Ron's Story*
Step 1
Ron discovered what mattered
Ron (he/him) is a 63-year-old retired fireman who had been diligent about getting his PSA checked and was devastated when diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was facing surgery and worried about losing his independence, dignity, and quality of life.
Before his surgery, Ron attended for two pre-op consultations after his urologist said this was a very important part of his management. His Prostate Cancer Distress Screening revealed significant distress at 8/10. This created an opportunity to explore how Ron was feeling about his unexpected cancer diagnosis, the upcoming surgery and possibility of being incontinent. Using real-time transperineal ultrasound to assess his perineal, urethral sphincter and pelvic floor muscle activation, Ron realised he had poor awareness and connection with these muscles. Ron was also asked to complete a baseline bladder and fluid intake diary.
Following his surgery, Ron was experiencing urine leakage requiring 3-4 pads. Leakage was occurring with all movement, especially worse with coughing and bending forwards to put his shoes on.
Ron's Pelvic Health Goals:
- To understand what will happen after surgery so I'm not caught off guard.
- To maintain my daily walks - they're important for my mental health.
- To be able to go out for dinner with my wife without worrying about accidents.
- To get back to my gardening, it’s my happy place.
- To eventually travel again - we have trips planned. We love to see the world together.
Step 2
Ron restored what mattered
Pre-surgery education about what to expect post-operatively and having a plan in place gave Ron confidence heading into his procedure. Improving his pelvic floor muscle awareness through biofeedback helped him to feel he was contributing to this post-op recovery.
Post-surgery, Ron diligently tracked his leakage through pad weighing, attending appointments with impressive graphs. We progressed his pelvic floor muscle training program into functional situations especially gardening and walking. He agreed to see a psychologist to explore his mood. Gradually, Ron progressed from multiple pads per day to no pads overnight and smaller daytime protection. He was then able to increase his walking and return to weight training.
Step 3
Ron enjoyed what mattered
Five months post-surgery, Ron was walking further every day with reduced protection and enjoying dinner dates with his wife with confidence. He worked steadily toward his goals of returning to his beloved gardening and planning the travel adventures he and his wife had put on hold. He achieved full continence at 8 months post-surgery and was looking into treatments for his erectile dysfunction. Ron proved to himself that prostate cancer treatment didn't have to mean giving up the life he loved.