In August of 2012, when the doctor told me I had prostate cancer and it had spread to my kidneys, liver and possibly to my lungs the first words out my mouth were “I’m not surprise”. I was age 53.
The reason I was not surprise I had cancer was that I had been having discomfort in that area for some time. In addition, my father and two of his brothers also had been diagnosed with the disease years earlier
I am using both conventional and alternative treatments including hormone therapy and diet/lifestyle changes. The hormone drug Firmagon works very quickly to relieve/reduce pain, bleeding, psa and urinary obstruction. The drug does not cure the disease and has side effects of penis shrinkage, no sex drive, weight gain, and bone and muscle degeneration. The diet and lifestyle changes of veganism, jumping on a mini trampoline, Qigong, Pranayama breathing, vitamin/mineral supplements require much discipline and some addition cost.
The doctor I am working with has been an angel throughout this process and is generally supportive. I am blessed to have this physician as part of my treatment team. In my opinion race is always an issue in America and this circumstances is no different. However; I think my doctor generally has my best interest mind despite the pressure on her to exercise her white skin privilege at all times.
I would tell a young man that prostate cancer is a disease with horrible symptoms and even worse treatments. My best advice would be to use the best of both worlds, conventional and alternative medicine to treat the cancer. and use diet/lifestyle to try to prevent the disease. Also seek out other opinions. No matter how good your doctor is he or she is not God. You are not the first person in the history of the world to have this disease and you won’t be the last.
In my opinion African American men suffer more from prostate cancer than whites because of diet/lifestyle and the general oppression we experience daily in our lives. There was professor at a college in New York City who asked his mostly white students if any of them want to be black if they were given 40 million dollars. Not a one in ten said yes.
I am in partial remission. Hopefully I can continue my progress and move into complete remission, then durable complete remission and then cured. The survival rate for stage four cancer is 2%. So I have my work cut out for me. Generally, I am in good spirits and do believe that if I am patient and diligent, I will be successful.
May the best of your todays be the worst of your tomorrows.