My best wishes to your sister and her DH, and especially to your Mom! lol. I hope all goes exactly as they want, and everyone stays healthy. Sally

Greetings Pattico. I'm sorry that you have this extra concern to deal with, these days. I'm sending thanks for the good news about the one cousin-in-law, with some hopes and prayers that the healing may continue well. Also some good hopes and prayers for her sister who is travelling under a black cloud at the moment, that there may be good news there as well and the worry unfounded ... but with such a history, especially when the girls were so young when their Mom was so ill, they must be feeling an extra measure of worry. Sometimes it warms a wounded heart to know that strangers are concerned and sending good wishes, so I hope that you will let the girls know of our concern, if you feel it appropriate. (((((your cousins-in-law ... and their concerned loved ones))))) ole joyful

Prostate cancer most certainly can spread or come back. Even when the prostate is removed, it often comes back in the form of organ or bone cancer. The PSA levels are checked regularly and often even after removal, to see if it has indeed spread to the bladder for instance. Hubby's came back a couple of years later in the form of bone cancer. Of the two, I believe the bone cancer is easier to treat than in the organs. It may not be completely successful, but he's doing several different treatments. The one that he's just finished is monthly injections of radium 223. Chemo is still an option, so far he's avoided that.

I don't know about the no stitches with abdominal surgery but my SIL just had hers done that way. I was surprised too, and in more than one way. I hope this isn't TMI, and of course I'm not sharing her name but with an alarm from her PC with a physical (no symptoms), she was sent to Seattle Cancer Care and after several tests in a rush of a week, was in surgery. They removed ovaries, tubes, a couple of large fibroids then put her uterus back in place (so bladder wouldn't shift) and didn't take that too. No cancer. It was a long vertical incision. No visible stitches, all were internal and then tummy steri stripped. They used some kind of infusion of pain med too before closing her up that was supposed to last about 96 hours and it did. I don't think she took any of the narcotic prescription they sent home with her but was fine with tylenol and advil. She had fatigue, little to no discomfort. It's been 6 weeks and she's doing great.