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Gary,
I can certainly understand the two areas of concern. With regard to the urinary function I know that I experienced a much improved flow, but my memory is not so distinct on how quickly that came about. My sense is that things are quite likely to improve as the immediate effects of the trauma from surgery dissipate.
On the second point I believe it is common to have some cancer outside the prostate, and/or some positive surgery margins in those who have cancer in the seminal vesicles like yourself. It's good that you don't, though somewhat unusual. My suggestion is that you get involved with your surgeon in a good discussion about his plan for going forward. And get yourself a written copy of the pathology report. And then it is likely you'd want to take that pathology report along with the knowledge you acquire from discussion and speak with another first rate urologist/surgeon about his views on the suggested path of action going forward. Your surgeon will certainly recognize that this is not a cut and dry situation, and should be able to support you in your effort to get further opinions (which may be fully supportive of what he is proposing).
Do keep in mind that currently you need to recover more fully from the surgery, and no further treatment will be suggested for a couple months anyhow. So you have plenty of decision time, which means learning more now and not rushing to decisions.
Gary,
You should get copies of all your medical reports and learn enough to read, understand them and understand what the radiation oncologists are thinking. You would be graded T3B post operation. Your post op PSA is important to the decision as to what to do next. Less than .04 and the oncologist may take the wait and see approach and if more than .05 they will probably suggest a round of radiation treatment. Some oncologists will just automatically do a round of radiation with T3B but if your PSA goes to less than .02 in about four months then I would wait until it goes back up to .19 (it might not) before getting the radiation as it seems to make no difference to the outcome.
Also, it is good to understand "surgeon speak". When he says you'll be OK 90% of the time he really means for the first two years at which point he will never see you again. You are probably really only 50% OK for ten years. My surgeon said it was great; "a textbook case" (he didn't say which chapter of the textbook though) which really meant worse than he was expecting.
