Hi family and friends and all my bros,
Well, my situation is certainly ironic.
I have been supporting the Movember Project in my own small way for several years. Many years ago I thought that once I turned 75 I would take my turn at hosting a Movember site.
So, here’s the irony.
I turned 76 at the beginning of March last year, feeling hale and hearty, and remaining fairly active despite all the Covid-19 restrictions. Sure, I was a little overweight, and as a result, my blood pressure was a little high, but my meds had everything under control. However, a routine set of blood work and stool checkup, revealed a blockage in my large intestine. The weekend after my birthday, I had two colonoscopies (yup, two in a row), which confirmed the presence of a fairly large tumour. Two weeks after that, I had surgery that revealed I had stage four colon cancer that left me with an ileostomy bag hanging out of the front of my stomach. If you look it up, you’ll find that the survival rate is 12% after 2 years for ‘regular’ cancer. In addition, they told me I had a very aggressive form of cancer, because it was impacted by something called Braf mutations, which reduces the survival rate considerably I’m doing my best to maintain a positive attitude, and am determined to be one of the 8 who survived for two years.
Four weeks after the surgery, I began chemotherapy. This involved having a plastic tube permanently inserted into my right arm, where they feed in the chemo every two weeks at the hospital.
Not a great set of circumstances, considering I had no symptoms, but it was livable. I also want to mention that I have nothing but praise for the great care I received from all hospital staff and external support services. This, despite the tremendous effort these individuals were putting in because of the pandemic. Finally, I want to publicly thank my wife for all her support.
So while I don’t have prostrate or testicular cancer, I’m certainly more aware than ever of the impact that cancer can have on our physical and mental health. I’ve also found that this is not just an old man’s affliction, noting that more young men are falling victim to this far too common disease. Similarly, I’m seeing increasing mental health issues in young men trying to cope with the pressures of our modern, sometimes troubled, society.
But there is hope......
Organizations like the Movember Program are contributing greatly to research into improving men’s health, And you can be part of this wonderful initiative by going to xxxxx and making a donation. Believe me, you’ll feel better right away.