I am a 55 year old flight instructor retired from the military but now instructing as a government civilian.

I am fortunate enough to have a full flight physical yearly. In 2015 my lab work came back with a PSA of 5.66, I was referred to a local Urologist who recommended a TRUS prostate biopsy. I completed the biopsy the following month and 12 cores were taken, all came back negative. He suggested we keep an eye on PSA and follow up with him. The following year again during my flight physical, the PSA came in at 11.33. I was referred back to the Urologist who now wanted to perform a saturation biopsy of 24 cores. This was completed and again all cores came back negative. He was a little perplexed as to why my PSA remained high and was climbing, we again decided on a wait and see approach. The following years flight physical PSA remained at just over 11. Flash forward to this years flight physical and PSA is now 20.33. Back to the Urologist who wants to do an MRI followed by a fusion biopsy which his practice had recently begun performing. MRI results come back showing 2 lesions, a larger one on the right and smaller on on the left, initial rating of PIRADS 5 and 3. Fusion biopsy was performed and small lesion 5 cores all negative, right lesion 6 cores with only one core showing 1mm of Gleason 6 cancer. My urologist thinks we should do a full Radical Prostetecomy, I think that is like killing a flea with a sledgehammer. I begin to look at other options and get approved to go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and see if I can qualify for the Focal Laser Ablation Clinical Trial. Met the team at the Mayo clinic and have to say I am extremely impressed with the facility and staff. I have never been to a hospital this large and this efficiently run. We complete another MRI and fusion biopsy. This shows the same to lesions but biopsy results were much different. More core involvement of mostly Gleason 6, but one small sample outside of the lesion showing Gleason 7. The Urology team meets once a week to discuss best treatment options, and Robotic Radical Prostetectomy is agreed to be the best option. My surgery is scheduled for April 4, 2019. I am more nervous about the side effects then the cancer itself, which I think is wrong but cant help it. My career is also on the line with this surgery and outcome. I believe I am at the right facility and with the right team, and a highly skilled surgeon in Dr. Gettum. I will continue to update as this story unfolds. During my research, I came upon this site and it has been invaluable in answering questions I had. I find it only fair that I share my own experience. God Bless you all.

Sorry so long for the update, but life goes on and responsibilities remain. This site has been invaluable to gather information and assisted in my choice of procedure.

I chose to have a Robotic Assisted Radical Prostatectomy. My reasons for choosing this procedure:

Radiation is effective and non-invasive, but can produce many other side effects in time including other cancers, based on my relatively young age, it was recommended to have the prostate removed. In the event the radiation fails to kill all the cancer cells, a salvage prostatectomy is highly unlikely.

Having read so many survivor stories on this site, I heeded the advice to find a highly skilled surgeon who has performed many of these procedures. Dr. Gettman (I misspelled his name earlier) has performed over 3500 Robot Assisted Prostatectomy's and I felt comfortable I was in the right hands.

I have always been an active person and exercised daily, but again, following the advice of some of the members here, I really turned it on the month prior to my surgery. The thought being to be in the best shape possible in order to speed the recovery.

The operation was performed on the morning of 4 April, 2019. The procedure lasted just under 4 hours. It was a nerve sparing prostatectomy and removal of 5 Lymph nodes.

The pathology determined 60% involvement of the right side and 20% involvement of the left side. I had a microscopic extraprostatic extension of less then 3mm. Gleason score 7 (3+4) and tumor PT3A. All lymph nodes and seminal vesicles were negative.

I awoke from surgery that afternoon. I was sore and groggy, but otherwise felt ok. I was offered Oxycodone for the pain, but have never been a big fan of painkillers and didn't want the side effects that come with it (itchy skin, constipation), I opted for Tylenol and is what I used to manage the pain for the duration of the recovery. It really wasn't too bad, kind of like not working out for a while then doing 200 sit ups, it hurt to try and sit up, and was easier to just roll to the side. This gradually improved over the next two weeks. I was also very sore where the prostate once sat, and was painful when trying to have a BM, but again, this goes away in a couple of weeks or so.

Like most members who have had this procedure, the catheter is the worst of it, uncomfortable and cumbersome. Mostly just used the leg bag and had it removed in 8 days.

Incontinence: the first few days was hard to control as you are still sore down there and the muscles are in recovery mode, but as each day comes you get a little better. I wore pads for probably the first 6 to 8 weeks and then none. Now I may leak a little if I try to lift heavier weights, but easily managed. One thing I will say, do not let your bladder get full and try to hold it, you are down to one shut off valve and that isn't going to make it.

Erectile Dysfunction: Viagra works like a champ and I have no complaints, you lose a little spontaneity, but a small price to pay to be cancer free.

Due to the small extraprostatic extension, my surgeons advice was to have a PSA test taken every 3 months for the first 2 years, then every 6 months for the next year. I have had 3 PSA tests since the surgery and all have come back undetectable. I thank God everyday and am optimistic that I will not have a recurrence.

My advice is to get a second opinion if you don't feel right about the diagnosis. It took 4 years before I had a proper diagnosis, and in that time the tumor had grown and was making its way outside of the prostate. I thank the staff and doctors at The Mayo Clinic, and I thank all the members here for sharing their stories, you truly are not alone.

Brad's e-mail address is: gundriver64d AT yahoo.com (replace "AT" with "@")