‘Princess Bride’ Star Mandy Patinkin, 72, Is “Radically Unqualified To Give Advice,” So Why Not Launch A Podcast

“Hello friends, big news … after experimenting with a pilot, thanks to the help of many of you, we are moving forward and we are making out podcast with the stupendous, one and only, Lemonada Media,” Mandy Patinkin explains in footage shared on him and his wife’s joint account.

“It’s an advice podcast called ‘Don’t Listen To Us’ and it will be premiering this fall. Yes, we are radically unqualified to give anyone advice about anything – except when it comes to me making suggestions to me wife … We are a mess as individuals and as a couple together for over 47 years.”

He concluded, “But who isn’t a mess? So, let’s figure it all out together.”

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A post shared by Mandy Patinkin & Kathryn Grody & sometimes Gideon (@mandypatinkin)

Grody then chimed in, “Please, send us suggestions and we’ll do out best to answer them or see what it rigs up for us for realizing we have no answers … questions about love, life, art, bewilderments, aging, pasta … and anything else we can’t think of are all welcome.”

She then noted that their goal is “to learn a bit more about being human and to perhaps feel a little bit less alone in this world.”

More information on Patinkin and Grody’s new podcast was further explained in the caption, which read, “If you’d like to help us make this first season we’d be most grateful. We’ve been moved over the years by all the stories our followers have shared in their comments and we’d love to be in conversation with you.

“Share a question, problem, experience, triumph, absurdity, dilemma, regret or piece of bad advice you’ve gotten in the past. Send an email (200 words or less ideally) or voice memo (2 minutes or less ideally) to askmandyandkathryn@gmail.com, or record at the LINK IN OUR BIO! Simply click on the button to record and make sure you aren’t too far from your (micro)phone.”

The caption continued, “In addition to selecting recordings we’ll be in touch with some folks to be in conversation for the show. This will be a small percentage of contributors, but If you’re comfortable with that, make sure to leave us a way to reach you.

“Just a few notes: You don’t have to be funny or interesting or smart or charming or edgy. We are just excited to hear from you! If you are willing to share with us just know that whether we use it in the show or not we deeply appreciate you making the effort to connect.”

Patinkin and Grody’s post concluded, “Here’s to trying something new, being in community with each other and making stuff with family and friends! See you on the other side! And thanks @lemonadamedia for diving into this with us. Kathryn, Mandy, Gideon, Debbie Pacheco and @katrina.onstad (our two fantastic producers).”

Fans were delighted to hear the news, with one commenting, “Oh my gosh! I cannot wait to listen to this podcast! Your impromptu videos have been such delights. They always make be smile and laugh – which we all certainly need more of these days!”

Another fan said, “OMG! I will be sure to listen!!! Ya’ll are adorable and are so authentic! Look forward to hearing you in the fall!

A third commented, “For the past five years, you two (with Gideon at the camera) have offered comfort and laughter while giving us a place to rage and cry together. Now, something to look forward to in the fall. Thanks for the genuine smiles and tears, can’t wait to listen for 45-70 minutes at a time!!”

While a fourth supporter chimed in, “The 3 of you warm my heart and fill it with all the joys and light of walking through this crazy life.”

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A post shared by Mandy Patinkin & Kathryn Grody & sometimes Gideon (@mandypatinkin)

Mandy Patinkin’s Cancer Battle

We’re delighted to see Mandy Patinkin has wife Kathryn Grody supporting each other through life and their new podcast, which comes years after Patinkin’s battle with prostate cancer.

Patinkin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March 2004 at age 51, just about the same age his father died of pancreatic cancer about 30 years prior.

“I felt lightheaded and overwhelmed, and I was weeping on the phone,” he explained to Coping Magazine about learning his diagnosis.

Thankfully, Patinkin’s cancer was found early, and he underwent a successful radical prostatectomy, the surgical removal of the entire prostate gland plus some of the tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles (the glands that make most of the fluid for semen).

RELATED: Second (& Third) Opinions Matter When Deciding Between Surgery or Radiation

Undergoing the procedure was a significant decision, largely due to his concerns about how it might impact his sex life. Ultimately, Patinkin chose to move forward after his doctor reassured him that he would still “be able to have a sexual life.”

A Healthy Sex Life Is Possible Following Prostate Surgery

“What’s more important, having a sex life or getting rid of cancer?” he said.

Many men facing prostate cancer wonder about how it may affect their sex lives. Our experts want you to know that yes, you can have a good sex life after prostate cancer treatment.

A large percentage of men suffer from problems in the bedroom, or sexual side effects, as a result of radiation or surgery. Some men may have trouble maintaining an erection, while others can no longer have an erection at all.

But there are ways men can get back to being sexually active, says Dr. James Brooks, Chief of Urologic Oncology at Stanford Medicine.

There are several different medications on the market that work for prostate cancer survivors. We’ve all heard of Viagra and Cialis, as well as different devices including the Vacuum Erectile Device (VED). A prosthesis is also an option.

“Prostate cancer can require couples to think more broadly about their intimacy,” says Dr. Brooks, who suggests men talk about their situation with their urologist and perhaps seek counseling with a sex therapist.

Now on the other side of his cancer journey, Patinkin says “cancer was the greatest gift [he] was ever given.”

