[Leica] Off Topic - Prostate

[rickfloyd at comcast.net (Rick Floyd)]

Don:

I've been a member of this group for a long time and often feel like I  
take more than I give.  So, let me try to relate my experiences with  
prostate cancer.  At the age of 50, I started noticing more frequent  
trips to the bathroom.  Nothing screamingly different, but enough in  
the night to get my attention.  When I discussed this with my doctor,  
he felt that PSA testing wasn't reliable enough to depend upon.  He  
couldn't detect anything with a digital exam, so I just let it go.

After a couple of months, the symptoms were not going away.  My trips  
to the bathroom were becoming more frequent.  By chance, a local radio  
station was having a mens screening day with free PSA testing.   
Results from that test showed an elevated PSA level of 7.6.  My father  
was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 67.  I went back to  
my primary physician and demanded further testing.  They repeated the  
PSA which was now at 10.6.

He gave me a referral to University of Michigan to see a urologist.   
The urologist repeated the PSA which had now risen to 10.8  
(statistically, not significant, but sent a panic through me).  The  
urologist then performed the biopsy with 16 sites collected.  The  
results of the 16 samples revealed 15 clear and 1 with cancer.  That  
one had about 20% cancerous cells and showed a Gleason score of 7 (4  
over 3).  The urologist sent me to the UofM urology oncology  
department were I discussed my treatment options.

First I met with a surgeon - what a jerk.  Then I met with a radiation  
oncologist.  I was really torn and decided to seek a second opinion  
from a surgeon.  My wife is on staff at UofM and got me a meeting with  
the head surgeon of the urology oncology department.  I will tell you  
I was really torn.  But, ultimately, I decided on radiation as my  
course of treatment.  UofM uses the Calypso System to ensure accurate  
treatment of the prostate.  You can go here if you would like to read  
more:

http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2007/calypso.htm

I received 42 treatments over the course of 8+ weeks.  The treatments  
were simple - lay on the table, be positioned, and receive the  
treatments as the machine worked its way around the nine positions.   
Each treatment lasted about 55 minutes.  About 36 treatments in, I  
became very weak and didn't think I could make it to the end.  My  
radiation therapist became my cheerleader and helped get me through  
the process.  I am now 54 and my most resent PSA was 0.6.  I am tested  
every 3 months and my levels have been between 0.2 and 0.6 during all  
those tests.

I can remember my frustrating time being wishing someone would just  
tell me the best path to proceed.  I discovered each person must make  
those decisions for themselves.  So, I won't tell you what to do, only  
what worked for me.

I will suggest that you go to the livestrong website (Lance Armstron's  
site) and order the free Survivor Workbook.  If you email me your  
address, I will gladly send you a copy I have.  I found it really  
helpful in organizing my appointments, medication, thoughts, worries,  
and everything that went into my treatment plan.

Don, all in all, it sounds like you are asking the right questions.   
If I can do anything to help, please let me know.  I agree it is  
interesting to see peoples reactions to the news of you having  
cancer.  My sister couldn't talk with me at all until the treatments  
are over - very weird.  I will have to find the photos my son took of  
me for his photography class with my M6 + 50 Summicron.  They are so  
special in meaning to me.  I'll post them and send you the link.

With all my thoughts and prayers,
Rick



--- On Thu, 11/6/08, Don Lawrence <DLawrence@fkp.com> wrote:

> From: Don Lawrence <DLawrence@fkp.com>
> Subject: [Leica] Off Topic - Prostate
> To: lug@leica-users.org
> Date: Thursday, November 6, 2008, 9:26 AM
> Having been reading this list for years and being an
> infrequent poster,
> I feel a bit like part of the extended LUG family.
> Therefore, I feel comfortable and hope no minds me asking
> for advice on
> an important topic totally unrelated to photography.
> I was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.
>
> One of the advantages of living in Houston, is that we have
> MD Anderson
> Cancer Center here. Frequently rated number one or two in
> the USA for
> cancer care, they have been a client of mine for years. I
> was able to
> speak to some friends and got an appointment very quickly.
> They are also
> one of only three sites in the USA with a proton radiation
> therapy
> machine, a form of therapy that uses particles rather than
> photons. This
> is a breakthrough, as it can reduce the risk of collateral
> tissue damage
> during the course of therapy.
>
> I am 53 years old and my father died of prostate cancer
> metastatic
> disease at the age of 70.
> Since there a probably many of you here near my age or
> above, I thought
> some of you might have been through this experience.
> Everyone in my family has advised me, and I have had first
> and second
> professional opinions on all the various treatment options.
> Of course since day one, I have scoured the internet to
> learn more.
> Finding that people are right when they say the internet
> can be a
> torrential downpour of information, mostly unfiltered and
> frequently
> overwhelming.
> Given all this, I feel fairly well versed in all of my
> options.
>
> I am almost convinced to have a radical prostatectomy using
> the DaVinici
> robot, but if any of you have been through this mess of
> treatment
> options you know that each medical professional who
> consults with you is
> totally convinced that their specialty offers a great
> chance of a total
> cure.
> Radiation oncologists are convincingly describing a 90%
> chance of no
> cancer in 5 years and surgeons give about the same odds.
> It boggles the mind and makes it hard to come to a
> decision.
>
> It is interesting to see how some people react when they
> learn you have
> cancer. A few are motherly and are willing to consult and
> share
> thoughts. But mostly people are strangely silent, as if the
> subject is
> taboo and too personal to speak about. Weird!
>
> So if any of you photographers here have been down this
> road, I would
> appreciate any advice or thoughts you are willing to share.
> Contact me by private email.
>
> Thanks
> Don Lawrence
>
>
>
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