For some men, being diagnosed with prostate cancer is completely unsettling, but not necessarily a surprise when there is a significant history of cancer, especially prostate cancer, in the family. For these men, witnesses of a father, uncle, grandfather or brother struggling with this disease, screening is already required on an annual basis. Their questions – on our toll-free line 1 855 899-2873 to speak to one of our nurses specialized in uro-oncology following a diagnosis for some of them – are direct, often related to the treatment they have chosen. In other words, already well informed, they only want clarification… precisions on an aspect of the disease or their treatment.
On the other hand, for the majority of men, this is not the case, like Jean.
“[…] I had just turned 47. I felt fit. I embraced big projects and got deeply involved in them. Everything seemed clear on the horizon. I had no known illnesses. And for good reason, I thought. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink. I have no allergies. Nothing told me that I had to slow down my pace at work, or slightly or radically change my lifestyle. Nothing made me think of illness or death. The disease was not for me, I thought. […] ”
“[…] When I went to the hospital to receive the results of my biopsy, I was ready for anything, except what I was going to hear that morning. However, even if after the fact I realize that I had all the symptoms leading to a diagnosis of prostate cancer, I refused to see reality for what it was and hoped then that all these clues were ultimately only the effects of an enormous stress period in my life and that all this would fade in the weeks to come… and blah blah… Pure rationalization! The truth did not look like that at all. Experience would teach me that there is the very subjective perception of the patient; and that there is the completely objective truth of the biopsy. The latter was soon to reveal itself. […] ”
“[…] The shock once passed, I put aside any other reading planned and programmed. I read the manual that the urologist had given me, so that I could get a clear idea on what prostate cancer was all about and in particular on the various treatments available. I tried to remember that I had a moderate risk type of prostate cancer. I was therefore relieved that there were several treatment options available to me and that I could fight the cancer I had. […] ”
“[…] Since my illness, I have been more aware of my vulnerability, my fragility and the unpredictability of life. I appreciate health better; in that, I no longer take it for granted. When I wake up every morning, I live my day as if it were the last. I think I caught a certain sense of gravity or solemnity, if not seriousness, that I did not have before. […] ”
Jean is an extraordinary and unique man … like all of you. He is in remission. Without generalizing, he probably experiences a bit or a lot of anxiety (or maybe not at all) each time his PSA level is monitored. It’s normal. You just need to consult if you feel that anxiety is taking over your quality of life.
Take the time to visit each of our pages on this website, as well as our YouTube channel, in order to get familiar with the disease with our expert lectures, our section on available resources, the support that is offered to you.
Do you have any questions or concerns? Above all, do not hesitate. Contact us at 1 855 899-2873 to discuss with a nurse specializing in uro-oncology. It’s simple and free, like all our services.
Pages of our site that might interest you
Want to know more? Just click on one of the links below.
Am I at risk
Signs and symptoms
PROCURE news that may interest you
Each week, we publish a blog article. Here are a few for you.
Case stories: Réal, Jean-Michel and Louis
Case stories: Yvon and William
Case stories: Laurent and Charles
Case stories: Jean-François and Michel
Source and reference
Passage from the book Prostate cancer in black & white, co-written by Jean Fils-Aimé and radio-oncologist Peter Vavassis.
Written by PROCURE. © All rights reserved – 2019
