This is a time line of sorts that shows the progression of exams, tests and surgeries.

Time Line

Comments

2001

PSA 12

2001

PSA 10

Fri

8/17/01

Biopsy negative

All that for a negative result. Biopsy paperwork sucked. The Gleason requires a minimum of 12 samples. This urologist only took 6. Thank GOD!!!

May 2004

DRE – family doctor

The “finger”.

May 2004

Mother’s Cancer surgery

A rare type of common bile duct cancer. Performed at the Moffitt Center in Tampa.

Fri

6/4/04

DRE – Urologist

The Urogolist gave me the finger as well. See below.

PSA 12.4

Tue

8/10/04

Biopsy/Cystoscopy

Gleason 6/7

Fri

8/20/04

Bone Density Scan

Fri

8/20/04

CT Scan

Tue

8/31/04

Scan results

Negative – cancer had not spread

Tue

9/7/04

Lupron shot-4 month

30 mg

Tue

9/7/04

Casodex-daily

50 mg pills

Tue

9/14/04

Phone consultation-Urology Center

Wed

10/13/04

Dad Eye Surgery #1

See below

Tue

10/19/04

Dr. Kaz update

Tell Dr. Kaz about my decision.

Wed

10/27/04

Dad Eye Surgery #2

Sat

10/30/04

First Coast Head Race

A 3 mile race rowing in a double. We came in 3^rd out of 3. But, we did better than expected.

Tue

11/16/04

Prostate Surgery

Urology Center in Ocala

Wed

11/17/04

Released from West Marion Community Hospital

Thu

11/18/04

Choir practice then Emergency Room-Bladder clogged

Talk about a fun night. They irrigated with 60 cc’s and got back 700 cc’s.

Fri

11/19/04

Sleep

Sat

11/20/04

Sleep

Sun

11/21/04

Did not sing in loft. But, attended choir practice that afternoon.

I skipped and had lunch with Ian.

Mon

11/22/04

Sleep

Tue

11/23/04

Drive to Ocala. Catheter removed.

First night sleeping in MY bed at MY home since the surgery.

Wed

11/24/04

Sleep

Thu

11/25/04

Thanksgiving

The pad sucks. Do a little research on the Internet for an alternate solution.

Fri

11/26/04

External Catheter-Hallidays

Tue

11/30/04

Follow-up visit-Ocala

Drove by myself

Wed

12/1/04

1^st Erg piece since surgery

Grandma fell and broke her hip

1,000 meters in 6 minutes. That’s a 3:00 split, ie. 500 m in 3 minutes. That’s SLOW. But, I did it. Grandma fell when I was erging.

Thu

12/2/04

Mother chemo

Delayed one week because of Grandma.

Fri

12/3/04

Nurse-Are you crazy? 4 weeks MINIMUM!!!

I called and told the nurse I wanted to go back to work half-days. She HIGHLY recommended that I take the FULL 6 weeks off. I, eventually, took her up on her recommendation.

Sat

12/4/04

Sun

12/5/04

Sang in the choir for both the AM and PM services.

I sat on my hands because the pews were so uncomfortable.

Mon

12/6/04

Half-days

I worked a little from home and went into work after lunch for a while.

Tue

12/7/04

Half-days

Wed

12/8/04

Half-days

Thu

12/9/04

Half-days

Went to the ER with Stef when he cut his chin open.

Mother had her 1^st Chemo treatment.

Went to Choir Practice.

It was a LONG day.

Fri

12/10/04

Sleep. Body said… you did too much yesterday. Yes, sir!!!

ROC power outage. The power went out in the downtown building. I went to work to watch some of the ‘fun’.

Sat

12/11/04

Office Party

Just driving over to Orange Park, sitting and standing, etc. wore me out.

Sun

12/12/04

Sang in both services.

Forgot the seat cushion in the 1^st service. Slept all afternoon. Did NOT forget the seat cushion in the 2^nd service.

Mon

12/13/04

Erg piece(s). The splits were better, 2:30 or less.

2 minutes on, 1 minute off
1	21	453	2:12
2	19	419	2:23
3	18	406	2:27
4	19	412	2:25
5	18	398	2:30
6	18	413	2:25
7	19	403	2:29
8	19	403	2:29
		3,307

Tue

12/14/04

It’s been 4 weeks since the surgery. Drove to Ocala for a follow-up visit.

Not a fun trip. This was the flow analysis trip. Oddly enough this was a turning point. I noticed the pain from just sitting has disappeared after this trip.

Thu

12/16/04

Mother’s 2^nd chemo treatment

Wed

12/22/04

Back on the water again.

Janet and I rowed the double up to the Matthews bridge from JRC, located between Cesary and Univesrity Blvd bridge. It was just long enough.

Thu

12/23/04

Mother’s 3^rd chemo treatment

Tue

12/28/04

Follow-up visit with Dr. Kaz

He wasn’t very happy. Started taking medication for incontinence and doing the Kegle exercises properly.

Wed

12/29/04

It’s been 6 weeks since the surgery.

