Date posted: January 6, 2006 - Friday
Title: The Big "C"
Current mood: relieved
I have debated about writing this, but I wanted to let my friends know.
I talked before about the two words I didn't want my doctor to say a while back. He said one of them -- diabetes. The second one was still a possibility.
I had an elevated level of hormones (I guess they are hormones) showing up in my blood from my prostate gland. I was scheduled to see a urologist and have an exam to see if I had to have a prostate biopsy.
Well the exam told that doctor I had to have the biopsy. It was scheduled for earlier this week.
I was told my chances of having the big "C" were 50/50 based on what the doctor felt in his first exam.
So there I sat on the table. I had been preparing myself for the worst all over the Christmas season. And now I would find out.
First he would conduct an ultrasound exam of my prostate.
And the first words out of his mouth were, "Holy Toledo!"
Not a good sign usually, but in this case it turned out much better than it would seem.
The exam revealed the cause for elevated hormone readings was a prostate larger than what is normal in a younger man. He decided he didn't need to do the biopsy after all.
The size of the prostate explained the elevated levels. In fact the levels should have been even higher based on the size of the gland. And the irregularities he felt on his first exam were some stones in the prostate.
So, pretty much no "C". Now I just have to find out what an enlarged prostate means and if it needs treatment.
I am still dealing with the diabetes. My blood readings (that I take twice a day) have been within the acceptable range for the most part. I am taking classes about the disease and nutrition and learning what I need to try and keep it under control.
I am actually exercising. I have a treadmill in my front room and try to do a minimum of 15 minutes a day on it even if it is at a very moderate pace.
Only time will tell if I keep it under control or even improve to the point where I can cut back on or stop taking the pills I am taking now.
Just wanted the people who inquired after my last health blog to know.
