Update on my prostate cancer: Finally got the lab report from the needle biopsy and had another appointment with the urologist. Its cancer with 2 large tumors. The Gleason score is 3 3 6 Group 1. Normally a score that low would mean "watch and wait" as it may be slow growing and not much of a risk. However the Doc said due to the large size of the tumors he thinks the biopsy may have missed the worst spots and the Gleason score should actually be higher. So he wants to remove the prostate. The biopsy did state there is no indication the cancer has spread outside the prostate but he wants me to get a bone scan anyways. So have to get that set up and then he will do the surgery. What fun, i can't wait!
Update on my prostate cancer: Finally got the lab report from the needle biopsy and had another appointment with the urologist. Its cancer with 2 large tumors. The Gleason score is 3 3 6 Group 1. Normally a score that low would mean "watch and wait" as it may be slow growing and not much of a risk. However the Doc said due to the large size of the tumors he thinks the biopsy may have missed the worst spots and the Gleason score should actually be higher. So he wants to remove the prostate. The biopsy did state there is no indication the cancer has spread outside the prostate but he wants me to get a bone scan anyways. So have to get that set up and then he will do the surgery. What fun, i can't wait!
The Health Care System seems to be pretty good here and is rated significantly better than in the US. Its also much cheaper. Here on the island there is a new state of the art private hospital that I have been going to. I have to pay out of pocket here. It would be free at the state hospital in Ponta Delgada but I hate that place. Private health insurance here is very expensive if you are an old fart. I was quoted 450 euro/month. If you are around 50 its on;y about 150/month.
I am waiting for the estimate for the surgery, If its to much I will go to the state hospital. That hospital is the only state hospital for all 9 islands so its always packed I was there 2 days just to get a shoulder x-ray.
450 a month sounds like a bargain for private insurance (by US rates).
Last thing you need to struggle with when sick is figuring out finances. Reminds me of that nobel prize winner who was forced to sell his prize to pay for his treatment
Good luck with everything.
ps, wife recently got treated (chemo/radiation) for a mass in the hip. Still counting but the bill is now over $200k.
Update on my prostate cancer: Finally got the lab report from the needle biopsy and had another appointment with the urologist. Its cancer with 2 large tumors. The Gleason score is 3 3 6 Group 1. Normally a score that low would mean "watch and wait" as it may be slow growing and not much of a risk. However the Doc said due to the large size of the tumors he thinks the biopsy may have missed the worst spots and the Gleason score should actually be higher. So he wants to remove the prostate. The biopsy did state there is no indication the cancer has spread outside the prostate but he wants me to get a bone scan anyways. So have to get that set up and then he will do the surgery. What fun, i can't wait!
Location: No longer in a hovel in effluent Damnville, VA Gender:
Posted:
Sep 9, 2024 - 4:18pm
haresfur wrote:
Glad you are getting good medical care where you live.
The Health Care System seems to be pretty good here and is rated significantly better than in the US. Its also much cheaper. Here on the island there is a new state of the art private hospital that I have been going to. I have to pay out of pocket here. It would be free at the state hospital in Ponta Delgada but I hate that place. Private health insurance here is very expensive if you are an old fart. I was quoted 450 euro/month. If you are around 50 its on;y about 150/month.
I am waiting for the estimate for the surgery, If its to much I will go to the state hospital. That hospital is the only state hospital for all 9 islands so its always packed I was there 2 days just to get a shoulder x-ray.
Update on my prostate cancer: Finally got the lab report from the needle biopsy and had another appointment with the urologist. Its cancer with 2 large tumors. The Gleason score is 3 3 6 Group 1. Normally a score that low would mean "watch and wait" as it may be slow growing and not much of a risk. However the Doc said due to the large size of the tumors he thinks the biopsy may have missed the worst spots and the Gleason score should actually be higher. So he wants to remove the prostate. The biopsy did state there is no indication the cancer has spread outside the prostate but he wants me to get a bone scan anyways. So have to get that set up and then he will do the surgery. What fun, i can't wait!
Glad you are getting good medical care where you live.
