Why I chose Laparoscopic Prostatectomy

Surgery day will be Wednesday March 2nd. I found these links very helpful:

• How is prostate cancer staged?: Me: PSA = 5.1; Gleason = 7; T1c
• Six different options available for the treatment of prostate cancer
• For newly diagnosed patients …
• Good FAQ site …
• Initial treatment of prostate cancer by stage
• Prostate brachytherapy
• Local Cyberknife: Allina health | Health East |
• Mayo Proton Therapy
• Treatment Comparison: Proton Therapy vs. CyberKnife
• Cyberknife Is Not Robotic Surgery Pro-surgery
• Robotic Surgery for Prostate Cancer

After careful consideration, the consultation with multiple individuals, and much reading (2 books plus much on the Internet (including the above):

• I personally interviewed three men who have received the diagnosis. One chose Cyberknife, another Proton Therapy, and another prostatectomy.
• Additionally we had a lot of 2nd hand testimonies that were in the form of "my brother's experience" or "my Father's experience", et cetera. Examples:
• Jim S's father had the prostatectomy
• Eric E's friend had the brachytherapy
• Roy W's brother had radiation
• We met with a radiologist oncologist to discuss options
• And yesterday morning we met with a surgeon
• Based on our research and knowing that every man (and his wife if he is married) must make the best choice for them, we  chose surgery
• I chose surgery because:
• Pathological staging is not done with radiation (while with surgery the removed prostate can be examined in the lab).
• Prostate surgery is often not an option after radiation  
• I believe that with my age (66 ½) and expected lifespan (my Mother is nearly 96), that surgery is the better option for me.
• Surgeons will be Nathan Hoffman and Daniel Zapzalka
• At Methodist Hospital
• Using the da Vinci Surgical System (image above)
• We are:
  • Trusting the Lord: 1 Peter 5:7, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."
  • Confident: Philippians 1:6, "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ"
  • Optimistic: Romans 8:31, " If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
• Prayers appreciated!

Robotic surgery may be something like this ....