The Ups and Downs of One Man's Prostate Cancer Battle - Julio Pelaitai
January 3, 2023
Julio Pelaitai recounts his journey with prostate cancer, which began with a surprise diagnosis following regular checkups. Initially, his prostate appeared healthy, but a subsequent rise in PSA levels led to a biopsy revealing high-grade malignant cells. Faced with options of surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, Julio chose surgery, guided by his urologist. Post-surgery, elevated PSA levels indicated lymph node involvement, leading to further treatment discussions. Throughout his journey, Julio's wife has been a constant support, accompanying him to appointments, though he now prefers to attend alone. He acknowledges the psychological impact of losing virility but finds solace in the slow progression of prostate cancer. Julio emphasizes the importance of early detection and regular checkups, crediting them for his current state of health. Despite the initial shock of the diagnosis, he maintains a positive outlook, focusing on enjoying life and adhering to his treatment plan.
Biographies:
Julio Pelaitai
Biographies:
Julio Pelaitai
Read the Full Video Transcript
Julio Pelaitai: My name is Julio Pelaitai. I am 70 years old, a few days away from turning 71. I am married, and this is my first marriage, and I have three children. I... shall say, the initial diagnosis, took me by surprise because it followed two periods... in which I was having checkups more often, after the age of 50, periodically, annually, some months more, some months fewer. But I do remember very clearly my next-to-last checkup, when the ultrasound tech told me: "Well, man, you don’t need to get checkups so often because you have a beautiful prostate.” But then, after a year and a few more months later, my PSA began to go up.
Then they had me take a series of tests, and then they did a prostate biopsy, and that showed the presence of high-grade malignant cells. So, there, at that moment, up until then, I was always under the care, under the care of a professional, Dr. Jorge Abraham, who is a urologist, and he gave me different treatment alternatives at the time: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy. Well, talking to him, he said that the safest option was surgery. So, okay, I agreed to have it done, and we scheduled the operation for January 29, 2018. Well, then they operated on me... up until then, I always had the care, attention, and the very, very, very, very frequent company of my wife, who took me everywhere.
From then to the first checkup, I had the first post-op PSA, and it came out high. So, they asked me to get a PET scan. Then it came out that there were also some lymph nodes involved. Well, there again, Abraham. Dr. Abraham told me about the various possibilities, and, among them, again, surgery. So, there, with the biopsy in hand, I had already been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and so ... This took me by surprise, because I was coming out of periods during which I had frequent checkups. I did not expect it. I don’t think my family did either. My wife was the first to know because she is the one who was there with me at the time, when the same doctor told her that he didn’t like a part of the prostate tissue, but we then had to wait for the final pathology result.
When it came back, that’s when the real diagnosis was made. And so, then a series of guidelines are followed. Always in the company of my wife. Except for later visits. That, well, me… I personally prefer going to them alone, I didn’t need or want to see a psychologist, seek psychological support, or anything. From that moment on, I knew that… I mean, I knew that what I was losing was my virility, right? because obviously, I was losing my ability to achieve an erection, And so, I think that was a major shock. But it also calmed me down, the fact that I have always read that prostate cancer is one of the cancers that evolves more slowly, about death, right?
So that was, shall we say, a bit of a relief, that I experienced, very much despite the sadness of the cancer diagnosis, right? No, the decision … in this case… the decision regarding the various alternatives that Dr. Abraham offered me once the diagnosis was confirmed, Surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, I made the decision myself at that time, even though my wife was right by my side.
This led to a consequence, to the fact, already, previously, anticipated from the comment made to me during the biopsy, still not having the final pathology results, I started reading online about different types of things where, OK … they talked about what precisely had been confirmed to me, that... the evolution of the cancer was slow, and that’s good... and the various alternatives, which are the ones that Dr. Abraham presented me with, and that they also gave a hint that perhaps the safest was surgery.
Once that was done... Well, I opted for surgery. All the while knowing, I repeat, that I could lose my virility, right? I would say that, in this case, the most important thing is to think about what I can do to extend my... my life, my survival as much as possible, and have a good time. Because obviously, we live in a culture, where they tell us that cancer can be deadly.
In any case, now, with the scientific and technological advances that we are seeing, Today, I know people who... have had prostate cancer and who have died from something other than prostate cancer. I took it like that, meaning I took it, OK ... beyond the first shock that I talked about at the beginning, from when they told me: "Yes, you have prostate cancer."
Later, I realized that… that’s OK, I had it, I had to go through the treatment, and until now, I have followed their advice strictly, right? With everything they told me. With all of the analyses, the subsequent tests, radiation, follow-ups. Well, the other day, as a joke, I told the doctor that...I looked like a teenager because… My breasts had become enlarged due to the gynecomastia that all this produces.
And so … and to observe that, I repeat, that maybe for many people, it’s going to be a shock, a big one, losing their masculinity. I would tell them that, well, it’s part of life, but it is not all of it.
And the most important thing is to be happy with what you have, right? So, then, over the past five years, when the last PET scan showed the new migration of these malignant cells, well, Dr. Abraham told me: "I will always be there for you, but I would also like you to see the medical oncologist," and he referred me to Dr. Mauricio Fernández.
As a result, I have been in treatment for five months. And I have gone to these visits alone. But right away, my wife was anxiously waiting for me so we could talk about it. And then I told my children everything about it. And my children are very close to us, especially… All three are the same; I have three children. And especially my daughter, right? She is the one who always reminds me about the appointments," Asking me how I am. She even entered some web pages to talk, to read about alternative treatments. I haven’t accepted that yet.
