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A lot going on

William Blake / Satan Smiting Job with Sore Boils c.1826


A lot has been happening over the last week or so. I try to find something funny or positive to write about. But what's been going on both in the world and in my own life that has been difficult.

A little over a month ago I had a blood test that came back with an elevated PSA number. An indicator of prostate cancer. Seriously! It is said that God does not give you more than you can handle. I've read Job in the Bible and I really have no interest in discovering my limit.

At the beginning of the month I thought we would be visiting both my daughter and her family and Austin and Morgan in North Carolina. Then travailing on to Evansville In. to visit Jans Dad. With my diagnosis it was decided that they would visit us. Then we decided Austin should not come because of the increasing threat of the Coronavirus and flying was not a good idea. Then we decided that it may not be a good idea for Jessica and Noah to travel to us because Jan and I were going into self-quarantine.

I had a biopsy of my prostate done. Not necessarily the most invasive procedure that I have had done to my body but close. Of course the results came back positive for cancer. But according to the doctor it is treatable and currently slow growing. The treatment that we have decided follow it hormone therapy followed by radiation. I really did not want surgery because after my heart surgery I kinda had enough of that.

Now the hormone therapy is 6 months in duration and consists of one shot that lasts that long. I was told that the treatment drops my testosterone level which starves the cancer cells and should reduce my PSA level to near 0. That's a good thing. Side effects, similar to menopause in women. OK woah, hold on. Watching Hallmark Christmas movies and complaining that the children never call?  No the doctor said that there may be fatigue, loss of stamina, and hot flashes. I have been sleeping in but with this self-quarantine I really have no reason to get up early. I'm still riding my bike and maintaining the time and distance I was doing before the shot. As far as hot flashes as Jan will say I am usually cold and don't mind the heat so I'm good with that.

Public Service Announcement: Guys if you are 50 years old or so or if you know a guy that age GET YOUR PSA CHECKED. It is just a blood test and this can be treated the earlier the better.

Because of the coronavirus and self-quarantine Jan and I are watching a lot of TV. Jan found out about an add on to Amazon Broadway HD. So the the past few days we have been watching Broadway plays. Mostly musicals. I'm assuming its the hormones. Right now its Cats. Visually it is an interesting show but I'm totally missing the story line or why there is such a fuss about it. Lithe dancers in tight cat unitards can only carry a show so long.  But now I can check that show off my list as having had seen it. Next I'm thinking about watching King Lear.
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