 I am an East Coast expatriate hiding out in the Midwest... I am an urban gal living in the suburbs and occasionally hiding in the country I am a yoga practitioner, fitness enthusiast, believer in the mind-body-spirit connection... I am a mid-life "revert" to the Roman Catholic faith in which I was raised and which has become an enormous source of support, encouragement, inspiration, and joy in my life... I am a mom, sister, daughter, and wife... I am an explorer; adventurous and curious about the world and people around me... I am educated in the formal sense but I gain insight through everyday living... I created this blog at a time of great fear and apprehension in my life. I chose to sustain it because of the discoveries about myself and the world around me that it has revealed. What you can expect to find here: the documentation of a love-hate relationship with the greater Philadelphia area
reminiscing about the good-ole-days (the 80's!)
complaints about my various ailments and injuries, both real and imagined
pictures and stories of gardening, decorating, shopping, sewing
my love of irony
links to kooky news stories
way too much scatological musing for sane people
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Wednesday, April 27, 2005
I've been thinking about posting some personal stories for awhile but I just haven't been "up to it" so to speak.
A few weeks back, after I had my mammogram, I briefly noted that my dad had to have a prostate biopsy due to elevated PSA levels at his annual physical. After some research he and the rest of the family had positive outlook as the odds were in his favor: 75% of men his age with similar PSA levels have no cancer at all. Unfortunately he got dealt the bad odds and found out from the biopsy results that he has prostate cancer.
Since he is young (only 58) it is recommended that he have a radical prostatectomy - which is hard to pronounce and spell, but even more diffcult to go through and recover from. It is a 2-hour operation where, well, I'll spare the gory details but there is slicing and dicing of necessary body parts to remove the gland and then hopefully successful re-attachment of these severed parts. It is a 4-6 week recovery. He is lucky in some respects in that he has gotten control of his weight, blood pressure and glucose levels over the past few months. From a financial standpoint he is able to take short-term disability as well as stay in touch with his team by working from home a bit as he is able.
I wanted to wait before I posted about this as he still has to have some additional scans next week to make sure the cancer has not spread elsewhere. Barring that, he is 100% going full-speed-ahead with the radical operation.
I am not worried about the "Big C" as much as I am worried about this operation. Its so involved and can have some heavy quality-of-life repercussions if those previously-mentioned "reattachments" don't go well. I know my parents have been working hard to secure everything for his retirement in 5-6 years. My worries are that the procedure goes well, that he won't be in alot of pain/discomfort after it, and that it won't hamper their future plans together.
They are a very close, loving couple and in some ways they are quite co-dependent on one another. So in a way I worry about them BOTH, not just my dad.
My parents happen to be in town this week for meetings my dad is attending for work. My mom is on her way to my house at this moment, taking the train from Chicago, and then dad will drive out here for dinner tonight. Tomorrow and Friday they will be here too. We plan to just enjoy the time together and not "overschedule" it with tourist trappings.
I'm not writing this to garner sympathy posts from anyone - when someone is sick, its always sad, and I know most human beings would, when hearing such news, offer good thoughts and wishes. So I thank everyone in advance for that.
Posted at 10:01 am by brandy101
 | Posted by Michelle @ 04/30/2005 07:59 PM PDT | | | I will be sending lots of positive thoughts your way and his. | |
| Posted by loz @ 04/30/2005 02:31 PM PDT | | wow, tough. I hope everything goes well for your dad's full recovery from both the operation & cancer, and that your mom & the rest of the family get through it all okay too Brandy. hugs & prayers.
l.
x | |
| Posted by Adam @ 04/29/2005 07:34 AM PDT | | | Thinking of your dad... | |
| Posted by Gigglesbee @ 04/28/2005 02:50 PM PDT | | I'll keep your dad in my thoughts and prayers, Brandy!
*hugs* | |
| Posted by raejane @ 04/28/2005 08:51 AM PDT | | Of course I'm sending you and your family lots of loving thoughts!
*hugs* | |
| Posted by Greg @ 04/27/2005 06:42 PM PDT | | While he is going through this, keep an eye on his mental health. My step-dad had prostate cancer, and for a while it so completely changed his character that it was quite scary. It was like he had given up. Fortunately, he beat it, and is back to his old self again.
Just do your best to keep him as positive as possible. Good luck to your family. *hugs* | |
| Posted by Nic @ 04/27/2005 06:37 PM PDT | | | I too am 58, so know the concerns. I hope all goes well and that the side affects of the surgery are minimal. I think I would have a problem having the surgery, but until confronted with the options couldn't really say. Again My wishes and prayers are with you and yours | |
| Posted by chrysalis @ 04/27/2005 01:50 PM PDT | | | As you know, my thoughts are with you and both your folks. Be proud of him. My father has a very high PSA and won't even agree to be checked for cancer, much to the dismay of his doctors. And me. It's better to do something about it (no matter how scary!) than to pretend it'll just go away. | |
| Posted by scott @ 04/27/2005 01:50 PM PDT | | | Thoughts and prayers, Brandy, thoughts and prayers. | |
| Posted by princessdeirdre @ 04/27/2005 11:40 AM PDT | | Thinking of you Brandy.
And of course you guessed it, wishing your family the best. | |
| Posted by Lyly @ 04/27/2005 11:03 AM PDT | | | My father-in-law had the operation 10 years ago. Sending you a detailed email. | |
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