Cancer Free but let me not waste it
(please read all the way through)
Dean's Story...
We received the results this morning.
After completion of the robotic radical protatatechtomy for prostatic adenocarcinoma, the results showed that the carcinoma was confined, with no extracapsular extention. The surgical margins of resection are negative for malignancy. Dr. Blitzstein made it a bit clearer: 'You're cured of cancer!'.
Although I will be visiting the doctor in five weeks and a few times yearly for the next few years, I have been declared 'cancer free'! Obviously, all praise to the Lord!
In speaking with Dr. Blitzstein, he again made it clear that without this surgery I would not be around the same time next year! I realize that the Lord has a purpose in all of this and am very grateful for future opportunities to serve Him.
I may feel as if I 'have miles to go before I sleep' (RFK quoting Robert Front) but I realize the truth of James 4:13-15 ' Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”'
Yesterday I was reading 2 Kings 20:1-19 and again realized the focus should be on God and not on 'healing'. Job 2:10 shows that God allows even bad things in your life for a purpose: '..shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” The key is to keep the focus on Him.
I'm reminded by the 2 Kings 20 passage, that Hezekiah was given an extention of his life: (verse 6)
"I will add fifteen years to your life". But, pride eventually caught up with him. My prayer is that I continue to learn something from this experience.
I enjoyed reading the following article from John Piper; perhaps you will as well. Dr. Piper was
diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006.
A Wikepedia article on him states this:
" Piper responded to his diagnosis with the following: This news has, of course, been good for me. The most dangerous thing in the world is the sin of self-reliance and the stupor of worldliness. The news of cancer has a wonderfully blasting effect on both. I thank God for that. The times with Christ in these days have been unusually sweet. Piper underwent successful surgery on February 14, 2006"
http://www.stevekmccoy.com/reformissionary/2006/01/john_piper_has_.html
Thanks for your prayers. It's now time to PRAISE THE LORD!
If
we reach out to God in time of need, then we are accessing the One who created
the universe.
What
does the Bible say about why we suffer?
God created us because He loves us. God never intended for tragedy and
prejudice, wars and hatred, lust and greed, jealousy and pride. God meant for
Earth to be a paradise, a place where there would be no death.
But a man and a woman, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God. This act of
rebellion said, “I don’t need you, God. I can build my world without you.” As a
result, mankind must suffer and die. Physical death is just the death of the
body, but the spirit lives on. If your spirit is separated from God for
eternity, it will be lost forever.
God has provided a rescue in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Gen 3; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Psalms 46:1-2
Is God angry with me?
No, God is not angry with you. In John 3:16, the Bible says that He loves
everyone. However, because we live in an imperfect world, we all deal with good
and bad. God is aware of everything that happens and has the ability to take
what was intended for evil and use for good. The evil in this world does not
render God powerless. It is quite the opposite. He promises to be with us -
and, if we live life in relationship with Him - to guide us into a life of
peace and freedom from fear.
John 3:16-17; Romans 8:28; James 1:1-4; John 10:10
Why me?
It often feels like difficult circumstances are directed at us. We live in an
imperfect world, and the Bible says that it rains on the just and the unjust.
We all live through painful and uncomfortable things. Who are we trusting when
those things happen to us? Are we self-reliant or do we rely on God? If we
reach out to God in time of need, then we are accessing the One who created the
universe. The Bible says that He is waiting for our response. He has already
made the invitation through His Son Jesus. Why you? Because He loves you. He
wants you to look to Him so He can rescue you and bring you peace.
Romans 5:8; John 11:1-44
What good can come out of this?
There are no easy answers, just simple ones: growth and glory. We grow because
when life hurts, we pay attention and we find out what is real and whom we can
trust. In the Bible, in James 1:1- 4 tells us when we face trials, we can see
it as a positive thing in our life because ultimately we are going to grow from
it. That’s hard to realize when our pain is all we can see and feel. But, after
you’ve experienced life as a follower of Jesus, and you’ve experienced His
faithfulness, then you know it’s true.
The other answer is a bit more complicated, and it is found in a Bible story
about a blind man that Jesus heals in John 9. The man didn’t do anything to
deserve to be blind, and when asked why the man was blind, Jesus answered, “So
you can see who I am.” He healed the blind man so that the blind man and
everyone around him would be amazed by the supernatural power of Jesus and know
that He is Who He say He is. It was the best gift He could give them, and us.
We are attracted to greatness. God is the greatest of them all and He desires
to be with us.
James 1:1-4; John 9; Romans 8:28
How do I recover spiritually from this?
The natural response is to deny that you are affected by the crisis. The truth
is that crisis affects everybody it touches, but it affects each person
differently. David, in Psalms, tells his soul to praise the Lord. He was in a
dark place emotionally, but he knew that praising God was necessary and that
calling on Him could effect the outcome of the situation. Psalm 42 and Psalm 88
are Psalms of lament. The writers were despondent, yet they sought God in spite
of feelings. Counselors will tell you that feeling will follow fact. So, there
are some things that we should do to recover:
- Acknowledge your need for God.
