Wednesday, October 7, 2009

October -- More Good News

Friends and Family,

Hello. Hope all is well in your worlds. Mine is good, real good actually. Went for my normal checkup with the doc this week. I was not expecting to have the "scope" again but Nicole told me with a smile the just wanted to "look around" and make sure everything was OK. (Not a bad idea considering all that I have been through) I was pretty uneventful, I know the drill and there was not discomfort at all. Bottom line: it ALL looks pretty good. Remember, I am still cathing myself 2-3 times a week and believe with all my heart that is what is keeping things open and working great. I asked Doc if that would be something I would have to do for the rest of my life and he said absolutely not. For me, it is a small price to pay and if I do have too for the rest of my life, it's no big deal anymore! But the really good news: blood test results came back and my P.S.A. count was .01, or as they say, UNDECTECTABLE !! WooHoo, God is so good to me. This was my fourth test since surgery and all is well. I had on my own let my script for Viagra go unfilled. In my opinion, I didn't think I needed it. I told Doc and we discussed the benefits of Viagra with regard to nerve regeneration. There have been so significant side-effects and fortunately the insurance company does pay a significant portion of the cost so......I am back on the pill! Bottom line is...it can only help and will not harm me to continue.

All this is great news for me and my family, the same is not true for many others. I spoke with a man yesterday who had a P.S.A score of 44+ and Gleason scores from his biopsy of 7's. His doc gave him but one option, radical prostetectomy and a 25% chance of a cure. If the surgery failed he was told he would have about 6 years. That breaks my heart. This brother is 5 years younger than me. I hope I can be there for him and his family. I know what my story and my situation is/was but that is no guarantee it will be the same for everyone. My mission is to tell my story, spread the word about Prostate Cancer preventions, treatments and cures. You have seen the banner on the home page of my blog, you can see the statistics. PLEASE do not believe "it won't happen to me" because it CAN HAPPEN TO YOU!! Get regular physicals, have your blood tested/screen for P.S.A. and if symptoms present themselves, GET TO THE DOC NOW !

I know I sound preachy but that's OK. I have two sons and two grandsons who now have a family history of prostate cancer. You can count of them hearing alot of my "preaching" as long as there is breath in me!

I love you ALL and thank you for loving me through this time in my life, I could have never made it without the love of my family and friends and.....

THANK YOU LORD FOR YOUR BLESSINGS ON ME !