Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Are there any support groups for the wifes of husbands who have had prostate cancer

Are there any support groups for the wifes of husbands who have had prostate cancer?
My happy married life has crumbled since my husbands prostectomy from cancer. The little problems here have snowballed ,and now i am sleeping in a seperated bedroom . I am in a place that i do not want to be right now.
Marriage & Divorce - 5 Answers
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1 :
Check with Social Services at your local hospital, speak with his MD, or contact the American Cancer Society in your area. Log on to LiveStrong.org.
2 :
Usually the cancer center will have family support. Go to where ever your husband receives his treatment and discuss this with them and ask about family support services. I hope all works out for you and your family!
3 :
Earlier today I saw a prostate group in the yahoo groups,look there. There might be a group for wives there. If not think about starting a group for you an others.
4 :
I am so sorry you are having a hard time since your hubby had surgery. My hubby also has prostate cancer but he still has his prostate and is receiving injections for the problem. I know it is something that can bother a man since his sex urge changes. I wish for you much luck for your married life but having sex is not everything . I find having each other is more important .
5 :
You are in difficult times. I have been there twice so I know how you are feeling - I found this a time of growing together spiritually and it was really great. The cancer society in your area is your best place to seek help. Good luck to you and yours..

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

Suggestions of a great gift basket? its for my y grandpa who is on kemo for prostate cancer...

Suggestions of a great gift basket? its for my y grandpa who is on kemo for prostate cancer...?
My grandpa is on kemo for prostate cancer. He's not nauseous and still has his appetite, but is diabetic- so sending sweets is out. He is so weak and tired- I live in NY and he's in Idaho- I can't be there to care for him but want to show him I still care so much- Do you have any thoughtful practical gift ideas? I call weekly to talk and tell him I love him- I just want to give something tangible that can help him feel better... i think i should give my grandma something too- she's going through soo much right now with him being sick... (they just had their 60th aniversary!)
Cancer - 10 Answers
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1 :
mixed fruits with cheese and crackers and diet pop
2 :
a wig
3 :
so very very sorry to hear about your grandpa. Maybe a couple of good books, pictures of the family,put together some old and recent pic's of the family including animals...that might help. Also, why don't you write him something special like how much he means to you and maybe bring up all the good times you guys had together. If he likes to draw, place paper,pens,markers,etc.....he might like that. If he can have fruit....a nice little basket would be nice.If I think of anything else i will write back. Good luck to you and your grandpa........everything will turn out ok....have faith sweetie...........
4 :
a fun idea would be to buy some old magazines (like a LIFE mag with his favorite old movie star on the cover or an important event to him) from when he was a young scrapper off of ebay that he can read and laugh and have memories about...or get some old movies that he can watch to take his mind off things.
5 :
Be sure to know if he is on any special diet before you send food. For example, some chemo patients become neutropenic during treatment. This means the the white blood cell count is low, making it hard to fight infections. This happens because chemo can't tell the difference in bad cells and good, and sometimes kill the good as well. During the time when the white blood count is low, most patients are forbidden to eat most fresh fruits and veggies. This is because the immune system can't fight the bacteria and pesticides as a person with normal blood counts can. Washing them does not help because the skin of most fruits and veggies is pourous, allowing bacteria and pesticides to seep through the skin into the fruit it self. IF this is the case with your grandpa, your docs would have went over this extremly well and your he would definatly know about. So, if you ask, he will be able to tell you. Also, sometimes foods that you love can make you sick while you are on chemo. The treatment can change your taste bud making things not taste right, or make you very sensitive to smells. This smell sensitivity can make things smell horrible and make you nausuas. So, just ask him if there are any foods he cant have or would rather not have. Other things that would be good to give would be crossword puzzles or word searches if they are into that. Good way of making the time pass.
6 :
flowers, fruits, maybe chocolate candy
7 :
I am sorry. You are already doing the most important thing which is talking with him. His diet is limited so gift baskets which usually have food in them would be very difficult. How about a balloon bouquet? It is cheerful. Or send the gift basket with your grandmother in mind so she can snack. Most good florists have fruit baskets. But a wonderful feel better card with a nice letter in it containing memories and why you love him, etc would be super too. It is a difficult time and they are lucky to have such a considerate granddaughter since most young people avoid this time and feel scared of it. But we will be there where they are someday because it ( old age) happens to everyone usually. That is wonderful they had a 60th anniversary
8 :
have you sent a resent picture of you? If not have a nice 8x10 taken and send it, they will both love it I'm sure. When you ask how Grandpa is doing be sure to ask Grandma too, sometimes we forget the care givers, and they are going through a lot too. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
9 :
How about some movies (VHS, DVD) and some microwave popcorn.

