Blood .. not funny

Entry 19

November 26th

Having no obvious symptoms of prostate cancer, I've been going about my days as I normally do. Yesterday morning I had a snow walk with Gracie, our border terrier.  In the afternoon, I worked out at the Reh-Fit lifting weights and using the stepper.  Today I'm installing a new overhead fan with my friend, Jim. That has the potential to be funny.

I started this day by giving blood samples to the Unicity Lab near our home. The surgeon had requested a CBC (complete blood count), a PT/INR/Pfib, and an APTT (Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time).  Seems these are typical presurgery tests to get a picture of your health via the contents of your blood and to see how your blood will coagulate.  

Of the many possible different blood tests,  I only needed these three.

Blood, Not Funny [video] :)

Kegel Time

Entry 18

November 23

Do you know what kegel exercises are? Google it, you'll have fun.

Today was another adventure.  I went to a physiotherapy center for a pre-operation assessment of my pelvic floor muscles. The twenty-something physiotherapist was all business, making me more comfortable with the impending procedure. I assured her that I had been goosed so many times recently that I was fine with this, which was true. The pelvic diaphragm exam involved the physiotherapist inserting her fingers into my rectum for ten to fifteen minutes as I flexed my pelvic floor muscles for her to determine the muscle strength. I left there with a stack of brochures and other written instructions to remind me of what to do before and after the prostatectomy.

She also provided me with a list of food/drinks to avoid including some of my favorites.... spicy foods, chocolate, citrus fruits, coffee, alcohol .... as they irritate the bladder.        

Eight glasses of water a day is okay, tho'.

Right now, back at home,  I'm about to stretch out on the floor to do the "kegels", twenty in a set with the first 10 contractions each held for 5 seconds followed by 10 rapid contractions. I have to do 2 sets like this in succession.  Twice more in the day, I have to repeat these forty contractions for a total of 120 a day.

Inspirational Speech

While the 15 minutes of his speech is worth a listen, his account of having cancer starts at 9:04 on the video.

From 13 Most Inspiring YouTube Videos of All-Time http://bit.ly/dvhtVn

Remove my sphincter? What?!? Are you kidding?

Entry 16

November 20

When the supervising nurse called to go over surgical preparation and post-prostatectomy follow-up, she informed me that she had set up an appointment for me with Nova Physiotherapy who specialize in dealing with the pelvic pain & incontinency in people who had their sphincters removed.

My sphincter will be removed ?  ? ? "What, nobody told me that! I didn't agree to that!"

Apparently, I did.  

Turns out we have more than one sphincter.

She was referring to the urethral sphincter muscle that acts to prevent urine leakage from the bladder. Damage to the urethral sphincter is an expected result of the procedure of separating the prostate from beneath the bladder.    Here's a bit more about that at http://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/mens-guide/urinary-incontinence

 

We made the graphic with Wordle

Surgery Date Changed Again

Entry 15

November 17

Shingles aren't a good thing for someone facing an operation.

Thanks to my friend and family doctor, Graham for connecting with the specialists, this time to clarify the options for someone who faces a radical prostatectomy soon and who has developed shingles.

The anesthetists thought that although my chances of being clear of the shingles by the date of the operation (November 25th) were good, they just couldn't be sure and weren't prepared to take the risk. For that I don't blame them one tiny bit. I would have a hard time living with myself if I were in any way connected to compromising the safety of that operating room.
 

As it turns out there is a fellow with a Gleason score of 9 (I'm a 7), so they slotted him into my spot. My operation has shifted to the 9th of December. 

I'm now on valacyclovir, an antiviral treatment for shingles. 

What happens now?

Entry 14

November 15

Something was not right. Unusual skin tenderness and a rash appeared on the 9th. I had shingles once before about six or eight years ago. Is this shingles again? Is this another complication of being immunosuppressed?

I've been reading shingles information . Varicella-zoster ( the virus that causes shingles) sounds like the name of a pasta dish. 

I'm wondering if this will this affect my surgery date, a mere 10 days from now.  Apparently the shingles has made its appearance close to the epidural entry point.

Today, Monday, I called the Prostate Clinic and after answering her questions related to the geographic location of the shingles on my torso, the nurse told me they would likely go ahead with the surgery on the 25th as scheduled. I gather that came from the urologist/surgeon .

She did however want to clear that with the anesthetist and indicated that I might expect a call from that individual. She also said they might want me back for some more blood work this week. When that happens they will be able to better assess this new problem.

Thanks for Your Concern

Entry 13

Written November 9

Notwithstanding this blog that has garnered little attention, we haven't talked to many about the prostate cancer. Below is my e-mail written to those few with whom I shared early on:

Hello,

This is just a quick note to update you on the latest information regarding how I'm planning to move forward in dealing with my prostate cancer. 

It was the considered opinion of the urologists, radiation oncologists and my doctor, that given the state of the cancer in my prostate (the biopsy revealed 12 out of 12 cores containing cancer cells), that I was a candidate for 2 of the variety of treatments available in combating the disease. Those two options are surgery and radiation therapy. After considerable research and consultation with nurses, doctors, friends and individuals who have been through the alternative treatments presented to me, I have opted for the surgery.

The date set for that procedure is Nov 25th at the Health Sciences Center in Winnipeg. The operation itself takes on average, between 3-4 hours and the standard hospital stay is 3-5 days. 

As I think I have mentioned to you, the bone scan and the CT scan which I have undergone both came up negative. For the uninitiated that's a good thing because it would appear the cancer has not migrated outside of the prostate gland into either the bones or the organs. The trick is to get to it before it does.

The odd thing to me about this whole process is that I am exhibiting absolutely no symptoms typically associated with prostate cancer and feel no different than I have for the past year. I almost feel like going back and saying "are you sure you have this diagnosis right". Of course I know they have and I'm quite aware that an illnesses can be present without manifesting itself, but it sure seems odd.

In any event my physical and mental health are just fine and I'm really pleased with the way I have been treated at the Prostate Center in the Cancer Care Manitoba facility. From all that I can learn I have an exceptionally good Urologist/Surgeon and at the finish of my preoperative meeting last week he said the exact right thing. " Well Harry, with any luck we should have you back paddling your canoe this spring."

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for respecting my request that you keep my diagnosis to yourselves until I was ready to go public. It wasn't that I was scared or trying to be secretive but rather I just wanted to have all the data in and the decisions made before going to a wider audience. I'm there now so the publication ban is lifted!! 

Don't be afraid to email or call; be assured that I am no different than I was the last time we spoke, and am fine with what's ahead.

My thanks for your concern and your encouragement. Margaret or I will continue to provide you with updates as events warrant.

[Update] Surgery is now set for Dec. 9, 2010

Date is Set

Entry 12

Written November 3

The date for surgery is set... November 18th.

[Update] Now the date is November 25th.
[Update to the Update] Due to my having shingles, the new date for the radical prostatectomy is Dec 9, 2010.

The following is from my e-mail to Graham, our good friend and my family doctor.

"I was beginning to get a bit antsy because it had been a week since my meeting with the urologist and I still hadn't heard. Turns out they were trying to reach me earlier this week but had my very old, defunct phone number and it just rang. Don't know how they got that. The 18th is earlier than I had been led to believe but he did tell me that he penciled a date in for me when he first saw me in September.

I have to go in this Friday for an Xray, EKG etc. I guess they will let me know what time I have to show up on the 18th. I would imagine bright and early."

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Snap of a Glove [video] - Nova Scotian Dan Hennessey's account of living with Prostate Cancer