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I am Going for the RC,
Well the time has come for me to step up to the plate for the Big RC. I am of coarse hoping for a home run of success. I will have it done by the robotic Da-vinci machine / regular on the 21st of Dec. I am lucky to have one of the leading doctors in doing RC this way Dr. Menon for Robotics and Dr. Peabody that does the neo build. They are at Henry ford hospital in Detroit, Mi. He has been doing them for over 6 years that I know of, I know a man he did 5 years ago, I talked to him Friday. He can not say nothing but good about this Doctor. This guy is on the board of directors for this hospital. The hospital is only 40 min drive from my house.
The choice to have this done is easy because it is to do or as they say Die. If you read some of my past post I have been on this road for almost 2 years. I was offered chemo to save organs with 70 percent chance but it still could come back. As some may know my left ureter is blocked, This is a very tuff choice of ways to have this done. Due to several reasons all of this talked about on our forum . MY uro that has taking care of me up to now is Dr. Pontes of with Karmonas Cancer Center also in Detroit is an older guy about 65 he thinks robotics is a gimmick, his words. Is very well known and highly respected as is Dr, Menon and Dr. Pebody. Dr. Pontes said surgery would be only 4 to 6 hours 5 to 7 days in hospital; the robotic team says it will be 9 hours and 3 to 4 days in hospital. I am not sure why so much difference. Now I have been warned that there is a slight chance I will have an external pouch. I am ready for that also as I can handle it, I have talked to some here and they are doing just fine with this system. No reason why I can’t handle it. I am 58 years old , 180 and 5 foot 8 inches tall, some what muscular so all the doctors say I am in good shape for this surgery. Other than the BC I am in pretty good condition. So I will cancel with Dr. Pontes some time on Monday. By the way I work in concrete so it is important that I stay in as good of condition as possible, don’t want to work my crew to hard if the old man here can’t help. Some say it is time for me to slow down. So I might just do that this year.
The physician assistant said they will cath me and put one tube into each ureter then connect them together with Foley in inside the neo and then close neo around it, In two weeks if all is well they pull them out somehow. I know how cath comes out maybe they go in and grab the other tubes, I will ask about this. Has anyone heard of putting the tubes together like this? I am planning on keeping a journal as this goes along. So we will have another source of information for others after me to make there choice.
By the way I refuse to let this upcoming surgery, ruin the next 13 days. I am going to enjoy life as always, well at least in betwenn going to take a pea, I of coarse must give up my flying for as long as it takes to recover. That means no more Angle or Wings of Mercy flights for a long time. I am open for suggestions and comments from all of you in BC land.
Don Was a skypilot, now a he is road pilot
Hanging in there! -
11 Replies
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Thanks Joe. What it will be, it will be. Sounds like the indiana pouch is a good deal for you. I have concidered it for me but I like a chalenge of making the neo work. The main thing is get rid of the cancer for good. Don
Hanging in there! -
No Don everything looked good for the Neobladder from the scans etc but it’s when they open you up this is when things can change as in my case. Now the surgeon has a birds eye view. There were cancer cells in and around my uretha and this usually makes it a no go for a Neobladder. So my surgeon went on to Plan B which was the Indiana Pouch. At first I was a little disappointed but this baby works like a charm and has never leaked once knock on wood. No mess, no fuss, easy to use so all and all I have no complaints. Damn with this disease you gotta do what you gotta do and things usually work out just fine. Well good luck with your surgery Don you get a little of that morphine you’ll be flying again lol and I’m sure all will go well. Take Care my Friend, Joe ;)
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Thanks very informative. Don
Hanging in there! -
I had my catheter taken out of my neo-bladder 2 weeks ago at Johns Hopkins. The Catheter has 2 stents attached/tied at the end and when they remove the catheter the stents come out as well. The whole thing is maybe 2-5 feet long…it’s amazing how much comes out. It was annoying but over quickly. I was concerned about this as well, but it came out all at the same time without any special technique. I didn’t exam what came out all that closely, but I could see that they were attached.
Mike
Michael
Age 58
Stage T2-T3, muscle invasive
Married to Eileen
2 sons, ages 20 and 23 -
Hi Don
I found an interesting article that you and others, may find very useful reading, see end of page 6:
https://www.virginiamason.org/home/workfiles/urology/UroNews_2007.pdf -
Don, We’ll be looking for your updates, sounds like a good team of doctors you are working with. You’ll do great, you have a good attitude. Give us a call from the hospital to let us know how you are doing!!!!YOU GOT MY CELL, Gene
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Don…just wondering how many robotic cystectomys these 2 physicians have performed?
Pat -
Just wanted to wish you well for your surgery, you are very lucky to have such a good facility and doctors available.
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Best of all to you, Don.
Keep us posted on how you are doing, please.
prayers for you and your surgery team.
justme pat
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Thanks Joe: I forgot why they had to go that way with you. Was it becouse of bad nodes. Don
Hanging in there! -
Don I wish you the best I had my RC done at the Univ of Penn by Dr.Malkowicz. I saw you mention the outside bag in case you can’t get the Neobladder and this is always a possibility I know because it happened to me. When they open you up that’s when the surgeon can really make his decision on what’s what. Please be sure you put down your diversions in order and make it clear to your surgeon. That is Neobladder, Indiana Pouch if he does them, and then the Conduit Bag. You can’t talk when you’re knocked out. Dr.Malkowicz is strickly a hands on surgeon and my surgery was 7 hours 2 of which were spent cutting through scar tissue from a previous surgery and I was in the hospital for 6 days. GL my Friend, Joe ;)
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