Knothead...How are you?

Checking up on you. Please give us an update on how you're doing.

The illusion when we were younger that we could retire and live a full active retirement always seemed to be a little short on reality because the truth is health issues dominate retired people's conversation and lifestyle. I sat around thinking about how lucky I have been that to date the doctors have left little seaoat alone, but every time I think of knot now.....I think of my good golf buddies where two have had bladder cancer relishing in telling us about the probes into little seaoat. I have been stuck, punctured, radiated, chemo, and had horrible things put into me, but through all of that I have been thankful that little seaoat still works and the doctors are leaving it alone.......for now. Second opinions are now a reality where I never thought of the same as a young healthy person....I just took the bad information from the doctors and accepted it......so I hope Knot is fully recovered and is fully informed as to his options. Ignorance is not bliss......unless they propose to stick something in little seaoat, and then I will take a big dose of ignorance, and a general.

Totally agree with you about retirement.

Appreciate the thread joani . . . . my personal day to day comfort meter has greatly improved . . . . bladder spasms almost nil, sleep about two hours between the urge to urinate but still getting adequate rest . . . have an appt with Vanderbilt urologist this month for 2nd opinion . . . . in my mind there is still essentially three options: Keep the bladder and treat it with instillation of BCG for six weeks will buy some time but with a 70% recurrence rate makes it a crap shoot of sorts: 2) Removal of my bladder which eliminates the diseased portion but comes with the life long exterior bladder issue, and 3) procedure to replace the diseased bladder with one fabricated from the small intestine (smooth muscle) but I have so many questions about this but will learn more following my appt. with the Vandy team.
We have a trip planned to PB in late September with close family members who think fondly of our many years there and all are looking forward to seeing old friends and sitting on the deck in late afternoon swatting the biting flies.
Thanks joani . . .

I am so happy that you are going to a University Hospital for a second opinion. Although the bladder cancer does have a high return rate, at least one of my friends has controlled the same for almost ten years with pretty good quality of life. My brother's wife's mom chose the removal option and seems to be doing fine with the adjustment. Both have had high quality of life. However, you want to take all precautions and get as much information about what happens if it spreads, so you can give an informed consent on the direction of treatment.

Wishing you well with the Vandy team. Thoughts and prayers remain with you.

Best of luck. We're all pulling for you.

Thanks for updating us, knot (and thanks, Joani, for asking). Hope you can continue to share, maybe after the Vanderbilt session. Hoping for a clear path ahead and the best possible outcome for you!

Was especially tickled to hear you'll be back on the beach for a while in late September -- YAY!! -- and maybe you'll get lucky and the winds won't be directly out of the north so the dog flies won't bother you. Also hope for no tropical storms, of course....so far, so good. May it hold!!

Thanks everyone , , , , and I mean THANKS!!! In a sense you are all extended family and while I am no longer a prolific poster I enjoy keeping up with everyone particularly Mr. Oats as he has taken us all along with him on his life journey but I appreciate you all.

Yes, positive thoughts and well wishes for you, Knott.

This week we had appointments with two specialists in urinary oncology. I have decided to use David Penson, chief of Urologic Oncology at Vanderbilt. He emphasized the risks associated with a T-2 bladder cancer (where the muscle in the bladder wall has been penetrated with the malignancy and made certain we understood that in his view the path forward is first do chemo for three months followed by a radical cystectomy (bladder removal), removal of the prostate and associated lymph nodes. In his words it will be a bumpy road but anything less aggressive carries a very high risk of recurrence of tumors in the lungs. I am totally content with the treatment plan even though I would be lying if I didn't concede my muffled fear . . . . I'll be fine. Thanks to all!

As terrible as that sounds... your life is of course more important. Hoping for the best outcome possible.

It is a path of hope. You have the best at Vanderbilt and your journey will initially be one of discomfort, but it will get better. My brother insisted contrary to his doctors advice to radically remove his prostrate and associated tissues. They agreed. Upon removal, they disclosed on pathology that the disease was far more advanced than the scans or test revealed. He worked very hard on exercises which minimized the impact of the removal, and has lived a quality life enjoying his grandchildren. I understand the fear of discomfort and pain, but these professionals are doing some amazing things with the human body and the biology of cancer. I am not a real fan of Chemo, but my friend who I went to his 50th wedding party went to Mayo and they kicked the chit out of him, and he is back golfing and is strong.

I can only say between now and the time you are 104 years old, you will have some bad days, and it will only get worse from there......but I do not want to be Debbie Downer.

What Pkr said, in spades, knot!! Fingers, toes, and everything else possible crossed. Please keep us in the loop as and when you can. I know with your great attitude -- despite your totally understandable fears -- that you of all people can do this.

You still planning the September beach visit, I hope?

Seaoat, for Pete's sake, the word is PROSTATE, not PROSTRATE, which means, as an adjective: "lying with the face down and arms stretched out, especially as a sign of respect, submission or worship."

Sorry - I sit on my hands all day long not to correct people, but this is one of my pet peeves.

I appreciate the correction because I certainly do not want to accuse my brother of lying around too much and then going to Mayo to remove that laying around cancer tumor.........

2seaoat wrote:I appreciate the correction because I certainly do not want to accuse my brother of lying around too much and then going to Mayo to remove that laying around cancer tumor.........

And don't even let me get started on lie vs. lay. Ha.

My pet peeve, one of many, I seen it.

Joanimaroni wrote:My pet peeve, one of many, I seen it.

YES! Agreed.  And that one's becoming more and more pervasive.  I always want to yell at the TV or whatever:  WHAT HAPPENED TO "SAW???"

We could probably do a long, long thread about such things - but I'm not sure how many here would even be interested.

I've stopped saying "reckon" up here because people look at me like I've got 2 heads.

You still planning the September beach visit, I hope?

Absolutely Linda!! The only fly in the ointment is the oncologist I meet next week to set up the scheduling she needs. Our son and DIL, my favorite niece and her husband have spent several summers with us over the years and PB is indelibly etched into their psyche so we are all excited to visit dear friends and enjoy ourselves thoroughly.

Enjoy every minute of life.

knothead wrote:You still planning the September beach visit, I hope?

Absolutely Linda!! The only fly in the ointment is the oncologist I meet next week to set up the scheduling she needs. Our son and DIL, my favorite niece and her husband have spent several summers with us over the years and PB is indelibly etched into their psyche so we are all excited to visit dear friends and enjoy ourselves thoroughly.  

Sounds wonderful, and I dearly hope it all works out, even if you have to adjust the schedule somewhat. Good luck with the oncologist!

P.S. Does everyone love Pegleg's Grilled Gulf Shrimp dinner as much as I do? lol

2seaoat wrote:Enjoy every minute of life.

Good to see you arrived safe and sound.

P.S. Does everyone love Pegleg's Grilled Gulf Shrimp dinner as much as I do? lol

Not for me . . . . . not because I don't love them but have a shellfish allergy but others in the group will take up the slack . . . . I love the grouper myself!

Not for me . . . . . not because I don't love them but have a shellfish allergy but others in the group will take up the slack . . . . I love the grouper myself!


I cannot eat shrimp without a horrible reaction which lasts from a day to a week depending how much I ate.  We used to in the seventies drive over to biloxi, and they had these buckets of fresh shrimp which we would peel and eat.  I got in trouble at a Christmas Party each year held at a quite exclusive Country Club where they put out monster prawns which I would literally gobble down as many as It was sponsored by a title company where I ate everything Icould get my hands on.......the results were one to two weeks of massive intestine shut down.   I can eat lobster and crab claws with no problem, but it is so hard to avoid a food I just love.  I have no problem with grouper or amberjack.