Re: Welcome, muditametta@...!

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the welcome msg. Joe

>

> Welcome to the club no one wants to join.

>

> I have some suggestions that will help to make well-informed

> decisions.

>

> Anecdotes contributed by other patients can be interesting, but

> should never, ever, be relied upon as authority for one's own

> decisions. In other words, what helps me might harm you and vice

> versa.

>

> " Find people who are more interested in helping you to learn than

> teaching you what *they* think you need to know. "

> -- Young, PCa Mentor

> Phoenix 5

>

> There is a lot to do.

>

> (1) If applicable, I recommend having the biopsy specimens

> examined by

> a pathology lab that specializes in prostate cancer (PCa). Everything

> that is done from here on depends upon the accuracy of the Gleason

> scoring. Here is a list of such labs:

>

> Bostwick Laboratories [800] 214-6628

> Dianon Laboratories [800] 328-2666 (select 5 for client services)

> Jon Epstein (s Hopkins) [410] 955-5043 or [410] 955-2162

> Jon Oppenheimer (Tennessee) [800] 881-0470

> Lucia (303)724-3470

>

> This is a " second opinion " and should be covered by

> insurance/Medicare. The cost, last I heard, was about $500. More

> if further tests, which might be prudent, are ordered.

>

> The chosen lab can give instructions on shipment arrangements.

>

> In civilized jurisdictions, those specimens are the property of the

> patient and not the medic, not the lab. Sometimes it is necessary to

> educate them on that point.

>

> (2) The authoritative website of the Prostate Cancer Research

> Institute (PCRI) at http://www.prostate-cancer.org/pcricms/

> is an excellent beginning.

>

> See also http://www.prostate-cancer.org/pcricms/node/126 if newly

> diagnosed.

>

> Some access to medics who specialize in treatment (tx) of PCa are

> listed via

> this portal: http://www.prostate-cancer.org/pcricms/node/38

>

> If a particular medic is not suitable due to distance (but there

> are men who travel thousands of miles for treatment) or

> otherwise, there is no harm and much possible gain in simply

> asking for a referral.

>

> There are also men whose primary medic is some distance away, but

> who receive their routine treatment (tx) near home.

>

> (3) I heartily recommend this comprehensive text on PCa: _A

> Primer on Prostate Cancer_ 2nd ed., subtitled " The Empowered

> Patient's Guide " by medical oncologist and PCa specialist

> B. Strum, MD and PCa warrior

> Donna Pogliano. It is available from the PCRI website and the

> like, as

> well as Amazon (30+ five-star reviews), & Noble, and

> bookstores. A lifesaver, as I very well know.

>

> (4) Personal contact with other patients can be very helpful. Local

> chapters of the international support group Us Too can be found via

> their website at http://www.ustoo.com/chapter_nearyou.asp

>

> Regards,

>

> Steve J

>

> " Empowerment: taking responsibility for and authority over one's own

> outcomes based on education and knowledge of the consequences and

> contingencies involved in one's own decisions. This focus

> provides the

> uplifting energy that can sustain in the face of crisis. "

> --Donna Pogliano, co-author of _A Primer on Prostate Cancer_,

> subtitled

> " The Empowered Patient's Guide. "

>