But hey, right now... I’m receiving the therapy that was prescribed by Dr. Fernández, I continue to do what I was told to do by Dr Abraham, and now he has asked me in for a new checkup, let’s see how it goes, the evolution of the PSA. That would be the most important. But I don’t feel anything, and...
If we’re going to talk about mood, my mood today is the same as the first day, they told me that I had prostate cancer. I mean… As it is a diagnosis, let’s say, for which a lot of us men are very shocked, maybe that’s why it wasn’t so exclusive.
Julio Pelaitai: My name is Julio Pelaitai. I am 70 years old, a few days away from turning 71. I am married, and this is my first marriage, and I have three children. I... shall say, the initial diagnosis, took me by surprise because it followed two periods... in which I was having checkups more often, after the age of 50, periodically, annually, some months more, some months fewer. But I do remember very clearly my next-to-last checkup, when the ultrasound tech told me: "Well, man, you don’t need to get checkups so often because you have a beautiful prostate.” But then, after a year and a few more months later, my PSA began to go up.
Then they had me take a series of tests, and then they did a prostate biopsy, and that showed the presence of high-grade malignant cells. So, there, at that moment, up until then, I was always under the care, under the care of a professional, Dr. Jorge Abraham, who is a urologist, and he gave me different treatment alternatives at the time: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy. Well, talking to him, he said that the safest option was surgery. So, okay, I agreed to have it done, and we scheduled the operation for January 29, 2018. Well, then they operated on me... up until then, I always had the care, attention, and the very, very, very, very frequent company of my wife, who took me everywhere.
From then to the first checkup, I had the first post-op PSA, and it came out high. So, they asked me to get a PET scan. Then it came out that there were also some lymph nodes involved. Well, there again, Abraham. Dr. Abraham told me about the various possibilities, and, among them, again, surgery. So, there, with the biopsy in hand, I had already been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and so ... This took me by surprise, because I was coming out of periods during which I had frequent checkups. I did not expect it. I don’t think my family did either. My wife was the first to know because she is the one who was there with me at the time, when the same doctor told her that he didn’t like a part of the prostate tissue, but we then had to wait for the final pathology result.
When it came back, that’s when the real diagnosis was made. And so, then a series of guidelines are followed. Always in the company of my wife. Except for later visits. That, well, me… I personally prefer going to them alone, I didn’t need or want to see a psychologist, seek psychological support, or anything. From that moment on, I knew that… I mean, I knew that what I was losing was my virility, right? because obviously, I was losing my ability to achieve an erection, And so, I think that was a major shock. But it also calmed me down, the fact that I have always read that prostate cancer is one of the cancers that evolves more slowly, about death, right?
So that was, shall we say, a bit of a relief, that I experienced, very much despite the sadness of the cancer diagnosis, right? No, the decision … in this case… the decision regarding the various alternatives that Dr. Abraham offered me once the diagnosis was confirmed, Surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, I made the decision myself at that time, even though my wife was right by my side.
This led to a consequence, to the fact, already, previously, anticipated from the comment made to me during the biopsy, still not having the final pathology results, I started reading online about different types of things where, OK … they talked about what precisely had been confirmed to me, that... the evolution of the cancer was slow, and that’s good... and the various alternatives, which are the ones that Dr. Abraham presented me with, and that they also gave a hint that perhaps the safest was surgery.
Once that was done... Well, I opted for surgery. All the while knowing, I repeat, that I could lose my virility, right? I would say that, in this case, the most important thing is to think about what I can do to extend my... my life, my survival as much as possible, and have a good time. Because obviously, we live in a culture, where they tell us that cancer can be deadly.
In any case, now, with the scientific and technological advances that we are seeing, Today, I know people who... have had prostate cancer and who have died from something other than prostate cancer. I took it like that, meaning I took it, OK ... beyond the first shock that I talked about at the beginning, from when they told me: "Yes, you have prostate cancer."
Later, I realized that… that’s OK, I had it, I had to go through the treatment, and until now, I have followed their advice strictly, right? With everything they told me. With all of the analyses, the subsequent tests, radiation, follow-ups. Well, the other day, as a joke, I told the doctor that...I looked like a teenager because… My breasts had become enlarged due to the gynecomastia that all this produces.
And so … and to observe that, I repeat, that maybe for many people, it’s going to be a shock, a big one, losing their masculinity. I would tell them that, well, it’s part of life, but it is not all of it.
And the most important thing is to be happy with what you have, right? So, then, over the past five years, when the last PET scan showed the new migration of these malignant cells, well, Dr. Abraham told me: "I will always be there for you, but I would also like you to see the medical oncologist," and he referred me to Dr. Mauricio Fernández.
As a result, I have been in treatment for five months. And I have gone to these visits alone. But right away, my wife was anxiously waiting for me so we could talk about it. And then I told my children everything about it. And my children are very close to us, especially… All three are the same; I have three children. And especially my daughter, right? She is the one who always reminds me about the appointments," Asking me how I am. She even entered some web pages to talk, to read about alternative treatments. I haven’t accepted that yet.
But hey, right now... I’m receiving the therapy that was prescribed by Dr. Fernández, I continue to do what I was told to do by Dr Abraham, and now he has asked me in for a new checkup, let’s see how it goes, the evolution of the PSA. That would be the most important. But I don’t feel anything, and...
If we’re going to talk about mood, my mood today is the same as the first day, they told me that I had prostate cancer. I mean… As it is a diagnosis, let’s say, for which a lot of us men are very shocked, maybe that’s why it wasn’t so exclusive.