“I always appreciated my life, my wife, my kids, my music, the fact that I get to do what I love. But I took my life for granted. I would say I didn’t, but I did. I was kidding myself,” he explained.

“And after cancer, every day, including this second while I am talking to you, is precious to me, every sunrise and sunset, every walk in the park, every visit with my children, every time I hold my wife, every time I get to perform.”

Understanding Prostate Cancer

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s important to remember that most types of prostate cancers are treatable. According to the National Cancer Institute, the five-year survival rate of prostate cancer in the U.S. is 97.1%. There is, however, a small number of men whose type of prostate cancer may become unresponsive to treatment, for example, when cancer cells develop a resistance hormone therapy, the treatment may no longer work.

RELATED: Prostate Cancer: Overview 

Prostate cancer begins in the prostate the walnut-shaped gland located between the rectum and bladder that produces the fluid that nourishes sperm. Outside of skin cancers, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men with about one in eight men being diagnosed with this disease during his lifetime.

It’s important to remember a prostate cancer diagnosis is not always preceded by symptoms. And even when symptoms do occur, they can be inconsistent and hard to pinpoint.

“Prostate cancer is a very odd disease in that it doesn’t have a particular symptom,” Dr. Edwin Posadas, director of translational oncology and the medical director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai, told SurvivorNet.

Still, it’s important to note changes in urinary function, like urinating more or less often or waking up at night to go more than usual, could be a sign of prostate cancer. So, even if you think there’s nothing to worry about, always talk to your doctor about changes to your health when they occur.

There are many different treatment options for both early and later-stage prostate cancer including active surveillance, watchful waiting, surgery, radiation, cryotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy. The disease is one where doctors may have differing opinions on the best treatment path to take, so don’t hesitate to ask lots of questions and seek out multiple opinions.

Second (& Third) Opinions Matter When Deciding Between Surgery or Radiation

“I think it behooves the patient to have multiple discussions or second opinions, not only by the urologist who did the biopsy and diagnosed that man, but also with other surgeons and other radiation oncologist just to get a very circumspect view of what the treatment options are,” Dr. Jim Hu, a urologic oncologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, told SurvivorNet. “Oftentimes, I think patients need to understand that our health system is based a lot on fee-for-service medicine.”

“And so therefore, a lot of physicians, I think, who are very well intentioned, will believe that their treatment is best for that particular man,” Dr. Hu added.

Treatment Decisions After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

Although there are numerous treatments available for prostate cancer, what your doctor recommends will depend on what category of risk your disease falls under. Sometimes that may mean doing nothing at all.

Prostate cancer is a slow-growing disease, so unless it’s been a majorly delayed diagnosis and in a more advanced stage, medical experts will sometimes suggest actively monitoring the growth, and the patient will go in for check-ups every six months or whatever timeframe the doctor deems best.

Dr. David Wise, NYU Langone medical oncologist, explains how Gleason score affects treatment and prognosis

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines divides prostate cancer into one of six risk categories based on how aggressive the cancer looks under the microscope and the chance of it coming back after treatment. These risk categories help guide treatment for the different subtypes of prostate cancers.

The main risk categories for prostate cancer are:

• Very-Low-Risk (VLR) and Low-Risk (LR)
• Favorable- (FIR) and Unfavorable-Intermediate-Risk (UFIR)
• High-Risk (HR) and Very-High-Risk (VHR)

Prostate cancers classified as VLR or LR represent the least aggressive forms of cancer. This categorization will be diagnosed depending on number of factors, including:

• Your doctor can’t feel the cancer on a physical exam, or it occupies one-half or less of one side of the prostate
• Your PSA is less than 10
• Your total Gleason (which is how the prostate cancer is graded) score is 6
• If your cancer is categorized as VLR or LR, your doctor may recommend active surveillance, which is sometimes called “watch and wait.”

Dr. Nicholas Nickols, a radiation oncologist at the UCLA Department of Radiation Oncology, summarizes active surveillance as follows, ‘We carefully monitor the prostate cancer for evidence of progression or not, and then initiate treatment later, if at all.”

During active surveillance, you won’t receive any treatment but your doctor will key an eye on your cancer with a series of tests including:

• PSA Levels
• MRIs
• Repeat biopsies

It’s possible that your cancer may never progress to more aggressive forms of prostate cancer. Active surveillance should help your doctor catch any changes or progression.

RELATED: What is Active Surveillance?

Patients on active surveillance can be spared the side effects of pursuing the traditional ways of treating prostate cancer. If and when the disease becomes more aggressive, as indicated by a rising PSA, development of aggressive-looking disease on MRI, or increasing Gleason score, it can then be treated with surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of these therapies.

Dr. Edwin Posadas tells you what clues might signal that you have prostate cancer

Questions for Your Doctor

If you have experienced symptoms associated with prostate cancer or have a screening coming up, here are some questions you may ask your doctor:

• If I have elevated PSA levels, what could be causing that besides cancer?
• How long will it take to learn if my PSA levels warrant further testing?
• What are the treatment options that are best suited for me based on my risk level?
• What financial resources exist to help me with the costs associated with treatment?
• How long will my potential treatment prevent me from working or continuing normal activities?

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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