Did I get you to click on with that title? There was a bit of P.T. Barnum in that title. I read one blogger who said she got a lot of hits with those words. This blog has nothing to do with pussy or torture.
This is about a serious subject and I don't go all be Debbie Downer on you, but I want to encourage 50 plus guys to visit their doctors for a physical once a year. And to get a PSA test for the prostate.
Women are very good about getting mammograms and promoting awareness of breast cancer, which is a very worthy effort. Even when I picked up a Cheerios box today, there was a reference to pink.
But the subject of prostate cancer, which ultimately afflicts a huge number of men, gets very little attention. And many men don't go to the doctor until it's too late. My dad was one of those and he died of the disease in his 70s.
That's why I go yearly for a physical and the test. My number has been creeping up the last few years and went up a point last year even though it was still under the so-called normal level. But given my family history, the doc scheduled a biopsy. It came back negative. You can imagine that made my week. If it had been positive, it would have been early and it's very curable when it's found early.
So if you're a 50 plus guy who hasn't gone to the doctor in a while, schedule an appointment. If you're a woman who has a 50 plus guy in your life who hasn't gone lately, do some gentle nagging. Tell him some idiot blogger gave you the idea.
Ok, enough of my nagging. And if I got you here under false pretences, I hope you don't mind the message. I figure a title with the word prostate in it would be easy to ignore.
And now we'll go back to our regularly scheduled programming in the future with more fun topics. And one of these days, by popular demand, I'll write another Lisa chapter. OK, popular demand means a few requests.
I'll even really talk about pussy next time. Shaving it.
Oh, and thanks to everybody who stopped by on lurkers day and you lurkers don't have to wait until next year's lurkers day to say hello. We always have the welcoming mat out.
FD
Spanko Brunch 2.0 #567
5 hours ago
I'm very glad to see you make a post like this (even if I was lured here under false pretences lol). A few years ago my grandfather underwent chemotherapy for his prostate cancer. Fortunately they found it soon enough that it was treatable. Why? Because he went for regular exams, even though he hated them. I hope your post will encourage other men to head to the doctor's. I'm sure it would be devastating for not only the man himself, but also for his family if he had to fight to get rid of a disease that could have been found and treated early on.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your next post!
FD,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your dad FD, I didn't know that until now. Which really adds joy to your results!!
Now for honesty:
Damn it!! I hate when I'm busted for googling my fav phrase {*total eyeroll*} Not that there's anything wrong with that phrase - but it does little for me at this point in my life.
Sooo happy for you as you well know it's "Freedom Friday" for you - And I'm so glad *warmly smiles*
Yeah I try to do my own exams.... but he never let's me have any fun ; ) I better stop now huh?!
Oh thank you...I agree completely, my father passed away from prostate cancer, he had a test early on and was advised to go for a biospy, ignored the advice, kept having problems, was diagnosed when it was too late...ALL because he was worried about the actual physical aspects of biopsies and rectal examinations. His PSA levels crept slowly up and up and up. One kidney shut down.
ReplyDeleteHe lasted 3 years, a long three years of immense pain, discomort, inability to uriate, his bowels could not process properly, he had surgery for a colostomy bag and wore it for 6 months, the psychological aspect of that was worse than the actual having it, he passed away almost 2 years ago, but had he followed the early advice, he would still be with me here. I was with him when he closed his eyes and left us, it was bittersweet relief, his last few days were horrendous.
I urge every single male to have that check regularly and never ignore.
Thank you for writing about this, it is very, very close to me.
rosie
x
FD- sorry for the loss on your dad. You have a valid point that women have scheduled yearly's and such. I think guys need to be more in touch with their primary docs. Men tend to get busy with life and tend to put themselves second. Great post.
ReplyDeleteKatia
Thanks for the head up FD.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the loss of your dad.. and you are indeed making a good point about men and their health.
I'm awful glad you had the test and that you got back good results. I'm not having much luck in getting Nick in for the test but I won't give up.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
PK
FD, As you know I'm really very happy about the good news on your test. Your so right but how do you persuade them it's something they need to do?
ReplyDeleteGood post FD.
Love.
Ronnie
xx
True Blue: I'm happy that your grandfather went for regular exams and got the treatment. The disease is very treatable if discovered early enough but many men just won't go to the doctor.
ReplyDeleteKayLynn: As usual, your wit is so good. Giving your own exams is certainly a thought.
Rosie: I'm sorry for your loss. I understand where you've coming from. I just hope the men reading this will go for the exam and the women reading it will encourage their men to do it.
As it turns out, the biopsy isn't even painful even though I was wary of it. It turns out they give you a lot of lube and then insert some kind of numbing jell on your prostate and it's no big deal. And I'm a pain wimp who wants plenty of novacaine just to have filling done at the dentist. Another thing we should encourage men and (and women, too) to get is colonoscopies. Colon cancer is very treatable if found early. A famous football coach in America (Vince Lombardi to our American football fans) refused to have a colonoscopy and ignored stomach pain because he didn't want something in his butt and died of colon cancer.
Vows: I'm glad you liked the post even though it wasn't a pleasant topic. I'm always gotten my yearly physical because of what happened to my dad but many men don't.
Nancy: I just hope more men get the message.
PK: Sorry you can't get Nick to the doctor but don't give up.
Ronnie: How about trying the stick and the carrot? Gentle nagging that he's risking not seeing his future grandkids grow up. Tell him the experiences Rosie and I have had. And then promising him a reward if he does it. Like in the bedroom. LOL.
Thanks for all the comments and for those who read this and didn't comment. I just hope you all took the message at heart so you or a loved one isn't the victim of something that can be cured so easily.
And soon we'll return to our regularly scheduling program for more fun topics.
FD
As a man of certain (cough) years, I have mine checked annually, several relatives have had that and I do not wish to join them.
ReplyDeleteA very appropriate and timely reminder for all.
Omega
Omega: I'm glad to hear you get your annual checkups. Let's hope we're getting the message out to more men to do the same.
ReplyDeleteFD