Tom had normal PSAs for years. In March 2007 at his yearly physical the PSA was 4.3.

Due to a shoulder injury my chiropractor sent me to my family doctor in May 2007 to get an x-ray. My family doctor sent me for the x-ray and a FreePSA due to fact that it was high in May (long story). The FreePSA came back at 5.8 and I then went to see an urologist in July 2007. I had a biopsy on August 23rd and at the age of 59 I was diagnosed on August 30, 2007 with PCa - Grade 3, Gleason Score 6, Staged T1c. All my blood work and a chest x-ray were normal.

October 23, 2007 I got my labs back and my PSA is now 3.2 which is NORMAL. The PSA was 5.8 on May 29th. My liver functions are normal. I am doing watchful-waiting, praying, diet, supplements and an anti-fungal.

My wife and I decided to have a second opinion done through the Best Doctors program offered through our insurance, which took 6 weeks to complete. My wife is an integral part of my journey and helped me compile all the information needed.

November 2, 2007 we got the second opinion back and the diagnosis was the same but the treatment options were clearer for me to make a decision. I will have another PSA in January and will go from there.

January 21, 2008 I went for more lab work and had a FreePSA it was still in the normal range of 3.7 but had increased from the PSA in October of 3.2. All my blood work came back no cancer in the blood stream.

February 3, 2008 after much prayer I made the decision to go for Brachytherapy. I have consultation at a affiliated hospital of John's Hopkins.

I will keep you posted of my journey.

My husband went to the consultation to see the oncologist/radiologist on February 14th and had the ultrasound volume study of the prostate on March 4th. We are very excited that he qualifies for Brachytherapy.

He had his blood work after the volume study. He will have a CAT scan of the stomach and pelvis, chest xray and an EKG next week. He is scheduled for Brachytherapy on April 9th, 2008, the doctor will be using the newest seed Cesium 131.

I will post again after the Brachytherapy procedure.

I had Brachytherapy Proxcelan™ seeds (Cesium-131) 68 seeds implanted on April 9th, the procedure was done at York Short Stay unit in York PA, all went well but in the afternoon I had to go back to my urologist office and have a Foley bag inserted as my flowing stopped. I was in much misery to say the least. I went back on the 14th and the Foley bag was removed.

I was on Flomax for an extend time frame due to the retention, Ibuprofen for the soreness, a stool softener, fiber, medication for burning and that was very minimal. I did have bruising but after 30 days it was gone. I have had no other issues and feel great! I will go back at the end of July to see my urologist and I will have a PSA and blood work done. Then I will see my radiologist/oncologist in October for another PSA and lab work.

I am believing for great test results. I would recommend Brachytherapy to any man trying to make a decision of treatment for PCa.

I will update in August with the results of my labs.

Blessings to All,

Tom C.

I am excited to say the least! I saw my urologist in July 2008 and my PSA was 1.2

I saw my radiologist/oncologist on October 6th 2008 and my PSA was .9

I am feeling great with no complications or side affects.

I will have a followup in January 2009 with my urologist and in April 2009 with my radiologist/oncologist. I will let everyone know the results at that time.

Oh, I turned 60 in July 2008.

God Bless, Tom C.

PS If anyone has any questions about Brachytherapy please email me.

I continue to have great news on my journey to healing.

I saw my urologist in January 2009 and my PSA was 0.90 and saw my radiologist/ oncologist April 2009 and my PSA was 1.20. I will only see my radiologist/oncologist yearly now.

I saw my urologist in July 2009 and I am excited to say my PSA was 0.48. My doctors said it would level off or go up and down during the first 5 years. So I can't be alarmed if it goes up on the next visit but I have hope it will be low.

I am feeling great with no complications or side effects.

I will have a follow-up in January 2010 with my urologist and in April 2010 with my radiologist/oncologist. I will let everyone know the results at that time.

Oh, I turned 61 in July 2009.

Once again I have a great report. I saw my urologist on February 1, 2010 and once again I can say I remain cancer free! My PSA was 0.83 just a little from the last time but still a great PSA. It will fluctuate some so don't get alarmed. I give praise to my God! And the key words are "DON'T PANIC".

Here is a great link on prostate cancer cure rate.

I will see my oncologist in April and will update then.

Tom

I once again have a great report. I saw my radiologist/oncologist April 6, 2010 and I remain cancer free! My PSA was 0.3, which is the best PSA since the Brachytherapy procedure. April 9 was my 2 year anniversary.

I give praise to my God! And the key words are "DON'T PANIC".

I will see my urologist in July and will update then. If you have any questions please ask away! I know I made the right choice for me!

Tom

I once again have a great report. I saw my urologist August 3, 2010 and I remain cancer free! My PSA was 0.17, which is the best PSA since the Brachytherapy surgery.

