Two Year Break?

[Lynsey Cox]

I found out my Dad had prostate cancer at this years at Glasto. Put a bit of a dampner on things to say the least...he's making good progress though thank god!! Luckily small enough that he's only on tablets for now, no treatment.

[glasto-worker]

And on the same topic - if yr male over 45 get yr prostate checked for fucks sake. Not the most dignified moment in your life but 2 people I know have just got some worrying news after ignoring some signs they should have got checked out way earlier.

I've ran out of up votes it would appear. Thanks ever so much Ted for explaining that to me. My doctor did stick his finger up my arse a few years ago, but I really can't recall why he was doing it. Presumably it must have been one of these prostrate checks. Then again, maybe he really wanted to be a ventriloquist in real life, but was overpowered by career orientated parents. I guess I'll never know. Anyway, thanks to your post I'm going to make him do it again. If he's delighted with the prospect I'll know he really is a Showman!

not me again !!

the first stage is a blood test - it will give a PSA Reading

http://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/getting-diagnosed/psa-test

by the way many people do not have a enlarged prostate but they may have cancer .

many people ' don't have any symptoms at all '

' The Crucial thing is they discover it quickly '

if a PSA is high { some peoples readings can be as high as 8,000 } - I don't want to give out figures because it varies on your age but my one was 19.8 and that was enough to be bounced around three hospitals for ' nine months of tests '

at no stage did I ever think I was going to die but I did meet people who did die ' because they ignored the warnings ' - one guy was fine on the friday but failed to show up on the monday - he had died on the sunday - just like that - once it spreads to your blood/spine ' forget it '

they test everything - scans I have had them all - and then it gets serious - Nuclear imaging { SPECT scan - single photon emission computed tomography} - you get a injection - asked to come back in two hours - I walked out setting off all the Geiger counters in the place - went to the pub - went back - set them all off again - and that ' highlights ' where the cancer is - in my case it was within the prostate and then for the Biopsy - that is where you get a camera stuck up your arse - its a very weird experience - normally they take six samples - each sample is a tiny cut in the prostate - they pull out the sample and bang it in a test tube - anyway after 6 the guy said ' I think we will take 12 ' { I love the we bit } - after 12 - he still was not happy - lets go for 18 - all in I had 24

he was right to take 24 because ' it was only test tube numbered 24 that showed up as cancer '

if he had stuck to 6 - 12 or 18 I would have been declared cancer free.

anyway after that ' nine months of implants ' and then on to ' daily radiotherapy ' for seven weeks.

Radiotherapy is easy but ' it takes a long time ' - you have to drink water - in my case it was for 90 minuets before { forget how many cups but it was a fair bit } - all this was scanned in advance one cup - one scan - its important they get it right - I then had three ' tracking tattoos '

what you cant do is go to the toilet - you then have to lie down and the lasers are switched on - they focus on the tracking tattoos ' once locked you cant move - even by a fraction - five minutets later that it and a quick dash to the toilet.

One problem is ' if you miss a session ' - they start again right from session 1

you have to be fit to get Radiotherapy

the time goes quickly - I am now tested every three months - just to make sure the cancer is contained - your never declared cancer free - this can cause problems with holiday insurance - they will ask for a letter saying ' your free of cancer ' - I have never met anyone who was able to get such a letter

as long as its caught in time - its Treatable.

its plain daft not to get tested .

[Ted Dansons Wig]

by the way many people do not have a enlarged prostate but they may have cancer .

many people ' don't have any symptoms at all '

its plain daft not to get tested .

I didnt realise this - I thought the 2 came together.

Your last line sums it up really. Thanks for sharing once again GW. Sobering.

My health issues are ticker rather than cancer related - but reading your response reminds me once again of the need to never ignore anything where your health is concerned.

Said it earlier- how the fuck did we end up here in a thread about whether the festival ought to take a break on alternate years?

[glasto-worker]

I didnt realise this - I thought the 2 came together.

Your last line sums it up really. Thanks for sharing once again GW. Sobering.

My health issues are ticker rather than cancer related - but reading your response reminds me once again of the need to never ignore anything where your health is concerned.

Said it earlier- how the fuck did we end up here in a thread about whether the festival ought to take a break on alternate years?

don't get me started on my two heart attacks .

yes its funny that as I am sure that most people think that.

when you get treatment you meet loads of others and many don't have a enlarged prostate

now I would not have a clue as to what is or is not a enlarged prostate but the scans ' highlight it ' and I know for sure mine was never enlarged .

PSA tests are so easy - I have had hundreds -

funny enough it was due to my previous strokes/heart attacks that caught it so quickly as I get a annual blood test so they knew it was a new growth.

Most people who do get tested ' are given the all clear ' so really its better to know .

On paper I should be dead - in fact when I had my first heart attack the wbc announced I was dead.

anyway ' I don't want to wait two years for another Glastonbury '

[guypjfreak]

glad your not dead glasto worker old son youve many a glasto to do yet....

on subject i had a scare but luckly all was good just got to take pee tabs to help cos im peeing all time but hey ho