A Personal Prostate Cancer Blog.
My Prostate Cancer Blog.
I am on a Medicare HMO plan that is administered by a major US private insurance provider. And I have malignant prostate cancer, which was detected in January of this year, growing inside of me.
This is my personal blog as a cancer patient and as I experience and analyze the care I receive, or do not receive. So far my urological and oncology care have been exceptional, world class.
In addition to personal observations I hope to utilize my professional skills as a quality systems expert and process analyst to highlight good practices and recommend improvements that could have positive impacts on outcomes for various aspects of the US healthcare system.
If you have questions or comments, would like to share your experience or otherwise contribute to the website, please let me know.
My First Week of Prostate Cancer Hormone Therapy
The list of potential side effects is daunting, but for me the first week of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was not bad. I started taking a daily 50mg Bicalutamide pill (generic Casodex) on mid-day Monday. It was not expensive – my copay was $12 at Walmart for a...
Exercising for My Life
Facing some serious side effects from prostate cancer hormone therapy, two weeks ahead of my Lupron androgen suppression therapy (ADT) injection I began to exercise regularly. And eat less, with better nutrition. In those two weeks I have lost six pounds and my...
Preparing for Prostate Cancer Hormone Therapy
After initially rejecting hormone therapy, I agreed to a six-month injection of androgen-deprivation medication. My injection is scheduled for August 23. My main concern in preparing for life without testosterone is mitigating the significant side effects of not...
Why I Ultimately Agreed to Hormone Therapy
It was not an easy decision. The thought of undergoing hormone therapy was daunting and I had been convinced that it would be more harmful to my health and quality of life than helpful. I originally rejected hormone deprivation treatment in late June after researching...
American Cancer Society’s Rides on Your Road to Recovery
There is enough negative information following a cancer diagnosis that it is important to remember the positive aspects of the experience as well. And for me, this was one of them. Two years ago, after owning a vehicle continuously for almost 40 years, I sold my car....
PSA – Prostate-Specific Antigen
Please note: this post was written by a non-medical professional and in no way should be construed as medical guidance or advice. Read the website disclaimer. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein (okay, a glycoprotein enzyme) that is produced by...
Why I Refused Hormone Therapy
Please note: this post represents the opinion of the writer and in no way should be construed as medical guidance or advice. Read the website disclaimer. In the last appointment with my urologist before he referred me to an oncologist, he recommended that I begin a...
My Prostate Cancer Treatment Chronology
Following is a chronological listing of my prostate cancer experience, to include visits with physicians, treatment and test results. The initial indication that I may have prostate cancer came from a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test in January 2019. I was...
Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer
Hormone therapy, also known as androgen suppression or androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), is basically a form of physical or chemical castration that dramatically lowers androgens in the body. Androgens are male hormones (testosterone and its byproduct...
Considering My Potential Risk Factors for Cancer
Everything gives you cancer There’s no cure, there’s no answer. Joe Jackson - Cancer As part of the initial interview process, my oncologist’s nurse asked me about possible environmental factors that may have put me at risk for cancer. My father had prostate...