My PSA was undetectable (<0.01) at the 18 month mark–still cancer-free!

I’ll have to admit that I’m getting better at being less emotional about these PSA tests. Again, whatever the results are, there’s nothing I can do to control them, I can only control my reaction to them.

On 19 July 2012, the New England Journal of Medicine published another study that yet again increases the confusion about the treatment of prostate cancer:

So things have been pretty normal for the most part since the last update.  Except for one little hiccup.

About 10 days ago I was washing dishes after dinner and the sound of the running water got the better of me and my bladder.  I had this sudden urge to urinate (I probably hadn’t been to the bathroom in 3+ hours, so I knew that my bladder was getting full.)  I made a mad dash for the bathroom and along the way, enough urine leaked out that I had to change my pants and underwear after emptying my bladder in the bathroom.  Not fun and not expected.  Thankfully, I was at home instead of standing next to some water feature in a crowded mall.

Not sure what was up with that, but it wasn’t something to lose sleep over because 98% of the time, I’m dry–even now when I sneeze or cough.

It’s not something that you see everyday, but it’s something that made me smile when I did.

In a world of pink breast cancer awareness ribbons and Susan G. Komen Foundation ads, it’s refreshing to finally see a glimmer of light blue.

I was recently in a Vons supermarket (part of Safeway) and they are promoting prostate cancer awareness for the entire month of June.  The store had blue ribbons hanging over the cash registers; blue reusable grocery bags for sale (for $2.99 but $2.00 from each bag goes to the Prostate Cancer Foundation); a cash donation box; and a prompt on the credit/debit card swipe terminal asking if you would like to contribute to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Apparently the Safeway Foundation has been doing this since 2001 and has raised over $68 million for prostate cancer research.  To be fair, they’ve also done this for breast cancer research and have raised over $108 million in the same period.

It’s both refreshing and encouraging to see a business take such a proactive and highly visible interest in combatting prostate cancer.  You can read more about the Safeway Foundation here:

The Safeway Foundation

Prostate Cancer Foundation – Vons/Safeway Support

While I’m not in the business of endorsing commercial enterprises, I will tell you that, if given the choice between a Vons or Safeway and a Kroger, Ralph’s or Piggly-Wiggly, I’d be inclined to support the Safeway chains.

In last month’s posting, I talked about the new normal for me as it related to my stress incontinence. Not long after posting that, there was a noticeable improvement that seemed to happen almost overnight.

Last month, if I sneezed or coughed, there was almost certainly going to be a leak after either. But about 2 weeks ago, if I sneezed or coughed there was very little leaking, if anything. That’s been a pleasant surprise.

If I sense a sneeze or cough coming on, I will try to tighten my pelvic floor muscles in advance, and that helps, I’m sure. But there are still times where I’ll spring a leak, but when I do, the volume seems to be smaller now. So I consider this to be progress (I always was a late bloomer!).

Sexual function is still an issue, although it, too, is slowly improving without the aid of Cialis. Considering that I have only one nerve bundle remaining, that’s a very positive sign. I’ll continue to be patient and at some point may try the Cialis again.

Finally, best wishes to a reader of this blog as he undergoes his radical prostatectomy today.

Well, not much has happened in the last month or so.  With an earlier spring than usual, I’ve been quite busy around the house, and all of that activity sent me back to wearing pads for a while.  If I know that I’m going to be doing a lot of lifting, bending, or squatting, I just resign myself to the fact that I’m going to spring a leak or two, so the pads go back in the underwear.  Not the ideal situation, but it beats the alternative.

As far as sexual function is concerned, there’s been some slight improvement (or perhaps wishful thinking on my part), but still have a long way to go.  I’ve thought of trying the Cialis again to see what happens, but that gets a bit pricey–about $140 a month.

So that’s about it for this update.

Okay, so I’m a day late posting this.  Sundays are supposed to be days of rest, right?  (That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.)

It’s been a good month except for a little head cold that brought enough sneezing and coughing that sent me back to wearing pads for a couple of days just because of the equal and opposite reaction down below.

I think that I had a light bulb moment during the cold: This is my new reality, and I shouldn’t be frustrated by having to wear pads on occasion.  (In last month’s post, I was still fighting the idea of having to do that.  This month, I’ve come to terms with it.)

I continue to try and educate when an opportunity presents itself without being overtly aggressive about it.  If awareness is enough to cause another man to get checked out, then it’s worth it. 

So that’s about it for now.  The warm weather got me cleaning out the garage this weekend… It was more fun than one would think…

Okay, so it’s mid-February and I’ve gotten an early jump on some serious spring cleaning.  But being so active has highlighted the fact that the stress incontinence persists. 

Bending, twisting, lifting, stooping, climbing, all can bring a little “surprise.”  And, as usual, some days seem to be better than others.  If I’m going to be really active for an extended period, I find that I will revert to using the pads again.  Not something that I’m thrilled about, but a necessity.

When I was at the surgeon’s last month, we talked about this and he said that at a year out, there’s not going to be much more improvement.  In other words, this may be as good as it gets.

Disappointing?  Certainly.  Of course, I’d love to be 100% dry, but I guess that just isn’t in the cards.  So I’ll adapt and learn to live with what I have.  And, again, it’s more of a nuisance than anything and something that I can tolerate given the alternative.

“PSA undetectable.”  Music to my ears!!

That was the result of my one-year post surgery PSA test, letting me know that I remain cancer-free.  Needless to say that made my day.

This time I didn’t get nearly as worked up emotionally waiting for the result.  That doesn’t mean that I didn’t think about it all week long; I simply didn’t wig out like I did for the six month test back in August.  I guess experience is a good teacher.  Besides, the results will be what they are, and there’s not a thing that I can do to change them.  I can only learn how to adapt to them.

So for all your continued thoughts and prayers, thanks!  They’ve been working.

Happy New Year!  Hopefully, this year will be a bit better than last.

The holidays were generally good for me with the exception of catching a stomach bug that was going around.  Let’s just say that stress incontinence was the least of my worries for about 30 hours beginning at 6:00 AM on Monday, 26 December.  At least mine waited to kick in.  My sister and brother-in-law suffered through it beginning Christmas Eve, and my nephew’s step son fell victim to the bug on Christmas day.

Later this week I get my blood drawn for my one-year PSA test.  I’ll get the results on 19 January, so keep your fingers crossed.  I hope that I won’t get as worked up about this round of tests as I did for the six month test back in August.  I’m sure that I will for a little while.  I mean, really, if the PSA comes back showing something, then that means the cancer is elsewhere–bones or organs–and that will be much more problematic to treat.

I’m beginning to think that I’m about as good as I’m going to get when it comes to the stress incontinence.  I just haven’t noticed any real improvements since the last posting or two.  I’ll talk to the surgeon about it when I get my results. 

It’s not that it’s all that bad…  But it’s enough of a nuisance to frustrate me.  Somedays are nearly perfectly dry; and then there’s the off day where a pad might have been needed.  Unfortunately, I can’t predict how the day will go.  It just happens.

So that’s about it.  Look for a special post next week with the PSA results.