- Read God’s Word, the Bible (or
listen to it on tape or DVD. Psalms is a good place to start).
- See if there are others who
will pray with you.
- Look for ways to serve others.
- Stay connected with a body of
Christ followers (small group, activity group, service group, church).
ll
ways to be thankful and ways to express that to God and others.
Psalm
9:10, 34:17, 50:15, 145:18-19; James 5:13-16
How can I be strong when my life is falling apart?
When life is difficult, we look to God and find out that He has grace. In 2
Corinthians 12:9, the Bible tell us that His grace is sufficient for you, for
his power is made perfect in our weakness. First, we must give our situation
and life to God; this is the hardest part, because we feel more secure of we
think we are in control of things. Once we give these things over to Him, He is
going to give us the ability to stand up and endure.
It is hard to admit weakness. That is what it takes to act in humility and
allow God to take control of your situation. Acknowledge to God that He needs
to bear your burdens because you can’t anymore. Jesus longs for you to come to
Him and know Him personally.
Matthew 11:28-29, 2 Corinthians 12:9; 1 Peter 5:7
DRESS APPROPRIATELY!!
REMEMBER!
·
“These things I have
spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have
tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John
16:33
·
God is our refuge and
strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though
the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the
sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its
swelling pride. Selah. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our
stronghold. Selah. Psalm 46:1-3,7
·
‘Do not fear, for I am
with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen
you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right
hand.’ Isaiah 41:10
·
For God did not give
us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning
fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and
well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 2 Tim 1:7 (AMP)
·
I have set the Lord
continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalm
16:8 (AMP)
► Cast your burden on
the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never
allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). Psalm
55:22 (AMP)
·
He only is my Rock and
my Salvation; He is my Defense and my Fortress, I shall not be moved. Psalm
62:6 (AMP)
·
Casting the whole of
your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and
for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you
watchfully. 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP)
·
The Lord is good, a
Strength and Stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows (recognizes, has
knowledge of, and understands) those who take refuge and trust in Him. Nahum
1:7 (AMP)
·
“The steadfast of mind
You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3
Gleason Scores
Stage
grouping
Once the T, N, and M categories have
been determined, this information is combined, along with the Gleason score and
prostate-specific antigen (PSA), in a process called stage grouping. If
the Gleason score or PSA results are not available, the stage can be based on
the T, N, and M categories. The overall stage is expressed in Roman numerals
from I (the least advanced) to IV (the most advanced). This is done to help
determine treatment options and the outlook for survival or cure (prognosis).
Stage I: One of the following applies:
T1, N0, M0, Gleason score 6 or less,
PSA less than 10: The doctor can't feel the tumor or
see it with an imaging test such as transrectal ultrasound (it was either found
during a transurethral resection or was diagnosed by needle biopsy done for a
high PSA) [T1]. The cancer is still within the prostate and has not spread to
nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Gleason score is 6
or less and the PSA level is less than 10.
OR
T2a, N0, M0, Gleason score 6 or
less, PSA less than 10: The tumor
can be felt by digital rectal exam or seen with imaging such as transrectal
ultrasound and is in one half or less of only one side (left or right) of your
prostate [T2a]. The cancer is still within the prostate and has not spread to
nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The Gleason score is 6
or less and the PSA level is less than 10.
Stage IIA: One of the following applies:
T1, N0, M0, Gleason score of 7, PSA
less than 20: The doctor can't feel the tumor or
see it with imaging such as transrectal ultrasound (it was either found during
a transurethral resection or was diagnosed by needle biopsy done for a high PSA
level) [T1]. The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere
in the body [M0]. The tumor has a Gleason score of 7. The PSA level is less
than 20.
OR
T1, N0, M0, Gleason score of 6 or
less, PSA at least 10 but less than 20: The
doctor can't feel the tumor or see it with imaging such as transrectal
ultrasound (it was either found during a transurethral resection or was
diagnosed by needle biopsy done for a high PSA) [T1]. The cancer has not spread
to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The tumor has a
Gleason score of 6 or less. The PSA level is at least 10 but less than 20.
OR
T2a or T2b, N0, M0, Gleason score of
7 or less, PSA less than 20: The
tumor can be felt by digital rectal exam or seen with imaging such as
transrectal ultrasound and is in only one side of the prostate [T2a or T2b].
The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body
[M0]. It has a Gleason score of 7 or less. The PSA level is less than 20.
Stage IIB: One of the following applies:
T2c, N0, M0, any Gleason score, any
PSA: The tumor can be felt by digital
rectal exam or seen with imaging such as transrectal ultrasound and is in both
sides of the prostate [T2c]. The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes
[N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The tumor can have any Gleason score and
the PSA can be any value.
