Time for men to take a stand on PC

Trew said:

Personally
I do talk to men about having their PSA levels checked, but I am not comfortable discussing this problem in mixed company, or with just any man. Actually, I am embrassed by PC and feel for some reason I am standing a little less tall than I once did.

My I hate this thing.

But I am interested in pushing awareness of PC, too. Fw men understand what "the shot" means to a man's life. Or what surgery means, or could mean. So I am conflicted about seeking privacy and pushing public awareness.

I guess it is how I am feeling from day to day- you know, "the shot" effect.

erisian said:

Embarrassed?
I never felt embarrassed about having PCa, and to my own surprise I soon found out that I didn't mind talking about it. I will bend anyone's ear about the importance of getting checked. The reluctance of many, if not most, men to speak up or seek support and information baffles me. Look around, there are pink ribbons and breast cancer awareness events everywhere, but nearly nothing for our favorite disease, even though it affects and kills about the same number of people. It certainly looks like it's up to us to make noise about it, since nobody else is doing it. Just being here on this forum puts you in a small percentage of PCa survivors. This is an easily accessible resource, but even so, it is ignored by the vast majority of men faced with a PCa diagnosis.

Don't be embarrassed. It's not your fault. Don't be afraid to talk about it. Keeping quiet just sustains the ignorance.

I live in a rural area, and I have to travel about 75 miles to get to a monthly support group meeting that usually has about 15 survivors (plus a few spouses). I am quite sure that there are a LOT more than 15 PCa survivors within a 75-mile radius of the meeting, but that is all we get. I will admit that it took me some time to get up the nerve to go the first time, but now I look forward to the meetings. It wasn't exactly obvious to me that the support group existed in the beginning, because nobody told me about it, or any other resources, for that matter. So I would say that is part of the communication problem -- Did your doctor point you at support and information resources at diagnosis?

Ralphie62 said:

Dakotarunner
We need t-shirts!!! I'm thinking black and "I had prostate cancer, and I kicked it's ****" on the front and "i'm a survivor!!" on the back. I really appreciate your push to get out the word and fight for prostate awareness. You know, the problem is, there is no "guy doctor", no one looking out for us. Women have ob/gyn's, but guys don't have a "main man". I think it's because guys hate the doctor and only go if absolutely necessary. I had to have a lense replacement. I had to have a recent physical to have the surgery, and (thank God) found that my PSA was up...........whoever thought a lense replacement might save your life? Ralph

bdhilton said:

Tell'em all the time
I tell anyone that listens when the opportunity comes around…Had a friend last month that listened, got tested and had a PSA over 10. He is waiting now for his biopsy results…but without these conversations I have found many guys just do not think about getting them done…

shane59 said:

I would buy one how about some posters too
I love the T Shirt Idea even hats would be good .How about a funky poster , I think this could really take of a very possitive attitude keep up all this good stuff. thank heavens for the lense surgery Ralphie.

randy_in_indy said:

Bdhilton - so true...
I lucked out by being in the right place with the right person...my partner who is an RN. My father died from Alzhiemer's - well no one really ever dies from Alzhiemer's they die from asphyxiation when food is sucked into their lungs because they have no memory of how to control breathing while eating in advanced stages of Dementia. Anyway, I had his body autopsied and in the report I find he had prostate cancer with PSA's reported over 30 in medical records. That fact should have been my clue to get a PSA done starting in my early 40's but I was not smart enough about that so here I am at the state fair in Indiana and my partner wanted to visit the health building...something I would never have done on my own or perhaps had I had another partner that was not an RN. She wanted to see if the giant walkthrough colon was still there...I said, OK I'm up for walking through the giant rectum! Come to find out the giant rectum must have been replaced by a more friendly exhibit...but...I did notice a large white poster board accross the building that had written on it FREE PSA test...I said hey I need to do that...didn't my dad have prostate cancer when he died...10 years ago. I was lucky this happened or I would still be walking around now totally oblivious to having cancer growing in my body...no symptoms other than getting up several times in the night to pee. Lucky Lucky Randy. What mountain is it you are climing with your son this summer? ...my brother has done some fourteeniers not sure how many but he wants to do 14 of them I guess. His next trip in the spring is to backpack into the Grand Canyon with his two daughters on an indian reservation. Back to the theme of the thread...I am telling all males and females with males...get a PSA every year and know your number and what it means.

dakotarunner said:

Themes
I also like the survivor theme. It is lots better to be a survivor than the alternative.

I am stealing a motto from "The Band of Brothers -Easy Company" to thro this out on the table - "Prostate Cancer Survivor -
We stand alone together"

Keep up the good fight everyone POPC

WHW said:

T Shirt
The front reads;

1 in 6 Men WILL Get
Prostate Cancer

The back reads;
Are YOU One of
The Lucky 5!!

Sonny

TonyJr said:

PC
I really wish I was as confident and you are, right now I'm still in total shock, I'm trying to deal with this the best way I can. I'm not giving in to it, but I'm trying not to let it or allow it to take control of my life, the way I feel it's trying to...but hopefully I'll eventually get a handle on it..

Thanks TonyJr