Davinci tomorrow

johndeer
johndeer Member Posts: 17
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
I go in to the City of Hope early tomorrow morning to have the bilateral nerve sparing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy with the Davinci robot(the entire name!). Dr Kawachi will be at the controls for the important parts. I am putting my full trust and confidence in God first and then the facility and their reputation. I am at peace and confident that the outcome will be as good as it could be, based on my condition. Your thoughts and prayers of support are very much appreciated.
Rick

55 years of age, PSA 2.0, Gleason 3+3, diagnosed in October, due to retire in March '09 from the LA County Fire Dept.

Comments

  • whubbs
    whubbs Member Posts: 77
    #2
    DaVinci today
    Good luck to you!
    By the time you read this you'll be recuperating at home.
    Be sure to let us all know how you are.
  • Green Lantern
    Green Lantern Member Posts: 11
    #3
    Best of luck
    All the best. Let us know how it went.

    Green Lantern
  • johndeer
    johndeer Member Posts: 17
    #4
    Green Lantern said:

    Best of luck
    All the best. Let us know how it went.

    Green Lantern

    I am "home" since Friday. I am amazed at the lack of pain. I am taking the vicodin just to prevent the pain. I took about a 25 minute walk yesterday, hoping for a BM today. The simple things. The cathater and I are getting along OK. I'm thinking that these would be great for long drives. Then you only have to stop when you need fuel. The doc reported to my wife that all went well. that's all I know so far. We have our follow up Wednesday, with pathology report and all. City of Hope is a grade A, top flight, great hospital. I can heartily recommend it to anybody. This is in Duarte, CA, and my surgeon was Dr Kawachi. Thanks for all your support,and not just for me. You guys give so much real info and support to so many by posting on this site, it is appreciated.
    Rick
  • thegriz
    thegriz Member Posts: 23
    #5
    It's All Uphill Now.
    Glad to hear the surgery went well. Had mine in Oct 2007 (I also had a low PSA) and are doing well. No pads after about 6 months / very occasional drip -- alcohol intake affects this! Viagra used sometimes, but not always. Life is good.
  • Olee
    Olee Member Posts: 97
    #6
    Welcome Home
    Welcome home, glad to hear you're doing ok. I wish you well and by all means please keep us updated on your condition.
  • johndeer
    johndeer Member Posts: 17
    #7
    johndeer said:

    I am "home" since Friday. I am amazed at the lack of pain. I am taking the vicodin just to prevent the pain. I took about a 25 minute walk yesterday, hoping for a BM today. The simple things. The cathater and I are getting along OK. I'm thinking that these would be great for long drives. Then you only have to stop when you need fuel. The doc reported to my wife that all went well. that's all I know so far. We have our follow up Wednesday, with pathology report and all. City of Hope is a grade A, top flight, great hospital. I can heartily recommend it to anybody. This is in Duarte, CA, and my surgeon was Dr Kawachi. Thanks for all your support,and not just for me. You guys give so much real info and support to so many by posting on this site, it is appreciated.
    Rick

    City of hope follow up yesterday
    Thank the Lord for the meeting and the news we had yesterday! My cancer turned out to be a T2cNXMX, ORGAN CONFINED, with NO capsule penetration. It was raised to Gleason 3+4 with 10% involvement of the prostate.
    A load has been lifted off me and my family, too. Of course it's early to tell, but I am so far happy with my level of continence, I'm dripping only when I stress the bladder. We'll start daily viagra today (for therapy of course). We'll see how my insurance pays or doesn't on that. Now we just watch the PSA for signs of life, starting in 1 month.
    I can't say enough good things about Dr Kawachi and all the staff at The City of Hope of Duarte, CA. This place is worth traveling to.
    I appreciate all you guys that have blogged on this site for your support. Best wishes for long, healthy lives to all of you.
    Rick
  • whubbs
    whubbs Member Posts: 77
    #8
    johndeer said:

    City of hope follow up yesterday
    Thank the Lord for the meeting and the news we had yesterday! My cancer turned out to be a T2cNXMX, ORGAN CONFINED, with NO capsule penetration. It was raised to Gleason 3+4 with 10% involvement of the prostate.
    A load has been lifted off me and my family, too. Of course it's early to tell, but I am so far happy with my level of continence, I'm dripping only when I stress the bladder. We'll start daily viagra today (for therapy of course). We'll see how my insurance pays or doesn't on that. Now we just watch the PSA for signs of life, starting in 1 month.
    I can't say enough good things about Dr Kawachi and all the staff at The City of Hope of Duarte, CA. This place is worth traveling to.
    I appreciate all you guys that have blogged on this site for your support. Best wishes for long, healthy lives to all of you.
    Rick

    Great news
    Awesome news! Glad to hear of things are going well for you too.
    Best of luck!
  • johndeer
    johndeer Member Posts: 17
    #9
    First PSA post op
    Hi all,

