My second PSA test is tomorrow…

bdhilton
bdhilton Member Posts: 846 Member
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
I am sure many of in the days leading up to our PSA test our thoughts flow like a river….We all have a tale to tell and some of us are better or worse off than others but in the end we all share a common disease and a common goal and that is to keep the beast at bay.

I have been dealing with the knowledge of the beast since November 09 and tomorrow it will be 15 weeks since surgery and my second PSA test (the first one ZERO!!!!)…In my pathology report (only guys with surgery get) the not so good elements of the report are:

Gleason Score
Primary + Secondary: 4+3=7
Tertiary: Pattern 5

Location Main Tumor: Prostatic Base
Location Additional Tumor Nodules: Left Apex, Right Apex, Right Mid, Left Mid, and Left Base

Extraprostatic Extension
Established (Extensive): Present and Extensive

Margins
Positive, right mid Prostate

Seminal Vesicles: Positive for Carcinoma
Location, If Involved: Right Seminal Vesicles

Perineural Invasion: Present

Tumor Volume Approximately 18%
Tumor (T): pT3b


And I got a ZERO on my first PSA test about 11 weeks ago. Will I get one on the PSA test I get tomorrow? I could be one of the lucky ones from a statistical standpoint and just die of old age or based on probabilities of percentage in my statistics everything will go wrong…My point here we have no control and like Alfred E. Newman "What me worry?"

The first thing my Oncologist told me with my pathology report was to “start living”….For sure you need to appreciate life each day and for me this have been a struggle some days as I have been out of work for 2 years (2 year anniversary was June 9th), lost $millions in the stock market crash and since I have been diagnosed with cancer 7+ months ago I am always 30 days from losing every material thing I have….yet each day I thank G*d for my many blessings and life that day…

It is truly funny or interesting what becomes important in life…hey a job and my $$ back would be great but for whatever reasons I just keep getting hit over the head with a “baseball bat”…My spiritual adviser (my priest) tells me I died many months ago and became someone else for the better…Hey you know, sunrises and sunsets look different, my flowers in the garden smell different, I have more patience with some and far less with others….Yes life has changed…Like Sonny says "everyday is a bonus"....

Best to all in your journey

Comments

  • mrspjd
    mrspjd Member Posts: 694 Member
    BD, if luck has anything to
    BD, if luck has anything to do with it, wishing you all the luck possible for the big "0". Thanks for sharing your candid thoughts--you've got a great perspective. One month after starting triple ADT, pjd has his doctors appt this Thursday, and more blood tests for PSA, etc., and to determine when to start IMRT/IGRT. So far, no significant side effects from the ADT...still playing golf, exercising, etc...and like you and everyone else here, hoping/praying our treatment choices will have the desired outcome--one big dead beast!
    Best,
    mrs pjd
  • randy_in_indy
    randy_in_indy Member Posts: 496 Member
    Here's to that bat being nowhere in sight tomorrow!
    You had one of the best open's possible probably in the WORLD so I would think since your first test was 0 ZERO this one will be to. I will pray that it is for you BD.

    We all will be waiting for that great report.

    Randy in Indy
  • lewvino
    lewvino Member Posts: 1,010
    BD I know the PSA anxiety
    BD I know the PSA anxiety blues and have been singing them myself this week. Actualy went this morning and had the test done. Now it is wait for the results.. This was my third post surgery draw so hoping for another 0 for you and me and all the others on the forum.

    Out of curiosity what state do you live in? I'm sure you have mentioned before.

    Larry
  • bdhilton
    bdhilton Member Posts: 846 Member
    All…thanks for the good
    All…thanks for the good wishes they always mean a lot…

    Larry,

    I live a little north of Atlanta in an area called East Cobb along the Chattahoochee River and I believe you live around Chattanooga, TN (a beautiful city) about 1.5 hours where my house sits in Atlanta…but most of my summer is spent at Pawley’s Island in South Carolina (a month a time this summer :-))…

    Best to all….
  • lewvino
    lewvino Member Posts: 1,010
    bdhilton said:

    All…thanks for the good
    All…thanks for the good wishes they always mean a lot…

    Larry,

    I live a little north of Atlanta in an area called East Cobb along the Chattahoochee River and I believe you live around Chattanooga, TN (a beautiful city) about 1.5 hours where my house sits in Atlanta…but most of my summer is spent at Pawley’s Island in South Carolina (a month a time this summer :-))…

    Best to all….

    Ah yes, your memory is
    Ah yes, your memory is better then mine! I work in Chattanooga and live up near Cleveland Tn. Hope the ocean breezes are cooler then this hot weather we have been having!

    Larry
  • aguylikeyou
    aguylikeyou Member Posts: 10
    I wish you the best for a
    I wish you the best for a big ZERO.
  • JR1949
    JR1949 Member Posts: 230
    bdhilton said:

    All…thanks for the good
    All…thanks for the good wishes they always mean a lot…

    Larry,

    I live a little north of Atlanta in an area called East Cobb along the Chattahoochee River and I believe you live around Chattanooga, TN (a beautiful city) about 1.5 hours where my house sits in Atlanta…but most of my summer is spent at Pawley’s Island in South Carolina (a month a time this summer :-))…

    Best to all….

    Good Wishes for a 0
    I am sending you good wishes for a zero my friend. I have had three zeroes (PSA .008)since RP March 2009. I wish you the same.

    JR
  • BRONX52
    BRONX52 Member Posts: 156
    bdhilton said:

    All…thanks for the good
    All…thanks for the good wishes they always mean a lot…

    Larry,

    I live a little north of Atlanta in an area called East Cobb along the Chattahoochee River and I believe you live around Chattanooga, TN (a beautiful city) about 1.5 hours where my house sits in Atlanta…but most of my summer is spent at Pawley’s Island in South Carolina (a month a time this summer :-))…

    Best to all….

    BD
    GOOD LUCK AND THANKS FOR SHARING. I SEEM TO BE TRAVELING A SIMILAR COURSE AS YOU. I'M 16 WEEKS POST SURGERY. PATHOLOGY FINGINGS OF POSITIVE MARGINS, EXTRAPROSTATIC EXTENSION, PERENEURAL INVASION, STAGE T3A. AT 6 WEEKS POST SURGERY I HAD AN UNDETECTABLE PSA READING AND ANOTHER IS DUE IN AUGUST. I THINK THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT I HAD IMRT 8 WEEKKS AFTER SURGERY AND JUST FINISHED UP IN EARLY JUNE. I'LL SEND YOU A LITTLE ALOHA SPIRIT FROM HERE IN HAWAII AND WISH FOR AN UNDETECTABLE PSA.!!! TAKE CARE AND HANG IN THERE----DAN
  • 142
    142 Member Posts: 169
    PSA
    My best wishes for a big zero!