From Bill L.
In June my annual blood work showed a slightly elevated PSA and my Primary Physician referred me to Morris Urology. There I met with Dr. Zimmerman, who after reviewing my history and PSA readings for the last three years explained how we would proceed. A week later I had the biopsy where he took thirteen samples. The next week seemed like a year and then when Dr. Zimmerman told me that one of the samples was 10% cancerous I was taken back because I was sure that I just had an enlarged Prostate. Dr. Zimmerman then assured me that because we had caught it so early all the treatment options were open to me and to come back in a week with my wife so that the three of us could talk about how we should proceed.

We sat down that night with Dr. Zimmerman and he reviewed all the test results and explained all the pros and cons of the various treatment options. This was a great relief to my wife and helped to reduce her anxiety. I took a couple of days to make my decision. Because of family obligations it was very important to me that I not be a burden to anyone else during my recovery. I was torn between having radioactive seeds and the robotic surgery. After reviewing everything I decided that the high dose radiation that went along with the seed implantation would be more disruptive to my life than having the surgery. I also kept thinking about what Dr. Zimmerman said that night. "If I remove the Prostate, the cancer will be gone and will never come back." In the two days I took to make my decision I saw three obituaries for men who had Prostate cancer return and one celebrity was back in the hospital for a reoccurrence of Prostate cancer. I was lucky that Dr. Zimmerman had a surgery opening in late August. After the surgery was scheduled I received a package from the office with all the details of the preadmission testing, pre surgery preparations and post surgery instructions. I had only one question and the office staff answered it promptly and took the time to double check just to make sure.

My surgery started on Thursday at 2:30 PM and I awoke in the recovery room at 6:30. I left the hospital at noon the next day. At 8AM Saturday morning I was pushing a cart around the A&P. I was sore and couldn't walk as fast as I normally do but I didn't have any pain. In fact I didn't have to take the pain killers prescribed or any other analgesic during my recovery. I was out of the house every day and felt more like my old self every time.

One week after the surgery I stopped in at work. I had been keeping up by email and phone but I wanted to stop to see everyone. At one point I found myself walking down a hall at my old pace and had to slow myself down. Ten days after the surgery Dr. Colton removed the catheter. I had no detectable urine leakage and sexual function started to return to normal a few weeks later.

Although I could have returned to work after the catheter was removed I took another week off just to make sure. I returned to work 19 calendar days after the surgery. I have had two PSA tests and both show the lowest reading possible. Except for six small scars I look and feel just like I did in June before the biopsy and I have not had to change a thing in my lifestyle.

So far everything has turned out not like I expected but what I had hoped for. Although I have been told that I am on the high side of the recovery curve I have to believe that it is Dr. Zimmerman's skill and expertise that determined this outcome.

I am so happy that my Primary Physician referred me to Morris Urology. I have never seen a more caring group of doctors and staff and I have told my friends that if they ever have a problem I will refer them to the best team in town.