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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Prostate cancer numbers

Prostate cancer numbers?
My dad has prostate cancer and his number is 6.something. He started out at 4. He's doing the natural route and says the doctor says that anything above 10 is a problem. Is this true? Is there a chart somewhere saying 6 is ok, 8 is bad, 10 really bad...ect? Also is this a type of cancer that runs in the family? Like all my uncles should be checked? I just found out one of my husbands uncle has it, so my husband dad should be checked out too?
Cancer - 4 Answers
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1 :
My doctor suggested a biopsy at 8. Sure enough, there it was. I had surgery, weird chemicals, radiation and later an implant so everything would 'work'. That was twelve years ago and so far so good. If you catch this thing in time, then time is on your side. Currently my PSA is .01<. I have every reason to believe that it will stay there. As far as 'getting checked' is concerned, EVERY MAN should have this test every year. While cancer is a killer, this simple test is a life saver. I recommend it!
2 :
The PSA test numbers can be all over the map, and they are only useful for screening or monitoring. A value of 4.0 is used as a threshold to continue monitoring and to help with decisions about getting a biopsy, but in your dad's case, it provides a baseline to compare later measurements. There isn't a chart that explains what the values mean because there is way too much variance in the levels of this antigen. A person could have prostate cancer with a PSA as low as 4, and a person can be cancer free with numbers that are nearly ten times this amount. Prostate cancer grows very slowly. It usually takes decades to become advanced. In your dad's situation, it makes sense to watch this for a while to see what happens. I would expect that he is getting tested several times per year. If the number keeps advancing then its time to intervene. There is no magic number, but if there is a steady advance at each test date for 3-4 consecutive tests, or the absolute count suddenly doubles, then these types of circumstances would suggest that its time to initiate treatment.
3 :
I am sorry to hear that your dad's PSA level is increasing. I have attached some web sites that will provide you some of the information you requested. What you will need to do is start charting the increase, when it occurred, etc. this will provide you an idea as to how fast it is growing. Why I said that is because I am a 59 year old prostate cancer survivor, I went from virtually nothing to over 9 and the high end of a medium Gleason score. Since the doctor couldn't get my PSA level down with medication or treatments, I elected to have a biopsy which provided me a better understanding of just how bad my prostate was. I have spoken to many different people (one 28 one 38 and others over 50) with high PSA levels and based on age, health, life style I advise them to address it appropriately. Getting the biopsy will tell if there are cancer cells and to what stage they are. Once you have all this you can make better decisions and know what to do in the future. Regarding family etc. Prostate Cancer strikes one in every six men. I spoke to my brother who was decided to have a check up after my issue and he has high PSA levels and will be addressing the biopsy at soon I hope. Here is what I preach to everyone now that I have gone through it and survived. Get a PSA blood test now and make sure you keep it in your medical records and keep it in your own records. Based on that initial score it will tell you how often you should have it checked. Having that information will allow you to know how fast it might be growing and spreading should it increase later. I hope this helps and wish you, your dad and all your family all the best. Good luck
4 :
What â€œnumberâ€ are you referring to? The number that matters is his Gleason score. If you are referring to his PSA it is helpful to know his age. Charts do not matter that is what urologists are for. There is no â€œnatural routeâ€ to treat cancer. Prostate cancer can run in families, but every man you have a baseline PDA and prostate exam at 45.

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