Age 75, general health good. Hypertension under control by various
medications. Heart attack in 2001 treated with angioplasty with stent.
Second angioplasty with stent in 2006. Aortic aneurysm discovered and
repaired in 2006

2000 and before - PSA generally .75 to 1.0
2001 - to 2004 PSA increases from 1.1 to 3.0
2005 - PSA goes to 5.3

Late 2005 - Biopsy scheduled. The night before biopsy, take some stuff
                                                   to clean out
intestine. Take one anti-biotic pill (continue for
six days). On the day of biopsy, take one valium.

The biopsy consisted of the usual 12 "shots". Whatever anesthetic
he used, seemed to work because the pain was very minor. What was
surprising was the noise of the insertion device. It sounded like
a pneumatic nail gun used by a roofer. When he did the first one, I
flinched at the sound and he stopped and asked me if it hurt. I said not
really and he continued. The whole procedure took about 20 minutes

After the procedure, I took tylenol for a couple of days. I wasn't in
any real pain but it was slightly uncomfortable. Also blood in
urine for about 3 days and in semen for about 6 weeks.

Biopsy shows inconclusive results. Urologist wants to run another
biopsy in early 2006. Due to other medical complications, second biopsy
not done at that time.

Late 2006 - PSA now at 9.2. Second prostate biopsy performed.

Early 2007 - Second prostate biopsy results show two localized spots of
cancer in prostate. Urologist suggests that the condition is very
treatable with seed implants. Other alternatives were also discussed but
seed implants sounded the most logical for me. It may not be logical for
you.

Early 2007. After Cat Scan, consult with brachytherapist who explains
the procedure and how they use a template to place the seeds. He
explains that both he and the urologist work together to perform the
operation. He explains that he has done over 3000 implants and has a 95%
success rate.

Mid 2007  - Operation takes place

Seed Implant Progress

Seed Implant
Day -1 - Take some stuff to clean out the bowels
Day  0 -

Arrive 8:00am - Enter holding area and hooked up to intravenous lines
       8:30 anesthesiologist explains that he will use general anthesia
       9:00 Walk into OR. Present were the urologist, brachytherapist
and anesthesiologist plus about four other people. About 70 seeds implanted.
       11:00 Wake up in holding area. No pain
       11:30 Pee with some difficulty. Catheter not required. Hooray!!
       12:30 Wheelchair out to car. Son drives me home.
             Afternoon and evening, take Percoset to prevent pain

Day 1 - Pee with some difficulty - red from blood and medication -
continue Percoset and Flomax plus Phenazoyradine (for urinary irritation
- makes you pee red)

Day 2 - Pee erratic but no real problem. Use pee strainer for one week
to catch any seeds that are being ejected. None found. - Continue
medication from day 1

Day 3 - Pee improving and switched from Percoset to Tylenol.

Day 4 - 7. Continue medications. Pee function improves slowly. I note
some discomfort when I mow the lawn sitting on my lawn tractor. Extra
Tylenol and a pillow solve that problem.

I have some anal itch and treat it with 1% hydracortizone.

Day 8 - Office visit with urologist and he is pleased with my recovery.
He says it is above average.

Day 8 - 30: Reduce  Tylenol to zero, continue Flomax and 1%
hydracortizone. Mowing lawn still a little uncomfortable. Continued use
of pillow. Pee function continues to improve.

Day 45 - Post-Op Cat scan done. Continue Flomax and 1% hydracortizone

Day 60 - Results of Cat Scan state "radiation dose covered prostrate
adequately which provides great reassurance that enough radiation was
delivered."

Day 65 - Pee function back to normal and possibly better then pre-op.
Perhaps that is due to continued use of Flomax. Anal itch/discomfort is
gone. Only thing left might be solved with Viagra but, at 75, I'm not
concerned about that at this time.

Next step: at 120 days the PSA will be checked to if that has been
reduced and by how much. Fingers crossed.

Be advised that was is described above is unique to my situation and
cannot be generalized to the entire population of 75 year olds. However,
I present it as evidence to others that the seed implant was really no
big deal and was not particularly painful, at least to me. Hopefully,
there will be a positive outcome.

Sorry that I don't have any information on Gleason or other measurments
as I did not discover this NG until a month after the procedure and
wasn't smart enough to ask the urologist what those measurements were.