My name is Robert and I’m a prostate cancer survivor. On a personal note, I’m 56 years old, I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and I’m currently a resident of Blackwood, New Jersey. Separated with a son aged 22 a recent college graduate and starting his first job. So I feel free from debt for the first time in probably four years.
In telling you my story I recall it was about four years ago. In fact, it was around Thanksgiving, in November of 1995, I had just had my regular checkup with my doctor. And I had a prostate cancer test, a PSA or Prostate Specific Andogen test, which is a blood test, and that was part of my normal routine, which I’ve been doing since about age 50. And thought nothing of it. My doctor called while I was out of town and indicated on my message service that I needed to call him back. And since he’s not revered for his bedside manner, it was kind of scary to hear him with such urgency in his voice to give him a call back, which I did. And what he said was he wanted me to come for a consultation, which I did. And at that time he wanted me to have further tests because my PSA had elevated from about 3.5 to about 4.3, since the last time. It wasn’t so much it was such a dramatic increase numerically, but the rapidity with which the number had gone he had some concern about how fast it had risen in the three months prior since I had my last examination.
Confirmed suspicions
It was his recommendation at that time that I go see a urologist who was going to give me a biopsy, and immediately there was cause for great concern. I was scared. I’ve always been reasonably healthy so the idea of further tests was somewhat scary and I went and had the biopsy. And I remember going into this rather dark, chilly room, and there were about two or three people, one was a technician. And there were some graduate students standing around. I guess they were residents, and they were going to watch and observe the biopsy that was being taken. Ultrasound, I think it was called, not a biopsy. Ultrasound. And I remember this lady inserting this instrument, in my rectum, and she indicated to me that this would show the inside on a screen if there was any evidence of cancerous cells, then she would immediately call the doctor in. And I remember feeling most uncomfortable and feeling most unmanly with this female technician. And in fact, no sooner than she had this instrument in me than one of the residents kind of streaked and suggested that there was something he or she saw at the time. Well about 30 seconds later the doctor came in, and he began the process of giving me the biopsy, which was a matter of clipping off tissues. …read the rest of this entry»

Sorting out personal issues

NEAL:
Hello, and welcome to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Survivors Network, a service created by and for cancer survivors. I’m your discussion leader, Neal Sofian. We have three guests on the phone today who will give us some insight into the issues of being African-American and having cancer, and understanding that the African-American community is not a singular community but is actually a diverse collection of communities, each with its own unique needs. Also, we’ll discuss ways to help yourself and take care of others.
Before we move to our guests, I’d also like to introduce my cohost, Michael Samuelson. Michael is the chairman of the National Consumer Advisory Council of cancerfacts.com, and is also a breast cancer survivor. Welcome, Michael.
MICHAEL:
Thanks, Neal. It’s a pleasure to be here. And this will be a very interesting show. We talk a lot about cancer in general, and specifically within the disease, but also there are some cultural differences, and it’s important to take a look at both the differences and the similarities. So we have our first guest, Freeman, from Southern California. Hi, Freeman.
FREEMAN:
Hi, how you doing?
MICHAEL:
I’m fine. Thanks for joining us. Freeman, you are 67 and a prostate cancer survivor, is that right?
FREEMAN:
Yeah, well, I’ve added a birthday since the last time we chatted and I’m now 68.
MICHAEL:
Good for you. Every one of those birthdays are reasons to celebrate. I also understand that you have not been sitting back and just resting, but that you are very actively involved in the whole advocacy issue of cancer, and that you are the director of the Prostate Activities for Marin County. Is that right? …read the rest of this entry»