PCa blue wristbands - do you wear one?

I'm just curious how many of the folks on this forum (men or women) wear a light blue prostate cancer wristband...?

If you don't, any particular reason why? Would it be too outward a symbol of what is a very personal disease for you?

If you do, does it trigger any conversations with strangers? Awkward ones?

I don't always wear the band nut in those cases I wear the blue ribbon pin I have. I am very open about this. If the good that will come out of my experience with PCa is to talk about it, maybe convince someone to get tested, then it is a good cause indeed.

Tony

StrictlyInc,

Many here are called to champion the cause of PSA tests and DREs.  I am so thankful.
Tony says PSA tests and DREs AT AGE 40 FOR EVERY MALE!  I AGREE!! 
I happily tell my male relatives and friends about why they need to be tested.
I bother my congressional representatives and insurance provider about it.
I pray for a cheap and easy cure for ALL cancers, right now - out loud
   - every week in church.

And still, I wear no blue bracelet and only tell certain people about my personal cancer and my personal fight.
I do volunteer work with 30 or so children for a few hours every week.  Too young.
I guess I could make up a story for them, but that isn't like me.  Not enough guile.

Even if I were just out with adults, I like a little more control over when and where I try to explain my limited knowledge of the male urinary tract and reproductive system.

The conversational complexites of discussing the prostrate are clumsy at best:
Where is it?  What does it do?  How can you live without it? 
And just what difference does a "vas deferen"s make anyways......
Many of us that have had a prostrate most of our lives were happily marginally aware of them, their function, our pelvic floor muscles, and related "seminal" things in our lives....

Skin cancer and amazingly breast cancer & cervical cancer have made it to the public arena.
Lance Armstrong's yellow bracelet evokes "cancer" stories, not testicular cancer.

Just having to discuss incontinence when I was incontinent was oh so unhelpful to my challenge to leave the pads behind.  And now there is that E.D. ("My personality!!") fight.

As I get past the uncertainty of the surgery and my body finds its way around its "new digs,"
I am more comfortable discussing what now seems so simple and before was so terrifying.
I probably will soon wear the blue bracelet and just tell the kids
   - and others in awkward situations - that
        - it's to remind me to "study for my test!"

Thanks for the push.

C^Cedar
ICTHUS!

Like others, I don't wear a wrist band, because I haven't purchaed one.  I probably should get one.

I do tell many people I meet about the importance early detection and treatment for PCa.  I know some folks who have had a checkup after our little chat, so spreading the word does do some good.  To the extent that the wrist band opens a conversation, I think it can be very beneficial.

In addition, as we saw with Dan Fogelberg recently, getting checked in your 40's is not a bad idea, so I recommend a PSA test be done along with the annual checkup with a family doctor.  That's how I got started with PSAs with annual checkups in my 40s.

Kind regards,

Barry

I will answer my own question. But please, I'd love to read more comments from others...

I wear a blue band in tandem with a yellow Livestrong band. Wear it all the time, regardless of my mode of dress.

I think I wear it more as a show of solidarity for those that have or had the disease and would recognize it, even if they don't comment to me directly. Communicating anything to those who don't immediately recognize it is maybe a much more secondary concern.

Having said that, I haven't been especially vocal, other than comments on different Internet sites that I chat/participate on, where I urge people to be tested for prostate cancer, if the opportunity arises.

Verbally, however, I have not been as open. A few people ask me what the band is, and I tell them the blue color represents prostate cancer. But from my response, they generally can't tell if I have had it or not (not everyone wearing a Livestrong band has had cancer, after all, right?). I suspect many suspect I do/did, however, as the conversation usually stops there. Usually awkwardly.

I will admit to struggling to talk openly about a condition that has left me with ED. I often wonder what those who do know that I had the disease think/assume about my erectile capabilities, given that I haven't discussed it with them.

I had an interesting experience the other day. My boss and I were sitting with some colleagues, and he commented that I was a good role model because I had been so positive in dealing with everything. It was a great compliment, but at the same time, a little awkward for me in that I had not discussed the issue so openly and verbally with a group. I think they all knew of my having prostate cancer, though I had not discussed it directly with them. I just let the discussion fade as quickly as possible, though if pressed, I would have commented.

One situation where I think I would take the band off is in a job search - fortunately I haven't been in that situation.

Very complex, these situations are...

Anyway, those are some of my thooughts and experiences, was just interested to hear others. Wearing the

Bands are also available through the prostate cancer foundations and organizations. I'll avoid the names in the spirit of our site because these items are fund raisers. but you can easily locate them on the web. I would lend a suggestion to get to Mr. Waite ~Bluebird & Idaho can you drop this into his suggestion box? Healingwell can sell allot of these items to its members. Buck or two each would give Healingwell a little lift.

Tony

I'll take you up on a bracelet (or two) for my husband and me. I was just looking at websites to see about purchasing. The only reason we don't wear them is because we never knew or thought about purchasing.

Thanks.

Post Edited (Mike's Wife) : 12/17/2007 6:28:55 PM (GMT-7)

I don't have one but would like to get one.  I have been open about my situation with PC with my family, co-workers and the local media, and anyone else who will listen.  I would like for every man to get his PSA checked and a DRE as early as you can. I would not like to see anyone die from this disease like Dan Fogelberg did Sunday.  He was far advanced when his was discovered, which was a sad thing.  I consider myself one of the lucky ones and have been getting exams by my regular Dr. for a number of years.  The DRE did not catch it, but the PSA did.  I challenge you to tell at least one man of the consequences of putting these important tests off for another year.  Not only could you suffer, but your family and friends could too.

Take care all

Mika  

I wore both the yellow and blue until the time of my surgery. After that, I just wore the blue. The ones I bought seemed to only last a month or two. They broke when stretched to take on or off. After the last one broke (about a year after surgery) I decided not to buy another. I still like the symbolism and the potential conversations they often cause.

I'd be very interested in getting one or more if this site had their own since I would like to repay for the support I've received.

I got my wristband earlier this month from a friend at church. He had been wearing one for months without me even knowing it. He is wearing it to show support for me. Very cool. He gave me a pack of 12. They are almost gone. They act as a conversation starter. When people see it they want to know what the color stands for. We then can talk.

It still amazes me as to the lack of understanding or knowledge that the general public has concerning PCa. Just yesterday, a reporter on a local radio station reporting on Dan Fogelbergs death seemed surprised that someone could die from PCA. I know that she will have a better understanding when she opens my e-mail to her with some cruel facts. 

Wear the wristbands and spread the word.

War Eagle to all.

Just ordered some as well as some pins to share. I know too many people who have been touched by prostate cancer, but also too many who know little or nothing about it.

This is a good thread. Good job Strictlyinc. Awareness starts with us. For my thoughts on it you can go my blog at www.caringbridge.org/visit/tonycrispino and click on "Journal" at the top and look for the captioned "Blue Ribbons, Blue Wrist Bands, Blue Skies...". I do get asked about the ribbon which is actually a small pin shaped as a ribbon. Interesting results.

Tony

...and as a follow-up, my blue bands came in, and I've been wearing one ever since.  I gave one to my pastor and another church bud...and one to my middle daughter.

As an aside, I had my first post-surgery PSA test results come back today:  0.004.