| Author | Message | ||
     Jerseyguy |
After watching my PSA rise over the last 8 years to about 7 and having 3 biopsies they finally found prostate cancer. It's extremely small and 98% curable. I studied all the treatment possibilities and on the 16th of this month I'm having it removed in Manhattan at Mt. Sinai. The procedure is done laparoscopically using a robot guided by the surgeon. The doc I picked is a superstar in this field and has done over 1300 of these. I'm in and out of the hospital in 1 day and a recoup period for most issues is about 2 weeks. At this point I just want to get 'er done and move on. One thing's for sure - I won't be missing my track days this summer especially the Buell sponsored one in October here in Jersey. I may have to take it easy on the KTM dirt bike for a couple of months. We'll see. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Good luck with it Steve. From what I've read we'll ALL get it if we live long enough, it's just that if it occurs late enough in your life it's not worth messing with. I kind of hoping that lycopene in my daily multi-vitamin really works to curb it. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Jerseyguy, The good thing is that you have been monitoring it and caught it WAY early. It's the most curable form if caught early and one of the deadliest if not. I've had three friends go through the same surgery. All have recovered fully. Good luck. Heal quick! | ||
| Ulywife |
Our prayers are with you Steve. I hope all goes well. Keep us posted. | ||
| Court |
Steve: We're cheering for you. If you need to be picked up and hauled into Manhattan or need anything while you are here, let me know. Court | ||
| Old_man |
One of my good friends had the operation last year. He is doing fine. I know you'll do the same, you have the right attitude. I'll keep you in my prayers for a quick recovery. | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
God Speed....Good luck! | ||
| Xl1200r |
Good luck and good attitude - hope all goes well. | ||
| Fasted |
anyone out there with a prayer list needs to add jerseyguy. i believe in the power of series prayer. just like hooking up a bunch of batteries in series to boost voltage..... | ||
| Dbird29 |
Man Jerseyguy! You are really into the mods. Good luck! | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Thanks guys, I really appreciate your support! On the lighter side - impotence is a possibility if the surgeon slips (he says he won't) and several of my riding buddies have already asked me for the Viagra if I don't need it. I told 'em if I can't get it up there's gonna be alot more wheelies and aggressive riding 'cause I'll be over compensating for the loss! Dbird - Yeah - I'm going for freer flow and reduced weight! | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Hope everything works out well for you Steve. | ||
| Bcordb3 |
Bona fortuna, catching that thing early is the key, you will be fine. My family and I will be prayer for you. Just read your profile, isn't trying to average 24 miles an hour a real rush riding enduros? When living in New England I rode a lot of local stuff, Penton 125 and a Honda XL250, back in the 60's and early 70's, lots of fun. Again, good luck on your recovery. Take your time getting back on the bike. (Message edited by BCordb3 on April 04, 2008) | ||
| Freezerburn |
Your excellent attitude will see you through this successfully. All of us should learn from your proactive approach. Think there's probably a lot of boys here that should go for a check-up. Thank you and best wishes. | ||
| Blake |
Very good news that you caught it so early. Here's wishing you a quick and painless recovery and that the nurse prepping you for surgery is easily impressed and has warm soft hands. Did you have any symptoms at all? (Message edited by blake on April 04, 2008) | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Funny, you'd think that I'd be worried about the pain, or a bad outcome or even missing work. But the thing that pisses me off the most is not being able to ride with my buddies and thrashing my new KTM 300XCW for a month or two. Just a thought on the US healthcare system. We all like to piss and moan about our system and how broken it is and how we want to "fix" it. Well, I got diagnosed with something pretty bad, and within 4 weeks it's going to be taken care of by one of the best oncologist/surgeons on the planet in one of the best hospitals on the planet using the most advanced technique available (google divinci robot). The insurance company balked a bit at superstar prices but then gave in. I hope the government doesn't "fix" it too good..... | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Blake - No real symptoms at all. Maybe reduced flow which is kind of normal for a 58 year old. The red flag was when my PSA started going up. All men over 50 should get a yearly physical with blood work. It saved my ass. | ||
| Court |
