Today marked an important milestone in my recovery journey.
Since my surgery on March 4th, I had only seen my primary care doctor—until today. This was my first follow-up with the surgeon/oncologist who performed my prostate removal. We had a really good, honest conversation, and I left feeling more informed and grounded in what comes next.
I’ll be real—before today’s appointment, I had already seen parts of my pathology report. Personally, I don’t think patients should receive that kind of information before their doctor has a chance to walk through it with them. It can lead to a lot of confusion and unnecessary stress. That said, today brought clarity.
The good news: the majority of the cancer was removed with the prostate, just as expected. Going into surgery, we knew it was a large tumor. What we learned after surgery is that the cancer, although downgraded to a Gleason 3, had spread just outside the prostate capsule into the seminal vesicle.
Because of that spread—and, as my doctor put it, my “young age”—radiation treatment is likely going to be recommended.
But not yet.
Right now, the focus is healing. We’re giving my body time to recover from surgery and for the incontinence to improve. I’ll return in about a month, where they’ll run bloodwork to check my PSA levels. The goal is zero. From there, we’ll make a more informed decision about whether radiation is truly necessary.
In the meantime, I’ve been told (and reminded 😅) to slow down a bit. No lifting over 10 pounds—yes, I’ve been pushing it—and to keep walking, which has been great for both my body and my mind.
The biggest challenge right now? Incontinence.
It’s frustrating, unpredictable, and honestly a little nerve-wracking. I’ve had one major accident so far—thankfully at home, in bed—but the fear of it happening while I’m out is real. Still, I’m determined not to let that stop me from living my life. One step at a time.
I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has reached out, checked in, followed my journey, and especially those who have continued to support me through my travel business—whether that’s booking trips or sending referrals my way. Staying busy has been one of the best things for my mindset during all of this.
If you or someone you know is going through this, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I spoke with several people before making my decision to have surgery, and those conversations meant everything. There are different treatment paths out there, but after my biopsy and scans, I knew removing the prostate was the right choice for me.
Cancer is no joke. It’s tough. It’s overwhelming. And yeah—cancer sucks.
But I will say this: the process today is far more advanced than it used to be. From what I’ve heard from others who went through this years ago, the difference is incredible. No drainage ports. No staples. Just five small incisions and one slightly larger one where the prostate was removed—all on my abdomen. It’s amazing what modern medicine can do.
And I’m grateful every day for my surgeon and the incredible team who took care of me.
We keep moving forward
