Cancer and moving forward

The two scariest conversations I've ever had with a doctor are 1) you're going to be a father and 2) you've got cancer! I'm still recoving from both!

I've hesitated to talk about this especially on a blog about online church evangelism. However, I changed my mind because:
1) I hope it might help some who might not know much about it but may need to
2) if you don't want to read it you're under no obligation, and
3) my doctor asked me to.

I was getting to "that age" when men have to undergo the "finger test"!* Most of my doctor appointments consisted of my getting blood tests done then meeting with him to discuss my "numbers". I always appreciated his knowledge and his great professional manner.

But I wasn't always convinced his knowledge was worth as much as my insurance paid him. However, during my first "finger test" and after the shock!!!, I said to him, "As far as I'm concerned, Doc, you just earned your money! Wasn't expecting THAAAAAAAAT!" (Imagine the sound of Jerry Lewis whining here....)

My GP wanted me to get a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) which to me as a laymen meant basically a blood test. The numbers came back slightly high. He sent me for another one...high again! He had me talk to a urologist, discussed my numbers and determined that surgery was probably the best alternative.

Before moving forward with surgery, he wanted me to talk to some doctors from nearby Yale Medical Center to hear from them what options were available, namely: 1) do nothing, die younger than I'd planned(?!), 2) try radiation (but, surgery wouldn't be an option if that didn't work) or 3) get it removed...which everyone recommended...because "you're so young". I thought if I heard that phrase one more time, I'd scream!!!

Ends up, (no pun intended) that I had to get a prostatectomy...or as I like to say, I was "gutted like a fish". Still have the 6" vertical incision up my front side. This was a little over 3 years ago (January 2007). Surgery went well. Stayed in the hospital about a week and for the most part, the experience was bearable.

By far the worst, and most uncomfortable part of the surgery and recovery was the catheter. I always feared if I didn't sit, lay down, roll over or walk exactly right I would puncture my bladder. I was assured that was unlikely but "unlikely" just didn't seem to be good enough. I still worried...

 ...to be continued...

* If you're too young to know what this is...consider yourself lucky...just wait! It's one of the "joys" of manhood.

Would appreciate hearing your thoughts about this...