Hi Lukkiirish!

The surgeon is getting hold of our local hospital. He's leaving it up to the doctors here to decide if they want to do a bone scan and CT scan prior to make sure the cancer (if there is any) hasn't spread. If not, he'd like them to do radiation on his prostate area.

Hubby had the surgery robotically-assisted. The robot is called DaVinci and it's affectionately known as "Leo". The surgeon said that cancer cells are microscopic and they might have developed even after the surgery, and are just now showing up.

We're still waiting to hear when the appointment will be. We'll probably hear sometime next week.

Thanks for asking.

Wow, robotic surgery, now THAT is cool. Amazing to see how far medicine has come isn't it? Surgeons will say they got it all, but as I learned with my mother's surgery, there is always some residual. I guess that's why radiation is often a secondary part of the treatment. I can't believe you have to wait like that for appointments, I would go nuts, but I also keep forgetting you are under a completely different system than we are.

I had robotic surgery, no problem and fast recovery. I was walking the same day or the next.

Then you'd be really surprised to hear robots could actually be better diagnosing diseases too! At least, that's what research is finding out. Far future in using them. It's coming.

Waiting is the hardest part, isn't it? I'm glad your dh seems to have good care and interested doctors. I do hope they will do a scan, just to be sure it, if there's anything, is localized. Will keep you both in my prayers.

I saw that article on 60 minutes rob!. what an amazing thing, slightly scary too but all the same, amazing.

Lukkiirish, we got a call over the weekend to go to the hospital this morning for the consult. We'll be doing radiation, M-F for 6 1/2 weeks.

On Thursday he goes in for a "planning session" he gets a huge imaging machine to scan him, and he'll get a tattoo dot where the radiation is going to be. The doctor feels that it's localized in his prostate area.

Hey, did you know that our bodies don't like 'holes'?? When they remove the prostate and bladder and something else soft (bowel, colon....?) moves to fill in the space. So now they have to radiate an area and stay away from the other tissues.

You know I am sorry your DH has to go through this, but I have to say I find it quite the 'education'!

I sure understand the 'holes' thing. I'm on Day Seven post-op from sigmoid colon resection (and adhesions from prior surgeries). When I sit or stand, I can feel the newly reduced parts 'relocate'.

I wish him the absolute best of luck for his process. Hopefully every cell of it will be eradicated! Stay strong.

Chisue I hope you are doing well after your surgery and will heal up with no problems.

I was wondering how things were also, so glad to see this update.

Im not understanding why they are radiating the area where the prostate *was* (surgically removed)? Do they have evidence that the cancer had spread locally before the surgery? Have tests shown this? Maybe I missed something? The ^PSA shows there are prostate cells somewhere in the body, typically lymph nodes & bones.

i totally understand if you'd rather not go into this, here, Jasdip. I'm just trying to understand, but also recognize I might've missed some info.

Hoping your dh is doing well & everything goes smoothly.

As for the "holes" in bodies - remember? That nature abhors a vacuum?

Good wishes for trouble-free treatment, and good results.

Sending good thoughts and hopes your way ... and offering some prayers.

ole joyful ... who found that the getting shot was simply lying on a bed for a few minutes, no problem ...

... but it was the "hangover" that cramps one's style (as in being "hung over" the toilet well over a dozen times a day)

He goes in for a Planning Session Thursday. It's a scan which will show where the cancer cells are. The doctor thinks that it's localized to the prostate area........perhaps some minute cancer cells were left behind that have now materialized.

Hubby has no blood in his urine, no pain anywhere, no fatigue, no trouble urinating or control of the bladder. Regularity of bowel movements etc. Nothing at all.

Jas, I'm really glad they called you and that a plan has been put into place but did they say that's for sure what's causing the spike in his blood results? I don't want to scare you with my question, but that seems like a pretty substantial amount of radiation. How did they come to that conclusion? How do they know that it is just localized and has not spread? Did he get either the CT or Bone scan?

Thanks, Jasdip. That makes sense, that they will decide after the scan.

Ah...ok. Wasn't sure what the planning session was, I get it now. My fingers are crossed it goes well.

Good luck, Jasdip's hubby!

Sending good wishes for Jasdip's DH and for Chisue.

Thanks for the ongoing good wishes. We just got home from having a CT scan. That was part of his Planning session. He got 3 little dot tattoos so they can zap him in the exact spot each time. They're definitely focusing on the prostate area.

Funny thing, as soon as we got to the waiting area, hubby went for a pee. As soon as we got in to see the nurse, she said that his bladder has to be full for the CT scan. They want to bladder full and out of the way for the scan and radiation. So he had to drink a large glass of water and wait for 20 minutes so that he fills his bladder again.

So now we wait and see when radiation actually starts. According to the little nurse it'll probably be about 3 weeks.