Ferrari Mailing List: Bad News About Sergio - Doug and Terri

[Dick Petrick (rtpetrick]

Doug,

Been there, and done that.

A couple of additions.

I religiously did PSA tests after 50 year old and was normal. That change at age 58.

 

Not all prostate cancer is slow growing. In my case, it was Gleason 5-6. The PSA went from 4.2 to 11 in 3 months.

The biopsy did not show the degree of development. It turns out that I was 3^rd stage, which means the cancer exited the prostate capsule.

That was not discovered until radical prostatectomy was performed resulting in not only excising the rectal lymph nodes, but also the cone of the bladder.

The young surgeon was an artist who dedicated his life to urology after his father died from prostate cancer. He estimated that he had performed 2000 prostatectomy surgeries, so I felt that I was in “good hands”.

 

It was the worst surgery I’ve been through and I’ve had several. The incision runs from the navel to the pubis bone. Intestines need to be moved aside to get to the prostate. Very uncomfortable for at 2 weeks post op……..and post op….no incontinence, which is great…but untreatable ED…which is not so great.

I had 40 doses of e-beam radiation post-surgery. The side effects include skin burns, burning urination, and extreme exhaustion.

I was 58 at the time in 2002. I decided to retire, played the cancer card, and got my bag of gold. I bought my first Ferrari…..a 1985 Testarossa, which is currently being rehabbed. At  the time, I had a 92 Dodge Stealth Twin Turbo, which I still have…..and rounded out the collection with a 2005 575M Maranello in 2008.

 

Bottom line is that I have cancerous prostate cells circulating in my body. They are looking for a place to attach…spine and large bones. It’s progress is monitored by the PSA blood test. Since I no longer have a prostate, my PSA should be 0…but since I have the cancerous prostate cells in my body, I get a PSA number. When the number starts to climb, I get Lupron injections at $2800.00 a pop. They inhibit testosterone production, and since prostate cancer feeds on testosterone, the cancer growth is retarded. Side effect: Intense hot flashes about every 2 hours. Wakes me up at night.

With the Lupron injections, initially one every 3 months for a year, I would go into remission for 14 to 18 months before the PSA started to climb again. Then repeat another year of Lupron. Up until 2015, Lupron was able to keep the PSA below 1.0…..But Lupron eventually loses is effectiveness and the cancer becomes tolerant.  PSA rose to 3.8 earlier this year and is currently running a PSA of 4.1. I had my second Lupron injection in this year, last Monday (A new Lupron version lasts 6 months). So now it is a waiting game until my next check-up in October, recognizing that Lupron will eventually no longer be effective. Fortunately, other drugs have been developed that treat the cancer after the Lupron no longer works.

 

So, I’m now 74 years old and have been living with active cancer for 16 years.

I have been very lucky. I have 2 Ferraris and I’m living “The Dream”.

 

To those on the List, take Doug’s advice. Caught early, prostate cancer is curable. Get a urologist, do the PSA, and the prostate manipulation.

Good luck.

 

Regards,

Dick Petrick