Update on my prostate cancer: Finally got the lab report from the needle biopsy and had another appointment with the urologist. Its cancer with 2 large tumors. The Gleason score is 3 3 6 Group 1. Normally a score that low would mean "watch and wait" as it may be slow growing and not much of a risk. However the Doc said due to the large size of the tumors he thinks the biopsy may have missed the worst spots and the Gleason score should actually be higher. So he wants to remove the prostate. The biopsy did state there is no indication the cancer has spread outside the prostate but he wants me to get a bone scan anyways. So have to get that set up and then he will do the surgery. What fun, i can't wait!
Location: No longer in a hovel in effluent Damnville, VA Gender:
Posted:
Sep 9, 2024 - 3:53pm
Update on my prostate cancer: Finally got the lab report from the needle biopsy and had another appointment with the urologist. Its cancer with 2 large tumors. The Gleason score is 3 3 6 Group 1. Normally a score that low would mean "watch and wait" as it may be slow growing and not much of a risk. However the Doc said due to the large size of the tumors he thinks the biopsy may have missed the worst spots and the Gleason score should actually be higher. So he wants to remove the prostate. The biopsy did state there is no indication the cancer has spread outside the prostate but he wants me to get a bone scan anyways. So have to get that set up and then he will do the surgery. What fun, i can't wait!
Having an Aural Migraine. They are getting more frequent and the visual distortions are getter bigger and more plentiful.
I get those once in a while. It seems like it might be a blood sugar issue for me - I don't eat breakfast often, and some days I skip lunch. If I do that the day after I've only had a minimal dinner, I may start to get that tunnel vision and see spots. If I eat something - especially something with protein and sugar (like Lance Peanut Butter-Cheese crackers), and take some aspirin, it usually abates after a few minutes, though I still feel dizzy for a while after. After that I make a point of eating something substantial.
Some days I skip eating entirely, other than coffee. Just don't feel like eating. So I am sure that my glucose is a big rollercoaster ride. My circadian clock was smashed during my transplant. I orient myself around the two days I work every week (Tues and Thurs) and everything else happens when it happens, eating, sleeping if I have enough energy to accomplish something. It is more momentum than anything else. I ride it like managing a manic depression. Since dentures, food has taken on a whole new meaning. It's just sustenance now. To make sure I get some regular level of nutrition I take the Fruits and Veggies supplements and some Tartary Buckwheat everyday.
Its over now, feeling kinda annoyed and addled for the hangover and that is going away slowly. I pigged out on chicken the night before and slept 11 hours until 1 this afternoon. Probably do another album and then crash around 8 for a couple of hours and then be up all night ripping till around 4 or 5 then crash, rinse and repeat. Might even eat something but I am not hungry at all.
Having an Aural Migraine. They are getting more frequent and the visual distortions are getter bigger and more plentiful.
I couldn't figure out what triggers mine, but sometimes it's stress. Had five in a day when I became director of a cluster of clinics. Had to tell them not to give me any work that required me to see what I was doing. Talking/listening was still on the table, but couldn't read/write for a while. But I also get them out of the blue. Used to be followed by a massive, incapacitating headache but, somehow, that stopped happening. There are some suggestions that tofu (!) a couple of times a week might help, but I think that's mostly for hormone-induced ones near periods. Still, a consideration.
Had them for years since my 20's. No pain, never had any, nor a secondary headache afterwards. The stress load has been at its highest in many years though. Also seem to be kicking in more since I started my IVIG's. Coincidence ? I do not believe in coincidences. The IVIG is the most recent change in my long term ongoing regime. Only introduce something new one at a time so changes can be noticed, if any. Not to be ignored. I'll mention this at my next treatment.
I take some Advil every once in awhile and it seems to help.
Having an Aural Migraine. They are getting more frequent and the visual distortions are getter bigger and more plentiful.
I get those once in a while. It seems like it might be a blood sugar issue for me - I don't eat breakfast often, and some days I skip lunch. If I do that the day after I've only had a minimal dinner, I may start to get that tunnel vision and see spots. If I eat something - especially something with protein and sugar (like Lance Peanut Butter-Cheese crackers), and take some aspirin, it usually abates after a few minutes, though I still feel dizzy for a while after. After that I make a point of eating something substantial.