    I went back to City of Hope yesterday to hear the results of my 1st PSA since the Davinci on 2/5/09... It was as good as I could hope for, an undetectable PSA score!!! The cancer was confined in the prostate, and turned out to be a 3+4, not a 3+3 Gleason. It was a great feeling. I thank God for this and all the other great things that have come about since my diagnosis. I quit wearing pads about 5 days ago, not that I am absolutely dry, but that the leakage is very minimal and getting more and more manageable. I am getting some inklings of erectile activity in the sense of morning rising. My wife and I have been reluctant to put pressure on me to perform. I am taking viagra daily to increase blood flow and may choose to use a pump soon. The pills are out of pocket, $220/month. Too bad insurance companies don't understand. In hindsight, I am happy I chose Davinci at city of Hope by Dr. Kawachi.
    Thanks for your support
    ps. I'm retired from the fire dept in 11 days. God is good
  • ismetals
    ismetals Member Posts: 69
    #10
    johndeer said:

    First PSA post op
    Hi all,

    I went back to City of Hope yesterday to hear the results of my 1st PSA since the Davinci on 2/5/09... It was as good as I could hope for, an undetectable PSA score!!! The cancer was confined in the prostate, and turned out to be a 3+4, not a 3+3 Gleason. It was a great feeling. I thank God for this and all the other great things that have come about since my diagnosis. I quit wearing pads about 5 days ago, not that I am absolutely dry, but that the leakage is very minimal and getting more and more manageable. I am getting some inklings of erectile activity in the sense of morning rising. My wife and I have been reluctant to put pressure on me to perform. I am taking viagra daily to increase blood flow and may choose to use a pump soon. The pills are out of pocket, $220/month. Too bad insurance companies don't understand. In hindsight, I am happy I chose Davinci at city of Hope by Dr. Kawachi.
    Thanks for your support
    ps. I'm retired from the fire dept in 11 days. God is good

    Good to hear about your
    Good to hear about your progress John. I am six months post op and feel great. Control has been realy good. I'm 60 and still a volunteer firefighter. I think that keeping active is the most important therapy there is. Alchohol in any form with quantity can and does create problems. Solutions to a problem like that are obvious. Ed? things are still improving. I do have a pump and it does work. There is something to be said about sponteniety though. The mechanics of the thing are quite unbearable. Viagra is working, though not completely yet. I have all the hope in the world for it and will not give up. I am now at better than 50% and going for more. Good luck and don't ever give up.
  • RRMCJIM
    RRMCJIM Member Posts: 149
    #11
    ismetals said:

    Good to hear about your
    Good to hear about your progress John. I am six months post op and feel great. Control has been realy good. I'm 60 and still a volunteer firefighter. I think that keeping active is the most important therapy there is. Alchohol in any form with quantity can and does create problems. Solutions to a problem like that are obvious. Ed? things are still improving. I do have a pump and it does work. There is something to be said about sponteniety though. The mechanics of the thing are quite unbearable. Viagra is working, though not completely yet. I have all the hope in the world for it and will not give up. I am now at better than 50% and going for more. Good luck and don't ever give up.

    glad to hear
    Glad that everything is going so well. I have another meeting April 2nd with my surgeon. I believe I also will be meeting good ole di vinci. I am encouraged by so many favorable reports by so many on these pages. Continued good news for you and your family.
  • kreinholt
    kreinholt Member Posts: 35
    #12
    RRMCJIM said:

    glad to hear
    Glad that everything is going so well. I have another meeting April 2nd with my surgeon. I believe I also will be meeting good ole di vinci. I am encouraged by so many favorable reports by so many on these pages. Continued good news for you and your family.

    Di Vinci Procedure
    RRMCJIM, I know that you are struggling with the procedure that you will opt for, or maybe not struggling as much anymore. I had the Di Vinci on 5 March. The recovery from the surgery was a piece of cake. Very quick and less risk of damage compared to other types of entry. You will be up and about in no time. Please keep everyone informed on your progress through this.
  • RRMCJIM
    RRMCJIM Member Posts: 149
    #13
    kreinholt said:

    Di Vinci Procedure
    RRMCJIM, I know that you are struggling with the procedure that you will opt for, or maybe not struggling as much anymore. I had the Di Vinci on 5 March. The recovery from the surgery was a piece of cake. Very quick and less risk of damage compared to other types of entry. You will be up and about in no time. Please keep everyone informed on your progress through this.

    thanks kreinholt
    Thank you everybody. I have made the decision to remove the cancer via di vinci. All my Dr's have told me it is the gold standard of treatment. And it is the only way, at my age, to know if it is gone. That, for me, is what I need, my family needs, and my stress level needs...lol But for now I am off to Hawaii for a week or maybe two. Goodbye stress, hello ocean. Work will be here when I get back.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #14
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

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