avatarJD's Stories From the Mountain

Summary

A man shares his journey following a potential prostate cancer diagnosis, beginning with a routine doctor visit and leading to a scheduled Prostate MRI.

Abstract

The narrative, titled "One More Journey in Life," details the author's experience after a series of blood tests indicated rising PSA levels and a hardened prostate, suggesting the possibility of prostate cancer. Despite initial anxiety and conflicting information from his urologist regarding the seriousness of the condition for men over 70, the author remains hopeful with a 50/50 chance of the cancer being non-aggressive. The article concludes with the author scheduled for a Prostate MRI, which will provide more definitive answers.

Opinions

  • The author initially feels worried after learning about the potential cancerous spot on his prostate.
  • He finds some comfort in statistical data from a Harvard Medical Journal article, which suggests that prostate cancer in men over 70 is often slow-growing and non-aggressive.
  • The urologist's dismissive attitude towards the article and the reminder of a 50% chance of having cancer leaves the author feeling depressed.
  • The author is reassured by the possibility that his condition could be benign, as half of men have hard prostates without cancer.
  • He is optimistic about the upcoming Prostate MRI, as it will eliminate the need for guesswork regarding his condition.

Cancer

One More Journey in Life

Another story to be told. Part One.

Whether this story will have a good ending or not, I don’t know.

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

It began three weeks ago with a routine doctor visit. My doctor wanted to go over blood test results with me. Usually, he tells me to check the results online.

It was a chilly February morning here in the mountains when I arrived at his office. Over the previous few months, I had multiple blood tests done. These were the point of my visit a few weeks ago.

He had been charting my blood tests, four in six months. My PSA tests came back higher each time. After an exam, he said my prostate was hardened. He didn’t mince words, saying I might have a cancerous spot on the prostate.

I left his office, worried. Then, after reading about prostate cancer, I learned for men over 70, it’s usually not a worry. It’s typically slow-growing and not aggressive, usually, I said to my urologist. He said, “Don’t believe 50% of what you read”.

That made me depressed.

What I quoted to him was from a recent Harvard Medical Journal article. He didn’t care. He said a hardened prostate meant I had a 50% chance that cancer had been growing for a while. But then I could also be one of the 50% of men that normally have hard prostates.

This made me feel better. I’ll take 50/50 odds every day and win.

What’s next? I’m being scheduled for a Prostate MRI in the next couple of weeks. That makes me feel better. I’ll no longer be guessing.

So, The Journey begins.

Health
Cancer
Writing
Storytelling
From The Mountain
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