YANA - YOU ARE NOT ALONE NOW

PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT SITE

BRONZE

Jody Coker lives in Louisiana, U.S.A. He was 49 when he was diagnosed on July 18 2007. His initial PSA was 4.2 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 3+4=7 and he was staged T2a N0 M0. His choice of treatment was De Vinci Prostatectomy. Here is his story.

First off let me say that getting tested IS the First part of this Fight. I am 49 I'll turn 50 in a month and a half. Some years ago for no reason than I thought that it couldn't hurt, I started having a PSA tests run every so often. That sentence should show you to amount of concern that I had for the results coming back positive. Well that changed in early June 2007 when I was told that my PSA had gone to 4.2 ng/ml.

My GP told me that I needed to go have a DRE and set it up for me. I went for the exam. My Doctor was very nice and explained what was going to happen and what he was looking for. After the exam he told me that the right lobe felt firm and he felt that a biopsy was in order. He also had a PSA done. So it was wait another week for the biopsy, and the wait for their results to come back. That was June 18, 2007.

The office was almost empty when they took me back for my appointment. Dr. Palmer came in and I could see it was not news that he like to pass on. 6 of the 12 samples were positive and 6 were negative. The 6 from the right side all had PCa the others were clean. He talked with me for what for me felt like a long time going over the Gleason scores (3 were 3+3=6 and 3 were 3+4=7). The different types of treatment, I had no idea the there would be so many. He was very careful to make sure that I had ample time to make a choice on treatment and that if I had any questions that I should call him.

He set up some other test for me to have done, a Bone scan and a CT scan( yes I have read the they may not show small spots). Anyway I feel that at my age and the fact that I am not good waiting (watchful waiting would I believe be more that I could cope with) I have decided to go with the da Vinci system. I have yet to talk to the Surgeon that will be doing it. That is set up for Aug. 17. I will let you know how it is going.

 

UPDATED

December 2007

 

 

I had surgery on September 12, 2007 - went great. The Pathology reports came back that it was all contained in the gland. No signs of cancer on the out side or in any of the surrounding tissue. The tumor score was a 7 (3+4). I spent three days in the Hospital and about three and a half weeks at home before I went back to work.

Feeling great only a small problem with bladder control (if I sneeze or cough). No erections yet but they say it should come back with time :-) .


Jody's e-mail address is: jodycoker@yahoo.com