FAYETTEVILLE, GA
A week before I was scheduled to run the Big Sur International Marathon, I found out that that my PSA was a little elevated. I didn’t know much about PSA, but I did know I was in the best shape of my life. This PSA thing must have been a fluke. After competing Big Sur, which is one of the most difficult marathons on the face of this planet, I returned home and had another blood test. This time my PSA was higher and it was recommended that I have a biopsy.
Over the course of the next 6 months, I had several blood tests and two biopsies. It was after the second biopsy on October 26th that it was determined that I had prostate cancer. I refer to that date as TEN26. It’s a day I will never forget. It’s the day I discovered a few things about my life: the true meaning of friendship, the love and support of my family, and the strength and peace that only God can give. It’s the day I became a survivor! Having cancer didn’t freak me out, but the side-affects of incontinence and impotency did bother me a little (more on those topics in later posts).
Quickly I learned that researching my treatment options was difficult. I couldn’t get a health care professional to give me an objective solution based on my age, Gleason score, staging, quality of life issues, etc. Everybody had the best deal for me. I was facing The Great Prostate Procedure Shootout! I realized that it was my body, my life and I had to make the decision on which treatment solution was best for me. So I decided to dig deep. I spent hours on the internet, read books, talked with cancer survivors, and visited one of the best cancer hospitals in the world.
It was during this time of research that I found out about a doctor at Ohio State University, James Cancer Center. This doctor was the only one that would call me back and/or email me when I had questions (which was frequently). We made a connection right away. And after 5 weeks of digging, discussing, and praying I scheduled surgery at OSU. It was pretty simple: I flew in to Columbus, Ohio on Monday night, pre-op appointment on Tuesday, and surgery on Wednesday, and back to the hotel on Thursday, catheter removed on Monday and back home on Tuesday.
Here’s the long story short – I was never in pain, I was walking around the OSU campus the day after surgery, and my recovery exceeded my expectations. Three weeks after my surgery I was back at the gym – lifting weights, running, and doing sit-ups. I must admit the sit-ups were a little painful the first couple of days, but the doc told me to do anything I wanted, so I did. I returned to work after 2 weeks. Since my surgery I have run 5 marathons and countless other events.
In closing, the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System is considered the finest equipment for robotic prostatectomy and OSU is the premier hospital for this surgery. But more impressive than the equipment and the hospital are the people. The doctor and his medical team are incredible. They are professional, caring, and the best in their field. I’m convinced that this is the best robotic surgical team on this planet. I feel fortunate and blessed and I thank God everyday for pointing me to OSU.
NOTE: The doctor I used is now practicing in Orlando, Florida
TEN26
Don —
TEN 26 Survivor 