Grandpa's Cancer

Hey All -

A few months ago, my family learned that my Grandpa (my moms side) had Prostate Cancer.

At first, we thought it wasn't serious or bad....until this week. He went in for a check up on either Saturday or Monday, the doctors said it was getting worse. So, he will be receiving shots 2-3 times a week for 4 months. We're hoping this will help.

Here is a few more details (the letter my Grandma wrote):

We were at the hormonal doctor yesterday and she laid out the procedures your father needs to go through. He received a hormone shot yesterday. He will get another in 4 months. This hormone prevents the testrone(spelling not correct but I hope you know what I mean) from feeding the cancer or better yet the hormone kills most of the testrone which feeds the cancer. There are side effects, of course and we shall see what happens. On Monday he is to get a bone density test not like the ones we get , I don’t think, because the hormonal doctor had a different name for it. One of the side effects of the hormone is loss of bone density. He is to have markers placed on the prostate by the prostate doctor by the name of Andy Griffin. This can be done in his office. Then 5 days later he will get a ct scan with iodine and an MRI. With this will determine how much radiation and how many radiation treatments they will give him. This will be 5-6-7 weeks at 5 days per week, Monday through Friday! The poor guy! I could cry for him. Sometime after this, the seeds will be implanted and then after that, I don’t know.

This has become an aggressive approach for 2 reasons, as I see it or understand, one is your Dad is young for his age and two his high Gleason score. This Gleason score depends on 2 factors, one of which is the type of cancer they viewed in the biopsy. On a scale of 1 to 5 his is a 4 in the area of aggressiveness and the second 4 I don’t know but this 4 + 4 combination is more or less serious and requires aggressive treatment. The hormonal doctor, Dr. Griffin, Dr. Klein and Lou Gottlieb believe the seeds are the way to go for him and this is what Daddy and I wanted. We were not led to believe that there was to be so much to this. When we see Dr. Klein and Dr. Griffin I hope to find out if all this is really necessary. Is it overkill, I don’t know. We had been told by Dr. Griffith and Dr. Klein not to worry about your father’s cancer but this was before we saw the hormonal doctor. Did her perception of your father’s condition differ from the other doctors’, I don’t know. She didn’t say we should be concerned but all this sounds pretty serious to me.

Never thought I would be writing such an email to you girls but most men do get prostate cancer. All our eating rather decently and exercising has not prevented it. We read all the time to exercise and eat a well balanced diet to stay healthy---ha! I am just fine after the shock treatment for which I am very grateful. My heart is back to a normal rhythm. The hormone doctor by the name of Dr. Moose and I am not kidding, said they were ready, willing and able to work around our trip to the mountains!!! This is in regard to the radiation treatments. I am going to send this to your father and make sure I have all my facts correct in regard to all of this. Much love, my beautiful, wonderful daughters, Mom

Please keep him in your prayers! Thanks!

~ Mimi Elise