OR
T1 or T2, N0, M0, any Gleason score,
PSA of 20 or more: The cancer has not yet begun to
spread outside the prostate. It may (or may not) be felt by digital rectal exam
or seen with imaging such as transrectal ultrasound [T1 or T2]. The cancer has
not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The tumor
can have any Gleason score. The PSA level is at least 20.
OR
T1 or T2, N0, M0, Gleason score of 8
or higher, any PSA: The cancer has not yet begun to
spread outside the prostate. It may (or may not) be felt by digital rectal exam
or seen with imaging such as transrectal ultrasound [T1 or T2]. The cancer has
not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The
Gleason score is 8 or higher. The PSA can be any value.
Stage III:
T3, N0, M0, any Gleason score, any
PSA: The cancer has begun to spread
outside the prostate and may have spread to the seminal vesicles [T3], but it
has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0] or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The
tumor can have any Gleason score and the PSA can be any value.
Stage IV: One of the following applies:
T4, N0, M0, any Gleason score, any
PSA: The cancer has spread to tissues
next to the prostate (other than the seminal vesicles), such as the urethral
sphincter (muscle that helps control urination), rectum, bladder, and/or the
wall of the pelvis [T4]. The cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes [N0]
or elsewhere in the body [M0]. The tumor can have any Gleason score and the PSA
can be any value.
OR
Any T, N1, M0, any Gleason score,
any PSA: The tumor may or may not be growing
into tissues near the prostate [any T]. The cancer has spread to nearby lymph
nodes (N1) but has not spread elsewhere in the body [M0]. The tumor can have
any Gleason score and the PSA can be any value.
OR
Any T, any N, M1, any Gleason score,
any PSA: The cancer may or may not be
growing into tissues near the prostate [any T] and may or may not have spread
to nearby lymph nodes [any N]. It has spread to other, more distant sites in
the body [M1]. The tumor can have any Gleason score and the PSA can be any
value.
SOURECE: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostatecancer/detailedguide/prostate-cancer-staging
Understanding PSA Levels
Once you’re ready for your PSA test, your doctor or nurse will take a small
sample of blood. It will go to a laboratory where they will measure the amount
of PSA in your blood using a special procedure called immunoassay. Your results
will be reported as nanograms per milliliter of blood, usually written as ng/mL
Normal PSA levels have been typically defined as being around 4 ng/mL. If
you have a PSA between 4 and 10 ng/mL, the chances that you have prostate
cancer are 20 to 50 percent. If your PSA level is over 10 ng/mL, you are 50 to
75 percent more likely to have prostate cancer, and if your PSA level goes over
20 ng/mL, there is a 90 percent chance you have prostate cancer.
SOURCE:
http://www.fca.com/articles/UP164.html
Some Q. and A. about PSA
Cancer
Stages
Stage
I
The cancer is only in the prostate.
It might be too small to feel during a digital rectal exam. If the Gleason
score and PSA level are known,
the Gleason score is 6 or less, and the PSA level is under 10.
Stage
II
The tumor is more advanced or a
higher grade than Stage I, but the tumor doesn’t extend beyond the prostate.
Stage
III
The tumor extends beyond the
prostate. The tumor may have invaded a seminal vesicle,
but cancer cells haven’t spread to lymph nodes. See the picture of a seminal vesicle.
Stage
IV
The
tumor may have invaded the bladder, rectum, or nearby structures (beyond the
seminal vesicles). It may have spread to lymph nodes, bones, or other parts of
the body.
Some doctors recommend the following
PSA cut-off levels adjusted by age and ethnicity:
|
Age |
Caucasian or Hispanic |
African American |
Asian |
|
40 to 49 |
2.5 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
|
50 to 59 |
3.5 |
4.0 |
3.0 |
|
60 to 69 |
4.5 |
4.5 |
4.0 |
|
70 to 79 |
6.5 |
5.5 |
5.0 |
Of the approximately 18 million
- Among these men are an estimated 180,000 per year who likely have prostate
cancer, including 50,000 who have an aggressive form of prostate cancer (these
numbers are based on cancer rates reported in the Prostate Cancer Prevention
Trial).
If your PSA is above 4.0 ng/mL,
an increase of 75 percent or more in a single year could indicate an aggressive
case of the disease. For example: from 4.0 to 7.0 ngml in one year.
A Gleason score of 2 to 4 is
considered low grade; 5 through 7, intermediate grade; and 8 through 10, high
grade. http://prostate-cancer.emedtv.com/gleason-score/gleason-score.html
The most significant cause of an elevated PSA
is prostate
cancer. However, any condition that causes changes within the prostate can
result in PSA elevations. Some of these include pre-cancerous changes of the
prostate (Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia), prostate
infections, inflammatory conditions of the prostate, prostatic stones and enlargement
of the prostate (BPH). http://www.healthcentral.com/prostate/c/question/335147/59209
/ http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/95
Cancer Free!!
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