Month 10 - Reflection

Remember all those lost on this day 10 years ago.

And remember all those who have sacrificed so much bringing those responsible to justice.

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September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Nearly one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.  If you have a family member who has had prostate cancer, your chances of developing the disease increase significantly.

Do yourself and your family a favor: Don't put off getting checked.

Month 9 - Still Cancer Free!

Well, the headline just about says it all.  My PSA test came back undetectable!!  Woo-freakin'-hoo!

I have to admit that I really let this get to me over the last few days.  I was distracted and grumpy pretty much all week long as I thought about the "What if....?"

If the results came back showing an elevated PSA, that would mean a whole new ball game.  The PSA test is sensitive enough to detect the presence of cells containing the antigen, and those cells could be anywhere: the prostate bed (where the prostate used to be), the bones, the organs, the lymph system--anywhere.

So even though a PSA test can indicate the presence of cancerous cells, it doesn't tell us where they are.  We'd have to wait for the cells to multiply enough to where they may show up on an MRI, CT scan, or bone scan.  So selecting the right treatment option with the least short- and long-term side effects can be a real crap shoot.

Knowing that is why I haven't slept solidly since Saturday night.

The one thing that surprised me during the visit with the surgeon this afternoon was that he performed another DRE.  And I joked with him that he must be giving wicked DRE's because there were smelling salts taped to the exam room wall.  "Just bend over and lean on the table," he replied.

He wanted to make sure that nothing was growing inside that we needed to be concerned about.  There wasn't.  I appreciate his thoroughness.

So we go through this exercise again on Ground Hog Day (2.2.12) for the PSA test and the results on 2.9.12.

So I'll close with my version of a different kind of PSA (Public Service Announcement, not Prostate Specific Antigens):

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September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month!

Guys (and gals who love their guys), remember that September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

When's the last time you had your PSA tested or your prostate poked?  If you can't remember, then it's time to schedule an appointment with your favorite small-fingered doctor.

Thirty seconds of discomfort and a blood test saved my life.  They can save your life, too!

If you want to learn more about prostate cancer causes, prevention, and treatment, this book was particularly helpful in educating me:

Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide fo Surviving Prostate Cancer

Month 8 - New Schedule

It was 8 months ago today that I received my cancer diagnosis (the last post was the 6-month anniversary of the surgery), and things are going well enough that you can tell I'm struggling to come up with things of interest for a weekly post. 

So based on that, I think it's time that I switch to a monthly update; look for them on the 11th of each month.  Of course, if there's anything of any great importance that pops up, I'll let you know through email and a posting here.

Next month's update just happens to be on the same day that I get my PSA results, so that will certainly be a newsworthy day.

BIOLOGY AHEAD

The only thing of note is that my allergies seem to be kicking in this summer, and that means that if I have a sudden sneeze, I have an equal and opposite reaction on the other end.  We'll see how that plays out through the rest of the summer.  I'm not sure that I want to be in a Benadryl haze or go back to wearing pads, but if I have to, I have to.  Oh well.