After much consultation with several doctors, I've decided the best course of action to ensure a much longer life with the best chance of a total cure for this stupid prostate cancer that has invited itself into my body ... is surgery to remove it on Dec. 14.
Dr. Dasari is the best in the business, so I'm told, at a process called robotic surgery. Instead of slicing me open like the old days, he'll make four small incisions in my lower abdomen and remove the prostate that way. It's very similar to laparoscopic removal of gall bladders etc, which is very common nowadays.
Recovery time is much faster and I'll only have to miss two weeks of work. Since I'm having the surgery on Dec. 14, that means I get two weeks off for Christmas / New Year's! Then I go back five weeks later to test the PSA levels in my blood. Normally, the level should be 0 and that's what we're hoping for in Jan. My level at this point is 19.9. I think when they saw that huge number, the doctors knew I had cancer but didn't tell me until they performed a biopsy and were sure. At present, I'm taking a tiny hormone pill daily to "starve the cancer until surgery." There is usually no follow-up treatment once the prostate is removed. It's unusual to have radiation and more unusual for chemotherapy to be used with prostate cancer. Surgery nearly always "gets it all," as they say. Mine is apparently confined to the right side of my prostate and has not spread outside the gland. A blessing for sure.
The doctor plans to take as much tissue, nerves, etc from around the gland as possible to make sure all the cancer is removed.
After surgery, my life will be quite different and it's going to take some adjustment on my part mentally, physically and emotionally. As they say, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." We'll see. The Bible says "God will not give us more than we can stand." I hope He knows the level of my strength better than I do. Well, of course He does. He's God.
So, I need lots of prayers.
I'll keep you posted.
