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Wednesday, February 22, 2017

The "Yesterday .... All My Troubles Seemed So Far Away! : Part V - I'll Say A Prayer For You" Story

Foreword:  Previously I told of the day I found that I had prostate cancer.  I have decided to take you along with me on my journey to try and conquer the disease so that if you are a male or have a spouse or close friend who is a male, you may better understand what they are experiencing and can help your loved one with their journey through the disease.

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with Bill about what I can expect when I have my Cryosurgery or Cryotherapy.  If you have been following my journey towards being cancer free, you realize I have been going through a series of shots of Fermagon which are administered to help reduce the size of my prostate.  I first had two shots given to me in my stomach and a month later had a third shot.  I am supposed to have one more shot in about a week before setting the date for the Cryosurgery.  I questioned the nurse as to why I have to wait so long between shots and was told it was because Medicare wouldn't pay for them if they were any closer together.  Asked if I could pay for them myself and she told me they are very expensive. Just left it go at that.  Yesterday I got a statement telling me what has been paid for me during the previous month and found the shots are $1,500 each.  I will wait the month between shots.  In the meantime I asked my urologist if he could supply me with the name of one of his patients who has had the Cryosurgery before.  Within a week he called with a telephone number, telling me not to expect the gentleman to give me his name.  Not a problem!  I tried for weeks to reach him, but never could connect with him.  Well, yesterday Dr. Seiber called once again and gave me another number.  Immediately called and got an answering machine.  I hung up, not wanting to leave a message.  Shortly I left for my part-time job, but when I returned home my wife told me a woman called wondering why we dialed her number.  My wife noticed the number she called from matched the number Dr. Seiber had given me and talked with the woman, telling her why I had placed the call.  In no time she had given Carol her husband's cell number which I called when returning from from work.  Bill was a few years older than me when he had his Cryosurgery.  It was only the third time that Dr. Seiber had performed the surgery.  That was in 2010!  He had nothing but good things to say about Dr. Seiber and the good job he did.  He told me his recovery took three weeks with two bouts of having a catheter in place during those three weeks.  His recent PSA test showed a number under 1.00 telling him that he is cancer free.  Wow!  We talked for over a half-hour and we finished with him telling me he would say a prayer for me that all goes well.  I thanked him and asked if he minds if I call again if I feel the need to talk.  Told me to call anytime I want.  Nicest guy you'd ever want to meet.  My journey towards a better life is being made much easier due to so many nice people I have met along the way.  I await the procedure with a much more informed mind and a prayer that will be said for me.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.


Postscript: Well, I have just received my fourth and final shot of Firmagon.  The injection point is more sore this time than before, perhaps due to the amount I have in my body already and my body not being able to absorb the entire shot at one time.  The lump at the entry point is raised and about the size of a bottle cap.  My next event is a trip back once again to have a bone scan completed next week.  Firmagon is said to make your bones very weak and brittle and I guess they want to see how it has affected me.  I have listened to the nurse and have been taking a Vitamin C tablet every day.  I also will need to find out the date for my procedure.  I did read a booklet I picked up at the doctor's office today telling me that Cryotherapy has been OK'd by the FDA, but is still a rather new type of procedure, and they don't have too many test results in yet to give me better information on the procedure.  I still feel confident I have made the correct choice and will be one of those statistics that will announce to the world that Cryosurgery is the best way to go! Met another fellow today, Norm, who used to be a custodian at the school where I taught and now drives bus for them.  He looked at me and asked why I look depressed.  Wow, didn't think I was depressed, but maybe he can read me better than I can.  Told him about my upcoming surgery and he said he had his prostate removed in 2001.  Said I have nothing to worry about.  He is also an ordained minister and he told me he would have his group pray for me.  Getting better all the time! Hallelujah!!

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