I did have to have cataract surgery on August 12th & August 26th. The cataract in my right eye was a fast growing one and the eye doctor felt it could be the result of the radiation (my vision was 20/400 in that eye). But I highly doubt it since the radiation of the seeds work differently then external beam radiation. The left eye cataract was the aging type. I now can see great! I haven't done any research to this but if I find any information on this I will post it here.

I give praise to my God!

I will see my urologist in July and will update then. If you have any questions please ask away! I know I made the right choice for me!

Tom.

Sorry we forgot to update in 2011. Tom remains PCa free with an undetectable PSA with two tests for 2011! And has no complications.

2012 - Tom remains PCA free with an undetectable PSA at his last visit with his urologist March 15, 2012! And has no complications. It will be 4 years in April since Brachytherapy. He will be seeing his oncologist in April 2012 for a follow up visit.

MonicaC - Tom's wife

From Tom...via Monica.

I am doing great....of course I am another year older and will be 65 in July. I had another great report from my urologist in September 2012 and just last week March 26, 2013. My PSA is undetectable. I now only see my urologist yearly. I see my oncologist this week. Its 5 years since the Brachytherapy (radiation seeds implanted), I have no issues to be concerned about.

My wife, Monica is the one that did the research for me and with prayer I know for me Brachytherapy was a good decision! Every man has to find the treatment plan that they will be comfortable with as there are many options. I recommend you follow the stories on YANA and do your research too.

If you have any questions just email me. We get emails on and off and my wife answers them for me.

From Tom...via Monica.

Its been an exciting year... I am another year older and will be 66 in July. Its 6 years since the Brachytherapy (radiation seeds implanted), I saw my Urologist on March 27, 2014 and my PSA was .04 which is undetectable. I then saw for the last time my Radiologist/Oncologist, Dr. Shaw is the one that implanted the radiation seeds; he is a very compassionate doctor.

My wife, Monica is the one that did the research for me and with prayer I know for me Brachytherapy was a good decision! Every man has to find the treatment plan that they will be comfortable with as there are many options. I recommend you follow the stories on YANA and do your research too.

On another note.... for some unknown reason I now have Parkinson Disease. I thought I was losing my mind for a while. My legs felt like I was walking in mud and so very tired, I would get off balance at times, I scuffed when I walked, my writing became smaller, I had a minor tremor when I ate, I lost my smile, my body became rigid, my arms didn't swing when I walk. I had a Brain MRI... Stroke, MS, Heart trouble, Cancer and so forth were ruled out. I had a Neck MRI and there was a slight bulge of two discs. I do have two bulging discs in my lower spine pressing a root nerve but that had been adjusted through chiropractic care but the new symptoms for the last eight months were causing me much grief. I saw my wife's neurologist and she put me on carbidopa-levodopa. I feel like a new man... It is interesting that there are no blood tests or other testing for Parkinson other than a process of elimination of other test. So I am on a new journey of life.

If you have any questions just email me. We get emails on and off and my wife answers them for me. Please don't hesitate to email us.

Yes time does fly by... this is Tom C's wife Monica... Tom is doing well.

Tom goes annually to see his urologist in York, PA and doesn't have to see his radiologist/oncologist now. His PSA; was undetectable this year. Its been 7 years now and we give God all the Glory for connecting us to amazing doctor. If anyone has questions we will try to answer them for you.

When I updated last year Tom was just diagnosed with Parkinson's and I continued and continue to do research via the Michael J Fox Foundation and found the DaTscan, which measures the dopamine in the brain. I took the information to Dr. Yang and she ordered the scan which uses a tracer of cocaine to light up the dopamine in the brain. It confirmed that Tom does have Parkinson's. She put him on a different medication called Mirapex ER which worked until this year and the symptoms came back in full force. She put him back on carbidopa-levodopa but this time extended release which he isn't getting the affect from the medication like before so we are tweaking the medication with fast acting. Low and behold a new Parkinson's medication hit the market called Rytary which is Extended and Fast Acting carbidopa-levodopa combined. So we are on the right track. He see Dr. Yang in October and if needed we can see her sooner.

Some of you may remember Tom is an ordained minister and believes in divine healing, we also believe God has a pathway to your healing as Jesus use spit and mud. Be Blessed!

This is Tom's wife Monica... Tom is doing well. Oh and believe it or not he is learning to text on his iPhone.

July 20th Tom turned 68 on and we celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary. I love this man!

Tom goes annually to see his urologist in York, PA and doesn't have to see his radiologist/oncologist now. His PSA; in March 2016 was undetectable. Its been 8 years now since Brachytherapy seed implant and 9 years since Tom was diagnosed. We give God all the Glory for Tom remaining cancer free.

In our last update I mentioned that Tom has Parkinson's. He is doing great on his medication. He is on fast acting carbidopa-levodopa and extended release carbidopa-levodopa 3 times a day, staggering the medication throughout the day so there is minimal fall off. His doctor added Azilect to help with fall off from the other medications in the morning. Mornings are the hardest for Tom.

