Death by Prostate Cancer.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

Last edited Sat May 11, 2024, 05:17 AM - Edit history (1)

Russ, a member of our group of musician friends, died yesterday of prostate cancer. He'd been battling it for a while. Neither my husband nor I were especially close to him in real life, but knew he was an excellent player and got to know him over the past couple of years through Facebook. We learned he was a very intelligent super-Democrat with a great sense of humor.

He was also one of the men who helped my husband deal with the shock when he was diagnosed with a very aggressive case of prostate cancer three years ago.

In addition to talking one-on-one with my husband about it, Russ frequently posted about his condition, and treatments and their success or lack thereof.

A month or so ago, he'd said his PSA had suddenly shot up & that more intense chemo treatments were being initiated. Then we didn't hear any more...until friends began sharing that he'd been in hospice for less than a week and had just died.

So sad. I guess it just seems like it's always the good ones we lose, but it sure does feel that way.

My husband has been through surgery, radiation, and ADT. His cancer is considered oleometastatic, meaning it has metastasized, but only to one known spot near to where it began.

He is now in his fifth month off the meds that were suppressing the male hormones the cancer feeds on. Supposedly, in time, this type of cancer will almost always reassert itself. Every three months he gets checked to see if his PSA has risen. The next test is in three weeks.

We both took the news of Russ's death pretty hard, thinking of the difficulties he endured and of his close friends & family, as well as of my husband's condition.

I believe I worry more about his illness than he does, but I've come a long way from the first 3 months when I cried nearly all day every day. Sometimes now a few days can go by when I don't even think about it. But neither of us have been able to forget about it for the past couple days and I suspect it will continue to be a very conscious, present worry for the next couple of weeks, at least.

Oh, and then there's that suspicious lesion they just found on my lung. Wait a year and check back the pulmonologist said. I think I'm going to need a second opinion.

[SunSeeker]

1. Definitely get a second opinion on that lung lesion!

I wish you the best. Hang in there.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

4. Thank you!

I did get an order for a CT scan and will get it done as soon as our local scan center can schedule me.

[speak easy]

2. Nobody cares: Death by Breast Cancer - National tragedy.

Death by Prostate Cancer? Old men, shut up and die.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

5. I know what you mean. For a decade or so, the

recommended course of action was for doctors not to order PSA tests because it was supposedly upsetting too many men who it turned out didn't have prostate cancer. Idiotic policy!

It was only a few years ago that the recommendation was updated to prioritize early detection over not worrying some men who ended up not having it.

[GiqueCee]

3. My deepest sympathies...

... to Russ' family and friends. I am a very fortunate survivor of prostate cancer. Back in 2008, my primary care physician noticed a slightly elevated PSA, and a biopsy revealed the cancer in its very early stages. Because it was discovered so early, I was able to opt for less invasive treatment. Getting one's nether regions bombarded with radiation 5 days a week for 6 months still has permanent side effects, though.

I hope your husband pulls through, and, though it sounds hollow as I read it, I sincerely wish him the best of luck. He's already very lucky to have your devoted support. And you deserve support as well, even if it's only a sympathetic ear.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

6. I'm glad your prostate cancer was found in time!

Sorry you had to go through the difficult treatment, but happy it worked.

Thanks for your kind words. 💜

My husband's prostate cancer should have been found well before it was, but our PCP at the time wasn't the greatest and was too distracted by the conversion of his practice to a "concierge" one.

Thank goodness though, because we refused to pay a couple thousand each just for the privelege of seeing him and so had to find a new PCP. Upon seeing my husband's elevated PSA, he immediately "strongly suggested" he see a urologist. That led to the biopsy & diagnosis.

The cancer had already had time to wreak havoc. A year or so earlier and the surgery could easily have been a cure.

Very sad news though about the excellent "new" PCP. I think He has become ill himself. We received a letter from him last week in which he apologized for the fact that he is just too tired to continue treating patients. He's only about 50. We suspect some sort of cancer, but he didn't say.

I broke down & cried. By the letter itself you could tell what a fantastic person he is. Meanwhile, some very awful people are not ill. Sometimes this world makes very little sense.

[GiqueCee]

7. Any time you need to vent...

... I'm here with an ear. Letting it all out can be cathartic. You can message me privately if you want.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

8. Thanks very much. I just saw this.

I don't have much time to spend on DU these days so I miss a lot!