Don Swinford, Fayetteville, GA Surgery: December 2008
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A week before I was scheduled to run the Big Sur International Marathon, I found out that that my PSA
was a little elevated. I didn’t know much about PSA, but I did know I was in the best shape of my life.
This PSA thing must have been a fluke. After competing Big Sur, which is one of the most difficult
higher and it was recommended that I have a biopsy.
Over the course of the next 6 months, I had several blood tests and two biopsies. It was after the
second biopsy on October 26th that it was determined that I had prostate cancer. I refer to that date as
TEN26. It’s a day I will never forget. It’s the day I discovered a few things about my life: the true
meaning of friendship, the love and support of my family, and the strength and peace that only God can
give. It’s the day I became a survivor! Having cancer didn’t freak me out, but the side-affects of
incontinence and impotency did bother me a little (more on those topics in later posts).
Quickly I learned that researching my treatment options was difficult. I couldn’t get a health care
professional to give me an objective solution based on my age, Gleason score, staging, quality of life
issues, etc. Everybody had the best deal for me. I was facing The Great Prostate Procedure Shootout! I
realized that it was my body, my life and I had to make the decision on which treatment solution was best
for me. So I decided to dig deep. I spent hours on the internet, read books, talked with cancer
survivors, and visited one of the best cancer hospitals in the world.
It was during this time of research that I found out about a doctor at Ohio State University, James
Cancer Center. This doctor was the only one that would call me back and/or email me when I had
questions (which was frequently). We made a connection right away. And after 5 weeks of digging,
discussing, and praying I scheduled surgery at OSU. It was pretty simple: I flew in to Columbus, Ohio on
Monday night, pre-op appointment on Tuesday, and surgery on Wednesday, and back to the hotel on
Thursday, catheter removed on Monday and back home on Tuesday.
Here’s the long story short – I was never in pain, I was walking around the OSU campus the day after
surgery, and my recovery exceeded my expectations. Three weeks after my surgery I was back at the
gym – lifting weights, running, and doing sit-ups. I must admit the sit-ups were a little painful the first
couple of days, but the doc told me to do anything I wanted, so I did. I returned to work after 2 weeks.
Since my surgery I have run 5 marathons and countless other events.
In closing, the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System is considered the finest equipment for robotic
prostatectomy and OSU is the premier hospital for this surgery*. But more impressive than the
equipment and the hospital are the people. The doctor and his medical team are incredible. They are
professional, caring, and the best in their field. I’m convinced that this is the best robotic surgical team
on this planet. I feel fortunate and blessed and I thank God everyday for pointing me to OSU.
Link to Don's Blog: TEN26
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*Editor's Note: Dr. Patel moved from Ohio State to establish the
Global Robotics Institute in Florida in January 2008.
Global Robotics Institute in Florida in January 2008.
