply and it weakens them. It also shrinks the prostate gland back to close to normal size. This allows more clearance around it and other organs.

Once they have shunk it they map out your insodes with localized CT and MRI scans to give a 3D view of the Prostate and everything around it. This data is loaded into the machine and will be used for each session.

The Prostate can move quite a bit from a full bladder, gas in the intestine and body position. That is why iin the past they used a wide beam and less radiation.

They will insert three gold beads into the gland. During treatment the machine does a quick scan, calculates the coordinates adjusts the table and the adjusts the beam pattern so that surrounding tissue is largely missed.

The machine will then rotate around you for 90 seconds firing beams from every possible angle and you are done for the day. The next day you come back again. The radiation treatment runs 5 days a week for six weeks. I can continue to work and carry on normal daily activities during treatment.

Radiation has proven to have a success rate equal to surgery if the cancer is confined in the gland which mine appears to be. My 20 year out look would be virtually 100%. My 20 year outlook on my CB750 would be less.

Next week I will consult with another Urologist I have great faith in and we will weigh the options. I expect to consult with no less than six specialist before I make a decision. Each treatment option carries different short and long term effects, so I weigh that along with the skill of the practitioner.     

Happy Thanksgiving to to you all.
   
Dedicated to Sgt. Howard Bruckner 1950 - 1969. KIA LONG KHANH.

But we were boys, and boys will be boys, and so they will. To us, everything was dangerous, but what of that? Had we not been made to live forever?

Offline bill440cars

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #87 on: November 27, 2009, 07:30:31 PM »


       Bobby, I am so amazed at the thoroughness that you are displaying in approaching this and all. Almost as if you were trained for it and did it for a living! You  ARE an inspiration. ;)
Member # 1969
PRAYERS ALWAYS FOR: Bre, Jeff & Virginia, Bear, Trevor & Brianna ( Close Friend's Daughter)
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 You CAN Teach An Old Dog New Tricks, Just Takes A Little Bit Longer & A Lot More Patience!! 
             
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Offline BobbyR

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #88 on: November 27, 2009, 08:28:59 PM »


       Bobby, I am so amazed at the thoroughness that you are displaying in approaching this and all. Almost as if you were trained for it and did it for a living! You  ARE an inspiration. ;)

Thanks Bill, I am posting this so that others, or their friends and family that may be faced with this, know their options.

I was trained for this a long time ago. I am at war with an enemy that wants to kill me. I have to know my enemy, his strength and weakness. I have to survey my resources and devise a plan of attack. This is a mission. When it is over the drinks are on me!!!!
Dedicated to Sgt. Howard Bruckner 1950 - 1969. KIA LONG KHANH.

But we were boys, and boys will be boys, and so they will. To us, everything was dangerous, but what of that? Had we not been made to live forever?

Offline Hush

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #89 on: November 27, 2009, 10:54:16 PM »
Certainly thorough BobbyR, we don't get all those choices here in New Zealand and specialists are booked up months in advance.
I think the thing I most like about motorcycling is the speed at which my brain must process information at to avoid the numb skulls who are eating pies, playing the ukulele, applying make-up etc in the comfort of their airconditioned armchairs as they make random attempts to kill me!!!!!!!

Offline BobbyR

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #90 on: November 28, 2009, 07:44:09 AM »
Certainly thorough BobbyR, we don't get all those choices here in New Zealand and specialists are booked up months in advance.

I am fortunate, most people don't have the choices. I live in the NY metro and like most major cities we have a large number of specialists and major medical centers. I also pay through the nose for private insurance every month, and I am lucky many good people accept that Company, some do not. From my research, the exact same treatments and machines are available in NZ. I think Ed has me on ignore so we will not get into that.

The treatment at this stage come down to surgery and radiation. One surgery is the old tried and true open procedure. There are two bundles of nerves that run on either side of the gland. These nerves control the bladder and erections. If the surgeon is skilled and they can, they will dissect them out and move those out of the way. They will be traumatized so they need to heal and in some cases they do not.

