After 7 days in Orlando we returned home the eve of Easter. We were reunited with our loving children and were able to attend Easter Service @ our home church (NorthStar Church, http://www.northstarpc.org/) I've attached a few images to show you how grateful, fortunate and blessed I am. God certainly has given me three of the most incredible gifts that any man deserves.
As we close out Phase 1 (pre-op stage) and head into Phase 2 (recovery stage) I want to thank all those that have been so instrumental through prayer, support and love. We couldn't have made it this far without you. We have had incredible friends, family, surgeons, urologists, pastors, survivors, prayer warriors, house sitters, this list goes on. I also want to thank those of you who have had the courage to share your stories through blogging; Darren Ritch, Michael Vinecki and family, Rabbi Ed Weinsberg, through awareness; Athletes for A Cure (Zagarinos), Prostate Cancer Foundation, and Livestrong. I'm sure I missed many more.
I feel that the blog lost it's way and became a story this past week, understand it was a story, our story. But I want us to get back to the facts dealing with prostate cancer awareness. My intentions will be to keep posting my recovery updates on a weekly basis for those of you interested and searching for some answers. I can tell you ahead of time that this will be based on the struggles of recovery for continence and erectile function (and we may have to be black and white in our blogging.) I promise to do my best in using appropriate and discrete language.
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Thank you again for your sharing. It helps us as we continue down Phase 1 (possibly even pre-phase one since we are still asking questions about our options – Radiation vs surgary. I think that I may start publicly sharing this part of my journey as well to be available for others. For now I would like to add this to your blog via comment and if anyone wants to reach me – my e-mail is mikea44646@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteMy story: I am 44yrs old. Husband and Father of 6 children (21 to 9 yrs in age). PSA history shows steady growth over last 6 years from a low of 5.2 to 7.75 in Nov. 2008. I have NO physical symptoms or indications of a problem and nothing identified in the DRE that accompanied my annual Physical exams. The Biopsy info: (T1C, stage 2 - Gleason score of 3+3=6 and a volume of only 10% of One of the core samples out of twelve biopsy samples taken showing cancer). So I am in the process of exploration of treatment options.
We met with a Radiologist recommending Cyber Knife highly focused treatment for 5 days – promising only 3 weeks or so of the side effects. Unfortunately our Health Insurance doesn’t cover this delivery system of radiation as it is only 10 years in use for other cancers and 4 years being applied to the treatment of Prostate cancer. In two weeks we hope to meet with a Surgeon in Rochester NY who performs Robot assisted Laparoscopic Surgery using the same equipment that you (Brett) had and then we will see an independent Oncologist at Slone Kettering in NYC to get a second opinion on the biopsy results and to get his take on the treatment options.
Some time over the next two weeks I will find a place to continue this sharing. For now I am available by e-mail mikea44646@gmail.com and will follow this and the other blogs I find. Thank you for the opportunity.