I could write a book on Parkinson's as the disease effects everyone differently. When Tom has fallen off from the medication his arms and legs start to vibrate internally known as "Internal Tremors" and he loses his balance. I know when Tom has fallen off as I can tell by his walk. Some people have tremors that are visible to others. Parkinson's is a progressive disease and this is still a challenge for Tom as medicine only helps with the symptoms. The only one that can heal Tom is God. We put our HOPE in God!

August 30, 2007 with PCa - Grade 3, Gleason Score 6, Staged T1c. Cancer Free Today! To God Be The Glory!
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know what I have planned for you,' says the LORD. 'I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Hello Everyone I am Tom's Wife Monica. I write all his posts online. Tom is doing well and remains cancer free from PCa. He goes once a year for a checkup in the springtime. I will try to remember to post an update at his next appointment. This is our journey together! Our BIGGEST journey now is the advancement of his Parkinson's. He is on 4 different medications. Mornings and evenings are his struggles as medication hadn't kicked in or has fallen off. He has gets shortness of breath, dystonia, dyskinesia. He is starting physical therapy next week to help give him ideas on how to move when the fall off episodes happen. Tom is full bodied Parkinson's as the advancement of the disease it's something new. He is young at the age of 69. When this began it was a hand tremor which would come and go for 14 years... and it's now his whole body. And he actually had PD when he was diagnosed with PCa but keep it a secret until he could no longer. Sad to say, I am pretty sharp but I missed it. For any man with PCa it will be your choice of treatment. I searched for Tom the treatment types and gave them to him to make the choice. He chose seed implant. Many men worry about being incontinent or impotent which are important but Tom chose to be alive. He didn't focus on his sex drive but he focused on not being incontinent. I had no problem with that. The decision was his since it was his body. Today's journey with PD it's hard to watch him in the fall off state when he can't function. My heart breaks inside but I stay strong because there are moments he cries. He is a man of faith and is believing for a miracle healing here on this side. Until the next time. Make Life the Best!

Hi everyone it's hard to believe its been 1+ since I updated Tom's journey. I am Tom's wife Monica.

At the end of 2017 The Parkinson's advanced and his neurologist left the area in October. But he remained cancer free!

2018 has been a challenging one for Tom. He was in the hospital and rehab for 4 months. Long story short he had to have spinal fusion and a corpectomy cage implanted. Tom's spine collapsed in March as the first back surgery didn't fix the ostomyelitis at the L2/L3 in February. On April 1st the second surgery of spinal fusion with rods from the T10 to S1 and on April 4th corpectomy cage to remove the collapsed section. The journey would have been easier if Tom didn't have Parkinson's as neurologically he couldn't tolerate the strong IV-Antibiotics. He went sepic 3 times, 3 UTI's, anemic, lost 40 pounds as the pain was intolerable and neurotoxic causing severe side effects.

Tom had a followup visit October 1st with his spinal surgeon and stated his spinal fusion was intact. Tom does have weakness in his R foot and numbness in both legs which is improving slowly. It will take 6 to 12 months to completely heal and could take up two years. He has a followup visit in January.

We are still believing for a miracle healing for Parkinson's. In July Tom turned 70 and the good news he is still cancer free. He has seen his urologist and he is now 10 years out from Brachytherapy with PSA 0.0. He will see his urologist next year in July for his last PCa followup.

Just a short update:

Tom had a checkup in July 2019 and he is 11 years cancer free. He will now just see a PA yearly.

He is 19 months postop from spinal fusion with a cage. He has to take an antibotic for the rest of his life.

The Parkinson's is advancing but in May 2019 he started an injection called Apokyn up to 5 times a day and within 5 to 15 mintues he is able to walk. He takes medication in pill form 7 times a day.

We continue to pray for his healing.

Wow its been 4 years since I updated Tom C. story this is his wife Monica. We are both 75 and I have my own health issues.

He goes every year and sees his urolgist and is still CANCER FREE! The blood test of the PSA is always .01! The choice Tom made was perfect for him in 2008, Brachytherapy!

His biggest challenge is the Parkinson's since 2013 is it is advancing. He is falling quite often and I have ask our neighbors or call 911. The Apokyn does help but when fall off start he can't control his legs.

2018 when his spine collasped which has been 5 years. His spinal suregon wanted to see him yearly as he want to evlauate him as he ages and the advancing of the Parkinson's. Rods and a Cage does keep him walking and he is a miracle from the falls.

Well I will try to post something yearly!

God bless Tom and Monica

I am 76 now I go once year for the PSA test and its is undetectable. I am cancer free! I do take FloMax (generic) due to the spinal fusion. My biggest issue is Parkinson's 2013 plus the spinal fusion in 2018 which I have 2/12 in rods and 4 in cage. My L2/L3 died. It does affect my bowels and bladder.

I do recommend Brachytherapy. The seeds are still there but they killed the cancer since 2008.

Tom's e-mail address is: myjoy2go AT gmail.com (replace "AT" with "@")