Bad News- Diagonsis Prostate Cancer
Hello Everyone,
[I have asked Joe to post the following message after sending out a newsletter this morning with some distressing news.]
It is now 10:00 AM Wednesday morning, January 11, and I am in Santiago, Chile. In one hour I will get the results of a biopsy which was taken one week ago testing for prostate cancer. Ordinarily, I would tell only my close friends and family should the results be not good. If ok, I would have told virtually no one. I decided to write this before I knew the results, because I felt the information would get out one way or another, and I wanted there to be only one official story. Here is that story.
Two weeks before I left on the Journey my PSA, a blood test which can indicate the threat of prostate cancer, had jumped up 50%. This is not a good sign. I took a re-test a week later, and the same bad results. I was prescribed an antibiotic and told to have another test in 4 weeks, which I did here in Chile two weeks ago. Prior to leaving LA, the urologist in LA felt the odds were that I did not have cancer, and if I did, I could start the treatment after the trip was over. I also did not want to disappoint anybody, so I decided to start the Journey. The results here were still bad. I consulted my urologist in Los Angeles, and the urologist here, and they agreed that I was now in a high-risk category and should have a biopsy performed. Last Wednesday I had the biopsy procedure. Folks let me tell you, getting a biopsy for prostate cancer is not a pleasant experience. I wisely took my doctor's advice and spent the night in the hospital.
In one hour I will know the results, and my bags are packed to come home if that is the recommended course of action. My bags are also packed to continue the trip. I did tell Gael about this as there have been numerous trips to the doctor and hospital here in Santiago. Of course Umberto knows as well. The following paragraph will have those results.
I have just returned from the hospital and I do have prostate cancer, and to make things much worse, it is of the aggressive type. Only more tests will determine if it has spread. The urologist's advice here was to return home immediately, have scans done, and then have the appropriate treatment.
I have just made my plane reservations and will be arriving in Los Angeles Thursday afternoon, January 12. Naturally, I am shook up, but equally upset about disappointing Gael, Lori, Vija, and Cindee. Gael will be flying home in a few days, and Umberto back to Italy next week.
One dreads hearing this type of news, but it is what it is. My Irish grandmother Ryan used to say "never complain and no moaning." I will continue to send out the Newsletters once a week and make comments on the blog and make plans for the cruises in August to Alaska.
I am also sorry to disappoint you, the blog and Newsletter readers.
Sincerely,
Richard Roe
Senior Bachelor
[I have asked Joe to post the following message after sending out a newsletter this morning with some distressing news.]
It is now 10:00 AM Wednesday morning, January 11, and I am in Santiago, Chile. In one hour I will get the results of a biopsy which was taken one week ago testing for prostate cancer. Ordinarily, I would tell only my close friends and family should the results be not good. If ok, I would have told virtually no one. I decided to write this before I knew the results, because I felt the information would get out one way or another, and I wanted there to be only one official story. Here is that story.
Two weeks before I left on the Journey my PSA, a blood test which can indicate the threat of prostate cancer, had jumped up 50%. This is not a good sign. I took a re-test a week later, and the same bad results. I was prescribed an antibiotic and told to have another test in 4 weeks, which I did here in Chile two weeks ago. Prior to leaving LA, the urologist in LA felt the odds were that I did not have cancer, and if I did, I could start the treatment after the trip was over. I also did not want to disappoint anybody, so I decided to start the Journey. The results here were still bad. I consulted my urologist in Los Angeles, and the urologist here, and they agreed that I was now in a high-risk category and should have a biopsy performed. Last Wednesday I had the biopsy procedure. Folks let me tell you, getting a biopsy for prostate cancer is not a pleasant experience. I wisely took my doctor's advice and spent the night in the hospital.
In one hour I will know the results, and my bags are packed to come home if that is the recommended course of action. My bags are also packed to continue the trip. I did tell Gael about this as there have been numerous trips to the doctor and hospital here in Santiago. Of course Umberto knows as well. The following paragraph will have those results.
I have just returned from the hospital and I do have prostate cancer, and to make things much worse, it is of the aggressive type. Only more tests will determine if it has spread. The urologist's advice here was to return home immediately, have scans done, and then have the appropriate treatment.
I have just made my plane reservations and will be arriving in Los Angeles Thursday afternoon, January 12. Naturally, I am shook up, but equally upset about disappointing Gael, Lori, Vija, and Cindee. Gael will be flying home in a few days, and Umberto back to Italy next week.
One dreads hearing this type of news, but it is what it is. My Irish grandmother Ryan used to say "never complain and no moaning." I will continue to send out the Newsletters once a week and make comments on the blog and make plans for the cruises in August to Alaska.
I am also sorry to disappoint you, the blog and Newsletter readers.
Sincerely,
Richard Roe
Senior Bachelor
