this was posted at another newsgroup in the year 2000.  another voice in
added to what we had seen and heard, but might find it worth
reading.........

~ curtis
============================

Date: 09 Aug 2000 22:44:19 -0500

In April of this year my 38 year old
husband of 16 years was diagnosed with prostate cancer. After
researching all options we decided on radical prostatectomy for a cure
instead of treatment due to his age and type of cancer. So far recovery
has been great and things are improving daily. I thank God for letting
us find the cancer in an early stage before it reached the lymphnodes. I
love my husband dearly and would stand by him through anything. Now my
questions begin though and I have no where to turn for answers but here
and would appreciate any help I can get to try to understand what we are
going through. Without a nerve sparing procedure the doc told him he
could try viagra and penis injections which should work. First we had no
luck with the viagra but the doc wanted him to continue to use it daily
100 mg. and said "USE IT OR LOSE IT". That got expensive with no help
from insurance. Then we began the shots Edex which were costly too and
seemed to hurt my husband alot.The shots produce an erection we are able
to have intercourse with but not rock hard. We did not believe the doc.
when he said my husband would be able to reach an orgasm without an
erection but found this to be true. The doc told him if I was not around
go to the bathroom and do it himself but to use it daily. He is able to
take the viagra and reach an orgasm without an erection. But when he
takes the Edex and tries to have intercourse he can not reach one. The
pain from the shots come afterwards so its not the pain keeping him from
reaching one. This is the hard part for me. Is it me? I know he has went
through a major change and things will never be the same but it's hard
for me as a woman to understand. It makes me feel there is something
wrong with me. The doc. gave him a precription for ppp or trimix which
should be less painful afterwards and cheaper.Soon we will try them. I
realize these men that go through this have been through alot but seldom
do people know how much the wives go through. Being so young I was
always use to my husban <<message ends >>
(Anoymous)
===============================

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional    
"Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is
invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so."