A message of hope for folks with prostate cancer -- my story
I'd always thought that a diagnosis of cancer would be nearly intolerable news for me to bear. Yet, when my urologist announced they found "a problem", I not only was not devastated but somehow relieved. It's kind of like knowing something is wrong with your computer. You know something isn't right but you're glad when you troubleshoot the problem and narrow it down to a particular cause. At that point, I knew my enemy was not a phantom menace but a thing with a name and a history and one that medicine, my doctor and I could fight.
It's not like the news came out of nowhere. I had already undergone three biopsies because of elevated PSA readings. With that, I had done some research at the library and on the Internet. Also, I spoke with guys who had already gone through what I was facing. Overall, my condition was not a death sentence.
Still, facing the words, "you have cancer" is a deep cut into one's psyche. It sticks like a tenacious and gooey patch of slime on everything you do and think about. Oddly, mitigating the circumstance was the fact that I was extremely busy with projects at work and home. Nothing like being overworked to dilute the spector of uncertainty that comes before cancer treatment. Working at a startup struggling to gain business and pay bills has a way of keeping one focused. The biggest comfort, however, was a supporting wife who accommodated my sometimes pissy attitude. Keeping me out of a funk was a chore she performed admirably and happily, at least happily from what I saw. Indeed, with her encouragement, I continued to work, go to the gym, do some traveling just as we planned before the diagnosis.
My doctor briefed me on the number of ways to proceed. As with most guys my age, I selected prostatectomy -- get rid of the house the bad guys live in. Two months after my diagnosis I underwent surgery. Two days later I was back home. Two weeks later I was back at work and back in the gym.
As is the norm, they undergo an inspection of the organ after the prostatectomy. The pathology on my prostate is so-so. Unfortunately, the cancer wasn't fully contained within the prostate. Some cancer was on the surface. I will continue to undergo testing. My doctor assures me that with a watchful eye on the blood tests, we'll be able to nail this thing down.
Today is the end of my "recovery" period and feel great. OK, I don't place the pin in the weight machines as highly as I did pre-op but I'm working towards it. I'm looking forward to some more traveling. I'm up to my incision in work at home and at the office so I feel "useful".
Having talked to folks who are years beyond their own surgery, I'm encouraged at the stories of total recovery. "As if I'd never had cancer at all," one said. I'm looking forward to visiting Yosemite next month and Lake Tahoe a month beyond. A bike trip in Italy next year is on the agenda as is a trip to Canada. Things are also looking up at work as the business picks up. Mabye i'll even start getting paid. Life is good.
It's not like the news came out of nowhere. I had already undergone three biopsies because of elevated PSA readings. With that, I had done some research at the library and on the Internet. Also, I spoke with guys who had already gone through what I was facing. Overall, my condition was not a death sentence.
Still, facing the words, "you have cancer" is a deep cut into one's psyche. It sticks like a tenacious and gooey patch of slime on everything you do and think about. Oddly, mitigating the circumstance was the fact that I was extremely busy with projects at work and home. Nothing like being overworked to dilute the spector of uncertainty that comes before cancer treatment. Working at a startup struggling to gain business and pay bills has a way of keeping one focused. The biggest comfort, however, was a supporting wife who accommodated my sometimes pissy attitude. Keeping me out of a funk was a chore she performed admirably and happily, at least happily from what I saw. Indeed, with her encouragement, I continued to work, go to the gym, do some traveling just as we planned before the diagnosis.
My doctor briefed me on the number of ways to proceed. As with most guys my age, I selected prostatectomy -- get rid of the house the bad guys live in. Two months after my diagnosis I underwent surgery. Two days later I was back home. Two weeks later I was back at work and back in the gym.
As is the norm, they undergo an inspection of the organ after the prostatectomy. The pathology on my prostate is so-so. Unfortunately, the cancer wasn't fully contained within the prostate. Some cancer was on the surface. I will continue to undergo testing. My doctor assures me that with a watchful eye on the blood tests, we'll be able to nail this thing down.
Today is the end of my "recovery" period and feel great. OK, I don't place the pin in the weight machines as highly as I did pre-op but I'm working towards it. I'm looking forward to some more traveling. I'm up to my incision in work at home and at the office so I feel "useful".
Having talked to folks who are years beyond their own surgery, I'm encouraged at the stories of total recovery. "As if I'd never had cancer at all," one said. I'm looking forward to visiting Yosemite next month and Lake Tahoe a month beyond. A bike trip in Italy next year is on the agenda as is a trip to Canada. Things are also looking up at work as the business picks up. Mabye i'll even start getting paid. Life is good.
posted by sweeper at 12:21 PM
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