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| B. Owen, New York |
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NO ONE HAS TO DIE OF PROSTATE CANCER EVER AGAIN
For years my PSA was low. In January of 2004 it was 3.5. MD Says that we check in one year. In January of 2005 it was 6.55. MD Says get a biopsy.
Feb, 2005: the biopsy is positive and confirms that I have prostate cancer.
The cells are very active (Gleason 8) but very new, and confined to the prostate. Further scans confirmed it was contained ?within the capsule?.
There was really no need to panic, because we did catch it early. How do we do this? By closely watching the PSA!
So, by finding it in time one knows for sure, almost, that he will live!
Ah, but isn?t the devil always in the details? Meaning, what do I do next about getting the proper treatment? The fun begins.
Each of us in this situation in the past had two or three selections available:
seeds, radiation, or major surgery. The latter requiring an 8 inch incision, a long time in the hospital, pain, and being ?out of it? for months. So, many men went to the radiation treatment which killed the cancer cells, but the organ stayed in. This may or may not have led to future problems.
Fortunately, I found the fourth available procedure: a robotic laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. This procedure has only been available for a few years. I got the name of one of the surgeons in the area who do this.
David Samadi, M.D. Assoc. Professor of Urology at Columbia University.
His hospital is Columbia-Presbyterian, where he does all his surgery.
The minute I met Dr. Samadi, I knew that my troubles would soon be over. In addition to his surgical skills, he gives lots of reassuring empathy. Surgery was scheduled for Wednesday, April 13.
I reported to the hospital at 6:30 AM. I went to the receiving desk for surgery, and the lady at the desk could not possibly have been more accommodating. She made filling out the forms very easy, and when I went to the receiving desk for anesthesiologists, that person was just as good. The lady gave me my bracelet and I took a seat.
Very soon a nurse came to take me to my ?cubby? In the entry/recovery room.
There I met my anesthesiologist and the resident anesthesiologist with whom he would work. Dr. Samadi was ready, but suddenly the anesthesiologists discovered that they did not have a chest x-ray for me
Now comes the really good part; this hospital had their portable x-ray unit and it?s operator at my cubby in about ten minutes. The operator took my picture real quick, and within another ten minutes the anesthesiologists cleared the x-ray and surgery could begin. Probably no other hospital would even try to make such an effort!
We walked to the operating room which was a lot nicer than being wheeled in.
I got myself on the table; they covered me, put a mask on my face, and then I was in the recovery room. Of course, this was 3 hours later. All ?prep? work was also done while I was asleep. I walked to my hospital room, rearranged the television arm over my bed and then laid around for a few hours, ate some yogurt, and went to sleep.
When I woke up in the morning, I sat up and waited for an MD; I was discharged and taken home at 10AM. At 2 PM I went to work (just an 8 mile ride in my car alone). I did my usual routine the next several days and then, 5 days later, took a long planned week?s trip to AZ. I should add that I am 74 years old.
I NEVER HAD ANY PAIN!!
On my return from Az, my PSA was 0!
The hospital and Dr. David Samadi are the BEST!
They saved my life with no pain, no strain.
They can do the same for you!
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