Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board It is good to be alive.

For those who have followed my sojourn I successfully had a radical prostatectomy surgery last Monday 7/16/07 at City of Hope. I say successful because I came through surgery well with expected adominal pain and the inconvience of a catheter and urine bag.I will have catheter removed Tuesday and find out the results of my pathology report.I am praying that all the margins around my prostate come back clear, meaning that the cancer was contained to the prostate membrane and that the removal of the prostate "cured" my cancer.
I am enjoying reading about everyones trips while I am tethered to a catheter attached to a urine bag that I carry around in a metal bucket because the kittens keep attacking it.I can't wait to be able to exercise and hike again.
Climbing Mt Whitney was more than just a trip up a mountain.To me it represented conquering cancer and any obstacle that life presents.My successful MW summit on 6/20/07 will carry me a long ways in life.

when you are all healed up, there are plenty of volunteers here who would go with you on a postop mental and physical victory hike back up Whitney . best wishes on speedy recovery. Harvey

DocRodneydog

I am happy to hear that your surgery was successful. I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. It was wonderful that you were able to get up Whitney in June before your surgery. Great accomplishment!

Sincerely,
MC

All the best, and good luck with the results!

-L

Congratulations on making it through your surgery. Hopefully the path report does reveal clear margins.

I was laughing out loud when I read the part about the kittens attacking your new equipment.

Rest for now and get ready to make another push in late September or early October (if your doc will allow it).

Keep kicking. We're on your side.

DocRodneydog,
We are all glad to hear that the surgery went well and that you were able to summit in June prior to the surgery.
Although many of us have not met you, I am sure most of us have you in our thoughts and are wishing you the best for a complete recovery and eradication of the cancer.
Maybe you will be able to join the hiking group on 9/15.
Best of luck!
Adam

Bad news on the path report. The margins were not clear so I will start radiation treatment in 4-6 mos after I am fully healed from the surgery. Not the news I was hoping for. Guess I'll just have to keep dealing with this cancer crap till its all gone.Dang. Double dang.

Sending you positive vibes man...keep fighting it and keep the positive attitude!

Chris

Hang in there, Doc! Everyone is hoping and praying for you.

My thoughts and prayers are also with you, Doc. I hope you get a chance to get to the mountains between recovering from your surgery and your radiation treatments.

The best,
MC

I don't know you, but anyone who can climb Mt. Whitney can beat the hell out of any little ol' prostate cancer.

Hang tuff, you'll get through this.

Thanks for all the words of encouragement. They really do help me feel impowered.I am not nearly as depressed today as i was yesterday when I got the "not so good" news. It will help to get healed up from my surgery wounds and start to exercise/hike again. I just may try for another summit between now and my radiation treatment. There is something cathartic just thinking about climbing the mountain again.

Doc,

So sorry to hear about your results.I hope you get well soon and return to the mountains. There is a book that may help you get through this, "Together on Top of The World" by Phil and Susan Ershler, the first couple to do the 7 Summits.Phil is a world class, first rate mountaineer/guide who started on Rainier. Phil battled Crohn's disease from childhood-which brutally attacks the digestive system- went through incredibly painful surgeries with nightmare complications, climbed Everest a 2nd time, then ended up with prostate cancer too. It's available on Amazon.com and is an excellent book for anyone.

My dad died of colon cancer so I am looking at a not so sure future too. Even when I don't make the summit, I just am so grateful at 62 to BE on the mountain with no health issues as yet!
Every day on the mountains good or bad is a godsend!

Doc-
Hang in there buddy!

I have a somewhat similiar story. Tumor in my colon found in March 2006, surgery in April (praying for full containment), surgery found that the tumor had grown outside of my colon = stage II cancer (slight chance of possible cell "leakage"), started chemotherapy in May for 6 months.

Now the good news - recovered from chemo and began climbing with my son in June. Have summitted 10 14'ers so far this summer.

There WILL BE better times ahead. Just need to take a break and let them bombard those pesky cancer cells for a while!

All the best,
Climbstrong

Hi Doc;
I went through this in 03/05, and so far so good. Haven't been up Whitney since, but did do Conness last Summer. Good luck to ya. You have lots of company in this business...

Adrian