Bad news travels like wildfire,
Good news travels slow.
- "Bad News" by
Johnny Cash
The doctor called yesterday to inform me that I have
prostate cancer.
My wife and I happily hugged at the news!
Good news is in the eye of the beholder, if you'll forgive the mixed metaphor. A word of explanation is certainly in order, isn’t it?
The absolute best
outcome from my prostate biopsy would have been that I was cancer-free. Given
recent blood tests (PSA, 4K assay), indications were that I likely had prostate
cancer. The 4K assay result was that I had about a 50/50 chance of having an
aggressive cancer. As a result, I fully expected to have prostate cancer.
The good news was that I have a slower growing type of
prostate cancer. Of the 12 samples that the doctor took during my biopsy last
week, only two were cancerous.
My wife and I have an appointment in late October to discuss
treatment options. Radical prostatectomy is always an option with any cancer
diagnosis. I guarantee that that option is off the table as far as I’m
concerned!
The doctor only mentioned one treatment option in our phone
conversation. That was radiation therapy. He said that radiation had improved a
lot over the years.
I trust this urologist. We will listen carefully to the
possible treatments and make an informed decision on how to proceed.
I have always been a glass half-empty kind of guy. Not really
a pessimist, but what I consider to be a realist. Still, it seems ironic to be
celebrating a cancer diagnosis. Retired life has certainly been interesting!
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