Rick
Dancer and Kathy live in Oregon, USA. He was 50 when he was diagnosed on January
29, 2010. His initial PSA was 15.7 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 6 and although
he does not know his staging, it seems likely that he was staged T1c. He is undecided
as to his choice of treatment. Here is his story.
Five years ago, at the
age of 45, my doctors started taking my PSA. At the time it was four but over
the years started rising to 6.8, 12. and finally 15.7. In five years I've had
five biopsies. Nothing was every found in the biopsies until this past Friday.
I was a news reporter for 23 years and covered plenty of cancer stories
but this one, my own, is devastating. I'm stunned, in shock and left wondering
which way to turn. The Proton Therapy is the most desirable to me at this point
but I've only started looking. I haven't even met with my Urologist yet so this
is all very fresh, very new and very scary.
Someone asked me If I'm afraid
of dying. I said no, at this point I'm more afraid of losing my ability to achieve
and erection and not wet myself, than anything. My doctor says we caught it early
so the fear of death is not that great for me, right now.
I found your
website from a friend at the gym who had Prostate Cancer. He said this site was
very helpful and I already like what I see.
Thank you for all this information.
I understand I am my best advocate and this gives me plenty of questions for my
doctor.
Rick's e-mail address is: rick@rickdancer.com
