Senator Chris Dodd

Yeah, I saw that and wondered if he'd show up here. Poor guy, I don't suppose he'll have the luxury of recovering out of the spotlight.

I wish him all the best.

Sheldon AKA Sleepless

I expect if Senator Dodd does show up here, it won't be under his real name. The beauty of forums such as these is that they allow us to be as anonymous as we please.

If you're already with us Senator, welcome to the club nobody want to join.

I understand his Doctor will be Dr. Scher from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in NYC. Does Dr. Scher perform the robotic surgery?

Well David, I don't consider myself lucky to have PCa, but since my surgery four and a half weeks ago, I've had two friends die of other cancers, one diagnosed in April about the time I was, and the other about the time I had my surgery. All in all, if I've got to have a cancer, this one ain't the worst.

That said, I'd agree that the public is not well informed about PCa. Your point that people in general don't realize just how debilitating PCa can be is an excellent one. And, no matter that we may be doing well at a point in time, the Sword of Damocles is always hanging over our heads. The trick, I think, is to be aware of this, but not let it define who we are, or what we do with our lives. We just happen to know that sword is there. I may have other, far more dangerous swords hanging over me, get whacked by a truck tomorrow, but I don't let that impact the attitude I have today. Nor should I let PCa's possible future control of my life impact my life today.

Sheldon AKA Sleepless

We may now have someone to help us with Inusrance issues (ED Meds).  He probably will not have the same issues as us.  Their insurance is primo!

Sheldon, I don't consider any man, woman, or child lucky to have cancer, any kind of cancer. This is my 4th bout with cancer in my life so far. The non-PC cancer I had 3 times, took a total of 5 surgeries, including extensive plastic surgery on my scalp, and 35 days of radiation to bring it under control. It was no fun, no aspect of it.

One reason I was so devastated last fall when I got my PC dx, it was like, come on, haven't I been through enough? Appearently not. So like you, and the rest of the men here with PC, we fight a new fight, day by day, night by night, and try hard to return some semblence of our former lives. All our treatment options come with no guarantees, and as you can seen from hanging around here, side effects vary immensely from person to person.

There is no "good" cancer. Sometimes its just a case of the lesser of two evils. Probably won't see it happen in my lfie time, but perhaps one day in the future, most if not all, forms of cancers can be cured or eradicated.

David in SC

Sheldon, your thoughts are as valid and welcome as any of mine, or anyone else for that matter. It helps to talk through the myriads of feelings.

Based in your description of the two camps of thinking, the positive spin folks either never had PC or any other serious cancer, perhaps not even had a loved one close to them with cancer, and can easily spin away the negative side of dealing with cancer.

On the other hand, the realists, they are us, they are the victims of cancer, or perhaps one of their spouses/other halves, or other close family member. They are the ones like me (not singling me out for any particular reason) that sitting here on a sofa with a catheter up my penis 9 months after a surgery for PC that was said to be successful, knowing then I may already have reaccurance this soon, and may have to start radiation treatments soon if that is true.

Despite my grumblings here time to time, I try to express an honest day by day accountability of my travel, I don't like to blow smoke up anyone's a**, I don't find that helpful or honest. Life isn't all bad by any means, but its not all bon bons and long stem roses.

I am a realist. I can say, it could be so much worse, and I know people in real life dealing with much worse. But I can also say, wouldn't it have been nice if this never have happened to me, was quite content with my life as a whole prior to my PC dx last fall.

This past year is a blur to me. I can't believe it is now August. Still not convinced anything has been solved, with the exception that I no longer have a prostate gland, no longer can ejaculate, no longer can pee like a race horse or hold my bladder all day, etc.

For me, my life will never be the same again, no amount of positive thinking courses is going to change that reality, so I do what ever other realist does, you adapt. Yesterday's normal is gone, tommorow normal may be it, and even that may change once again in the future.

The single biggest thing that holds me together enough not to simply fall apart, is that of the love of my wife and immediate family. They give me the hope to fight, to hold on, to live to fight another day, to continue the struggle, or even the reason to want to struggle. I couldn't even comprehend how one deals with something like this if they are truly alone in this world.

The news media does no justice to men who have PC when they down play or sugar coat or simplify Prostate Cancer, it leaves the wrong image, and sure doesn't help all the poor men dealing with treatment choices, bad side effects, and the constant fear of reaccurance.

That's my thought on a Saturday morning.

David in SC

At least he can just walk into the Capitol Hill medical facility and get the best care in the US.  

Tud, that was a good deed you did, you will be well rewarded by the Squire. You told him exactly what I was thinking. As a public figure, of course they have to put a positive well chosen spin on it, or else his opposition in the next election will play up his health. I agree with what you did.

David in SC

Piano, glad you did well with that one, hope I can skip that one in my life time. Two different cancers has already been enough for me.

I have used the phrase "if you had to have a cancer, its the one to have" to reassure my family. I dont feel this way, and I dont think the senator does. I believe my reaction to teh dx was pretty normal - i called my lawyer to "bring my affairs in order", even though I was told by the docs how treatable this cancer is. I saw my Dad suffer and imagined my own demise. Did any of you not think that this is the end of the world when first diagnosed? So, I agree that this is purely political statement by the senator. On the other hand, he is not just anybody and he is not just speaking to his family, so the words need to be chosen carefully, especially that he has staff who are supposed to think over every word he utteres. Just my two cents...

A lot of thought provoking comments on this subject. While any of us that have had prostate cancer will scoff at the notion that this is the cancer to have if you get cancer. The bottom line, cancer if detected early enough can be treatable and possibly cured. Too many cancers grow too fast that by the time they are diagnosed, it becomes too late for a curable treatment. Even the most deadly forms of cancer, pancreatic and lung can be very treatable if caught early enough.

For Senator Dodd or any man that will face this disease...welcome to this forum of warriors that will fight this disease every day of their life. It isn't mentioned too much...but while it might be an advantage to have a slow growing cancer, it also causes extreme emotional stress on everyone involve; the man himself, his spouse or significant other and immediate family waiting on each PSA test after PSA test for the many years after initial treatment. Senator Dodd will soon come to know this side of the disease as well and it isn't an easy path to travel, as many here know all too well.