Worry and Virtual Prostate support group

Wanted to remind folks we have a virtual support group this Tuesday at 7pm eastern

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82817487939

Today I wrote the below reflection, come share your thoughts, feelings, and questions.

Cancer causes a heaviness in ones spirit at times. I am blessed to have caught my cancer at an early stage. I have my 30-month psa test this Monday. I find myself thinking about it and worrying a bit. And I know worrying is really a wasted emotion. One thing I know is that keeping these feelings to myself does not help anyone. Every 6 months many of us go through this test to see how our cancer is doing. And I have heard many men share about their anxiety around test time.

I am truly grateful for my life, my wife, family, and all my fellow PC warriors. I can honestly say I have met some amazing folks these last three year and I know I am better as the result of having prostate cancer.

Cancer at times is a lonely place to be. I suspect most do not understand what is like to live with cancer the rest of your life. So, for today I will be focused on the world as it presents itself to me. I am blessed to live on a golf course and will go out and play a round with friends. Today is red shirt Friday. We all wear red shirts to honor those that are serving in the military.
My favorite saying about PC is “I have cancer but cancer does not have me!” Today I will not let it have me!!

Denis

Thanks Cyclone!

Good post. What did you shoot?

Denis - I have very little anxiety before PSA tests but waiting for the results cranks up the blood pressure a bit. If I don't get them within a day, I start to worry that the doctor needs to talk to me before I see them. So far, it has been a false alarm each time but I had to call the last time as the practice changed medical records systems during the pandemic (probably good timing) and the results did not get processed correctly. The staff was complaining that the training was poor, they were shorthanded from pandemic shutdown and so on. I tried to politely lecture the doctor's assistant about how important these results are to PCa patients but it was like yelling at a wet puppy.

My wife has a BCa recurrence at 16+ years and never thought twice about it from 10 years post treatment when released from care and monitoring to last January. I think it is possible to forget about it 99% of the time once you get enough years under your belt and probably do not visit forums any longer. If you keep up the forum dialog, it gets pretty hard to not think about it when you read the posts.

I am finally starting to reach the point where casual friends ask "How are you feeling?" and I wonder if I look tired or flushed. Only takes a second and I know what they are asking about. I wish they would say "How about them Cubs" or something different once in a while.