>>> thrashing my new KTM 300XCW for a month or two. If it gets unbearable . . . let me know, I'll come thrash it and you can sit and watch. . . yeah, that'll help.  One thing about New York City is that you have access to some of the best medical services in the world. One of the few "luxuries" I afforded myself when I moved here 10 years ago was finding the best Dentist and Doctor I could and going every year. Back when I was at the Advanced Management Program in Dallas in November 1988 I did the 3 days at the Ken Cooper Clinic. They essentially tear you apart, beat you up and look at everything. The "new" thing, and I'm getting ready to go, is the Princeton Longenvity Center. The scary thing is that they currently have the ability to tell you "you're going to be afflicted with xxxx in about 24 years". The question becomes "do you want to know?". Medical science has made fascinating advances. I'll give you a call this afternoon to get up to date and see if there's anything Vick and I can be doing to help . . . think we'd shake them up if I delivered you on the back of a "Buell" and told'em "I'll wait". | ||
| Nevrenuf |
since attitude is half the battle then your already on the road to recovery and getting it checked on a regular basis helped in the discovery of it. hope everything goes fine and let us know when your out. i'm sure you'll have a lot of time to get on the internet during your recovery. good luck and god speed. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
divinci robot Haa, haa! You're gonna have a robot in your butt! (I know, I know it's a front incision.) Honestly, that thing is cool as hell! I've seen one of them in action. I find it funny that the surgeon has to stick his head into a giant gray butt to do the procedure. Kharmic irony.  You're doctors will do great, and you will recover quickly. You'll be riding again very soon! | ||
| Jerseyguy |
That device is pretty cool. You know, the (4) holes they cut in you are so small that they don't even use stitches to close them. It's a vast difference from splitting you wide open. Plus the images he sees are greatly magnified and the robot's "hands" are steadier. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Yeah, you don't want a doctor sneezing while they are at the controls, though. Saw that happen with a backhoe operator once. It wasn't pretty.  | ||
| Court |
Steve: See. . . and I realize that this is a long shot . . . if we can keep the robot when they are done. I have an idea that might be fun at Homecoming . . . we can sell chances to watch Blake (he's an engineer, no reason he couldn't do it) perform a frontal lobotomy on a selected badwebber. | ||
| Slaughter |
thanks for posting up here. So many of us DON'T get checked. I have some of the usual complaints and we're monitoring it all on my annual physical. I get to see "Doctor Finger" again in 3 weeks. Sure am glad that it sounds like you nailed yours early enough. | ||
| Firebolt32 |
Jersey...I hope all is well. Keep a good eye on yourself man. I just lost my grandfather to cancer. It wasn't caught quick enough and it spread everywhere. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
get well steve. hope the new robots are more gentle than the early prototypes.  | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Nice! | ||
| Pwnzor |
My dad had some pretty advanced prostate cancer back in 1995, they cut it out, his PSA remained low and stable after that. "One for the books", they said, and praise God we had him with us another 8 years before he died of a totally unrelated illness. Success rates with the removal of this type of cancer are very, very high. I'm sure your procedure will go well. | ||
| Ironhead1977 |
Steve, Good luck with the procedure. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Good job with early screening and routine testing. Attitude and good friends always helps to make it through. Warn notice for all of us, if'n you are 35 & Over get your PSA test done annually. It maybe awkward and embarassing but it certainly beats the alternative of finding out too late. | ||
| Swampy |
Consider yourself very fortunate that it was caught so early! Sounds like you have the right doctor at the controls. Take it really easy during your recovery untill you feel more than better. | ||
| 1st47 |
Isn't modern medicine great! Hope all goes well with your surgery.Healing time will be tough with good riding weather finally here in the northeast but I'm sure it will fly by. | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Thanks for all the good wishes. They help to keep my spirits up. Buell folks are really good people. Court - Based on the cost of the surgery you'd think I'd get to keep the robot. All kidding aside I read it costs millions. In my business I regularly design machines that use SCARA robots and vision systems so I'm very comfortable with the technology. I actually know how it all works. I've even had a hand in designing the machines that make and package sutures as well as other tools used in endoscopic surgery. | ||
| Mr_gto |
My dad just had his prostate removed last month, he will be 63 in May. I know first hand that attitude has a lot to do with your recovery. He is doing great! He is already cutting down trees and mowing grass. Study up on kegel exercises for pre and post surgery. It helps regain control of the ole trouser snake. Getting physically check yearly is important, my dad was fine last year. Had his yearly check up this past fall and doctor did like the feel of things. Turns out to be a rapid growing form of cancer that didnt elevate his PSA that much. |