There is a robotic machine which claims to be better, but the jury is out on that, they need several hundred procedures under their belt to get really good at it. The robot arms are very precise, but the surgeon cannot feel and they have been trained to work by feel.

Radiation has the same cure rate outcomes and the nerves can be spared, but if they are damaged the effect will show up a couple of years later, so it is a waiting game with that.

No matter which way you go, your life will be different, not really diminished if you are lucky, just different.
Dedicated to Sgt. Howard Bruckner 1950 - 1969. KIA LONG KHANH.

But we were boys, and boys will be boys, and so they will. To us, everything was dangerous, but what of that? Had we not been made to live forever?

Offline Hush

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #91 on: November 29, 2009, 03:00:29 PM »
Hey Bobby, just had a digital check by my new (pretty female) doctor, she said nothing going on there, nice and small, but I'm real glad I got it checked as it's been about 10 years since my last one.
OK the rest of you, if I can do it you can too........... ;D :D
I think the thing I most like about motorcycling is the speed at which my brain must process information at to avoid the numb skulls who are eating pies, playing the ukulele, applying make-up etc in the comfort of their airconditioned armchairs as they make random attempts to kill me!!!!!!!

Offline BobbyR

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #92 on: November 29, 2009, 04:19:55 PM »
Glad to hear that, and I am glad it came out negative. At least you had a pretty Doc.  ;D,
Dedicated to Sgt. Howard Bruckner 1950 - 1969. KIA LONG KHANH.

But we were boys, and boys will be boys, and so they will. To us, everything was dangerous, but what of that? Had we not been made to live forever?

Offline Hush

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #93 on: November 29, 2009, 06:22:46 PM »
Strangely enough I can still feel that phantom finger! :o
A bit disconcerting when riding around on my 650! ;D
I think the thing I most like about motorcycling is the speed at which my brain must process information at to avoid the numb skulls who are eating pies, playing the ukulele, applying make-up etc in the comfort of their airconditioned armchairs as they make random attempts to kill me!!!!!!!

Offline BobbyR

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #94 on: November 30, 2009, 06:37:35 AM »
Strangely enough I can still feel that phantom finger! :o
A bit disconcerting when riding around on my 650! ;D
Well up until now you were a Virgin and Virgins always remember their first time. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Dedicated to Sgt. Howard Bruckner 1950 - 1969. KIA LONG KHANH.

But we were boys, and boys will be boys, and so they will. To us, everything was dangerous, but what of that? Had we not been made to live forever?

Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #95 on: November 30, 2009, 03:15:21 PM »
Strangely enough I can still feel that phantom finger! :o
A bit disconcerting when riding around on my 650! ;D
Well up until now you were a Virgin and Virgins always remember their first time. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
;D ;D ;D ;D :o EEEEUUUUUWWWWWWW

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Offline BobbyR

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #96 on: November 30, 2009, 06:25:31 PM »
 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Dedicated to Sgt. Howard Bruckner 1950 - 1969. KIA LONG KHANH.

But we were boys, and boys will be boys, and so they will. To us, everything was dangerous, but what of that? Had we not been made to live forever?

Offline Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #97 on: November 30, 2009, 09:03:52 PM »
she said nothing going on there, nice and small,

Damn, a female that tells the truth..................  What's the world coming to  ;D
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Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #98 on: November 30, 2009, 09:49:18 PM »
Other side Jerry...... ;D

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Offline Hush

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Re: I Have Prostate Cancer
« Reply #99 on: November 30, 2009, 10:28:00 PM »
Ha ha bloody ha  ;D
I'm keeping her as my doctor, she has small warm hands. :D
I think the thing I most like about motorcycling is the speed at which my brain must process information at to avoid the numb skulls who are eating pies, playing the ukulele, applying make-up etc in the comfort of their airconditioned armchairs as they make random attempts to kill me!!!!!!!