I don’t have STD anymore Had to go back to work. It was a little much. But, it was very bearable.

Thu

12/30/04

Mother decides to not do chemo anymore.

Chemo won’t cure the liver cancer she found out. She’d rather do things nutritionally, instead.

Fri

1/07/05

No more external catheter???

Went to work with just the pad. I may have turned the corner and regained almost complete continence. Maybe.

Tue

1/11/05

Yearly Lupron shot.

Dr. Kaz wants to continue with the hormone therapy. They just came out with a time release capsule that can be placed just under the skin.

Thu

2/3/05

Mother passed away

Fri

3/25/05

Grandma passed away

Fri

4/22/05

Quit taking medicine for incontinence

I felt like I didn’t need to take the medicine anymore. I was right.

Next Week

Quit wearing manly pads.

I felt like I didn’t need the pads anymore. I was right. God is good.

Sat

5/7/05

Went rowing with Janet

Rowed the head race course. 6.2 miles round trip.

Sun

5/8/05

Went rowing with Janet

Rowed the head race course. 6.2 miles round trip.

Mon

5/9/05

Went rowing with Janet

Rowed the head race course. 6.2 miles round trip.

Sat

5/14/05

Rowed with Stef

Rowed the head race course. 6.2 miles round trip.

Tue

5/17/05

Rowed with Stef

Rowed up to JU and then back. The distance from the Arlington Marina to JU and back is a head race. So, that’s 9.3 miles from JU to Atlantic Blvd and back.

Sat

5/21/05

Rowed with Janet and then Stef.

Janet and I almost did the head race. We stopped and turned around at Episcopal. That’s 500 m short of a head race, about 2.5 miles? Stef and I rowed up to the Landing. 20 minutes to get to the Landing, 45 minutes to get back. That’s about 8 miles.

Tue

5/24/05

Rowed with Stef

Rowed up to Beach Blvd beside the Humane Society. Good Lord… 8 miles???

Thu

5/26/05

Rowed with Stef

Went up to JU, again. 9.3 miles.

Fri

5/27/05

Rowed with Marley

Up to the Hart bridge and back. About 4 miles.

Mon

5/30/05

Rowed with Janet and then Stef

Janet and I rowed up to JU, the president’s house. Then, we rowed back. Stef and I then rowed inside up to Parental Home Rd. The part north of Atlantic Blvd bridge was 9.3 miles. The part south to Parental Home Rd is about 8 miles??? That’s about 83.2 miles for the month of May.

Wed

6/1/05

Rowed with Stef

Rowed up to Parental Home Road

Thu

6/2/05

Rowed with Stef

Rowed up to Beach Blvd

Sat

6/4/05

Rowed with Janet and then Stef

We rowed up to the mouth of the Arlington River and then turned around and went south of the Atlantic Blvd bridge. We turned around in the middle of the S curve and rowed back. Stef and I rowed down to Beach Blvd and back. My butt hurts.

Sun

6/5/05

Rowed with Janet

Rowed to JU and back to JRC.

Mon

6/6/05

Rowed with Stef

Rowed to Beach Blvd and back to JRC..

Tue

6/7/05

Rowed with Stef

Psycho row. Rowed to the Matthews bridge and then half-way to JU. Turned around and rowed to Parental Home Rd and then back. Ouch.

May 2004 – I went to my general practitioner to have a PSA test. The nurse said I would have to get the “finger”, the DRE. I didn’t care. It’s not a pleasant thing. But, it won’t kill you, either. After the DRE the doctor said I had to WAIT 1 week to take the PSA because the DRE could raise the PSA level. AHhhhh!!! That’s why I took off from work in the first place. I was NOT happy. The following week my mother was going to Tampa for her cancer surgery. I ended up waiting another month for the PSA test.

May 2004 – I found that Stef’s grandmother had the same rare common bile duct cancer as my mother. His grandfather also had prostate cancer. Talk about a weird connection.

July 2004 – OK, maybe a DRE will kill you. Dr. Kaz did the most ‘thorough’ DRE I’ve EVER had. I survived… barely. I walked a little funny for a while. But, I made it.

10/13/04 – Dad’s Eye Surgery. Nobody says my father has to have common sense. In the end, it turns out God was in control. My father has been breathing with only one lung for years. Half of his diaphragm is paralyzed. About 7-8 years ago he went into the hospital and should’ve died. But, he didn’t. He was in the hospital and then rehab for 7 months. They told him he would NEVER be able to be operated on. As I was making plans for my surgery he announced his desire to have eye surgery. I said, “You have to lay down for this.” Didn’t matter to him. He wanted to try and see what they could do.

His eye doctor sent him to an anesthesiologist at Jax Surgery Center. The doctors name was Dr. Anibal Sanchez-Salazar. He just happened to be a good friend of mine as well as my ex-rowing partner. He took the information I provided him and examined my father. After considering everything he said he could do it. What?

He did it. The operation(s) were both a success. That turned out to be a real blessing because I needed somebody to drive me back from Ocala… somebody who could SEE.