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It takes 10-15 minutes to receive high-dose radiation. This is done in order to kill cancerous cells. It is not painful and only has a few minor side effects, but it can save your life. Credit: VesnaArt/Shutterstoc| Credit: VesnaArt/Shutterstoc
To begin, I want to stress the importance of regular medical exams to detect any illness in time and treat it appropriately.
Many people, like myself, are healthy or seldom get sick. Therefore, going to the doctors for a checkup is something that we don’t worry about very often.
Although I noticed a change in my urination pattern and frequency for many years, no other symptoms were present, so I didn’t pay attention. My family, including both my son and wife, noticed and asked me repeatedly to have a medical exam, which involves a few fingers in a very intimate area.
No reason to finger
Not that I’m special, but my genitals, and other places, are susceptible. My response was, “no”, I don’t want anyone to transgress my body.
One day I learned about the prostate-specific antibody (PSA) blood test. It is done by taking a very small amount of blood. PSA is the protein produced or generated by a gland in the male reproductive system called prostate.
If I recall correctly, last year around September, my former partner in business, Anthony Burr told me: “Ollie don’t be stupid and get a PSA test immediately.”
I gave in to the pressure and had myself checked for prostate cancer using a pinch of an e-pin and not a doctor’s finger. I was delighted. Actually, delighted.
The results came in October. Normal PSA scores for someone my age, which is 62, are between 1.0 and 1,5, but shouldn’t exceed 4.0. Anything higher would indicate that there may be a problem and that you should see a doctor.
High-risk prostate cancer
My score came back at 54.5. “You are at the edge of metastatic disease,” my Urologist told. “I have to check your prostatic.”
What do you mean?” I asked, still in denial. How does your exam work? Dumb question. I understood perfectly what you meant.
Then he put on gloves and I started to tremble. He then smeared lubricant on his gloves, and asked me to bend over to check for a prostate tumour.
I asked ingeniously, “Can you see if there is a tumor by looking at me with your fingertips?” Naturally, I knew what the answer would be. I guess I was just trying to put off the inevitable.
I bent over, and the doctor approached me from behind and started applying lubricant there, where it feels funny or more like weird or odd to be touched—and by a man. You know what I’m thinking. I am either being stupidly macho or just plain silly.
Then I began to resist and move, and he finally said: “Olivier, since you’re not cooperating, we’ll need to perform a biopsy.”
I was so nervous, I responded saying, “Doc, it would be nice if you asked me out for dinner and drinks before sticking your fingers up my ass.” He didn’t find it funny at all.
Cancer will touch us all
The Urologist said, “Olivier you have prostate cancer at high risk.” You are very close to the fatal metastatic stage.
He said that I had two options: surgery or chemotherapy. He advised the former. We all know that chemo can be very aggressive. I decided to opt for surgery within a few moments.
As soon as I began walking, my eyes started to water, drenching my cheeks and lips. Even my jawline was affected. I was blind. I was emotional distraught. Karina, my wife, grabbed hold of me as I was about collapse and reassured that everything would be okay. I felt it best to just die for some reason. I felt dejected and disappointed. I blamed myself for it. I began to punish myself mentally and emotionally.
It was at this time that I realized how important family really is. Their empathy, love and moral support. This in and of itself started a healing process.
‘Please do it now!’
The Urologist prescribed Bicalutamide. This is a hormonal therapy that chemically castrates males to help reduce the cancerous tumor in the prostate. It is obvious that it interferes with erections. He prescribed Decapeptyl semi-semestral injection, and said to prepare for the surgery.
A friend from Mexico suggested I take aloe and mix it with royal honey and medicinal honey. I was instructed to take this three times a daily.
I started telling myself that I was completely free from all diseases. I did a PSA again a week prior to my scheduled surgery. The PSA test came back at 2.4, down significantly from 54.5. The doctor said that I wasn’t fine. “However,” he said, you now meet the criteria of radiotherapy. Only 20 sessions. It’s much more aggressive than chemotherapy and surgery.
It is not possible to say that I am cancer-free until I receive another PET scan. I also need to undergo medical checks and PSA tests every six months in order to confirm the cancer hasn’t returned.
Please check yourself. Check yourself now. You will be shocked to learn that you have prostate cancer. But you will be fine.