Having an Aural Migraine. They are getting more frequent and the visual distortions are getter bigger and more plentiful.
I couldn't figure out what triggers mine, but sometimes it's stress. Had five in a day when I became director of a cluster of clinics. Had to tell them not to give me any work that required me to see what I was doing. Talking/listening was still on the table, but couldn't read/write for a while.
But I also get them out of the blue. Used to be followed by a massive, incapacitating headache but, somehow, that stopped happening.
There are some suggestions that tofu (!) a couple of times a week might help, but I think that's mostly for hormone-induced ones near periods. Still, a consideration.
More fun stuff: A few months ago I had Prostatitis which made my PSA go up. However after it was resolved instead of coming back down to normal my PSA kept going up. So after 2 Ultrasounds showed calcium deposits from the Prostatitis they were otherwise inconclusive I had an MRI and it found 2 "structures" >13mm but couldn't determine whether it is cancer or not. Was rated PI-RADS3 which means its Biopsy time. So Thursday had a Targeted Needle Biopsy and they took 16 core samples. Now just waiting for the lab results. If it comes back cancer that will likely mean no more prostate. Getting old has been so much fun lately ....
More fun stuff: A few months ago I had Prostatitis which made my PSA go up. However after it was resolved instead of coming back down to normal my PSA kept going up. So after 2 Ultrasounds showed calcium deposits from the Prostatitis they were otherwise inconclusive I had an MRI and it found 2 "structures" >13mm but couldn't determine whether it is cancer or not. Was rated PI-RADS3 which means its Biopsy time. So Thursday had a Targeted Needle Biopsy and they took 16 core samples. Now just waiting for the lab results. If it comes back cancer that will likely mean no more prostate. Getting old has been so much fun lately ....
More fun stuff: A few months ago I had Prostatitis which made my PSA go up. However after it was resolved instead of coming back down to normal my PSA kept going up. So after 2 Ultrasounds showed calcium deposits from the Prostatitis they were otherwise inconclusive I had an MRI and it found 2 "structures" >13mm but couldn't determine whether it is cancer or not. Was rated PI-RADS3 which means its Biopsy time. So Thursday had a Targeted Needle Biopsy and they took 16 core samples. Now just waiting for the lab results. If it comes back cancer that will likely mean no more prostate. Getting old has been so much fun lately ....
More fun stuff: A few months ago I had Prostatitis which made my PSA go up. However after it was resolved instead of coming back down to normal my PSA kept going up. So after 2 Ultrasounds showed calcium deposits from the Prostatitis they were otherwise inconclusive I had an MRI and it found 2 "structures" >13mm but couldn't determine whether it is cancer or not. Was rated PI-RADS3 which means its Biopsy time. So Thursday had a Targeted Needle Biopsy and they took 16 core samples. Now just waiting for the lab results. If it comes back cancer that will likely mean no more prostate. Getting old has been so much fun lately ....
More fun stuff: A few months ago I had Prostatitis which made my PSA go up. However after it was resolved instead of coming back down to normal my PSA kept going up. So after 2 Ultrasounds showed calcium deposits from the Prostatitis they were otherwise inconclusive I had an MRI and it found 2 "structures" >13mm but couldn't determine whether it is cancer or not. Was rated PI-RADS3 which means its Biopsy time. So Thursday had a Targeted Needle Biopsy and they took 16 core samples. Now just waiting for the lab results. If it comes back cancer that will likely mean no more prostate. Getting old has been so much fun lately ....
Location: No longer in a hovel in effluent Damnville, VA Gender:
Posted:
Aug 24, 2024 - 11:20am
More fun stuff: A few months ago I had Prostatitis which made my PSA go up. However after it was resolved instead of coming back down to normal my PSA kept going up. So after 2 Ultrasounds showed calcium deposits from the Prostatitis they were otherwise inconclusive I had an MRI and it found 2 "structures" >13mm but couldn't determine whether it is cancer or not. Was rated PI-RADS3 which means its Biopsy time. So Thursday had a Targeted Needle Biopsy and they took 16 core samples. Now just waiting for the lab results. If it comes back cancer that will likely mean no more prostate. Getting old has been so much fun lately ....
Sorry, Dave, sending fast healing vibes your way. 
