Eleven years out

I met with my uro yesterday for my annual checkup. It was 11 years ago that my primary care physician told me my PSA had elevated to over 6 and that I definitely should have a biopsy. I had the biopsy, followed by a radical prostatectomy (DaVinci) on August 20, 2010. My PSA result this year was again undetectable. Whew! I sweat it a bit every year.

I wonder if I'd even still be alive if my primary care doc hadn't followed my PSA at each annual physical. Even so, it took some extreme encouragement on his part to get me to have the biopsy. I owe him a lot.

Maybe I wouldn't be dead by now, but I'm pretty sure I'd be in a miserable condition.

If anyone is reading this who is over 45 or 50 and has not had a PSA test, do yourself a big favor and get tested.

I ended up taking the prostate cancer possibility seriously, though almost too late. Now, I'm wondering if I've been stupid about colon cancer screening. The PSA test is a simple blood draw. The colonoscopy is more off-putting, but these tests are important and can definitely prolong our time on earth.

I guess I need to update my signature. Haven't done so in a while.

Congratulations on a great outcome!

I do the Cologuard thing too. I have figured l wouldn't be unlucky enough too really need a colonoscopy, but that's faulty thinking.

Clock, thanks for the update. Good to hear from you.
Michael

Clocknut, great report and great advocacy.

Re the colonoscopy, i have been having them since i'm in my late 30's, every 2-3 yeqrs. Becauser i have a habit of growing polyps. I dont recall the last time i had a clean result with no polyps. Colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers there are regular colonoscopies with almost guarantee no cancer will have time to develop.
And honestly, the worst part is the prep, after that, you get put out and just wake up when its over.

Hello, Clocknut ----

You're blazing the trail, and leaving signposts along the way, for others to follow.

You're past the decade mark since your diagnosis. It's great to hear of your long-term survivorship and living life each & every day.

Summertime is here --- call up your favorite bakery and order a bakery cake. Get eleven cake candles, light them up, and celebrate the MILESTONE! Eleven years, eleven candles!

Thankful to hear your good news --- it's the best kind of news to hear!

CYCLONE ~~~ # Iowa State University

Congratulations, clocknut! I agree with you about your primary physician. Mine is still very proud of himself every year for detecting something odd on my DRE at my physical when I was about to turn 42... 9 years ago. Many of the guys, including yourself, commenting on your thread here are guys who I remember being very kind to a scared kid all those 9 years ago. Thanks so much for the info and soothing words back then. Cheers!