My Challenge to defeat prostate and bone cancer

First Published 30 September 2023

Well, here I am again. Another blog about cancer but this time it’s me! It is more than 11.5 years since I added the final chapters to the “Wendy’s Army” blog, so this is very much Déjà Vu. I don’t know what I have done to upset those “upstairs” but they sure are making sure I get tested in this life. They managed to take Wendy, sadly, but they are not going to get me without the same degree of fight and determination shown by her.

As Wendy would be the first to acknowledge, these journeys cannot be undertaken alone. No cancer patient can undertake the trip without the support of loved ones.

As many will know, Kim and I being together at this stage in our lives is a story, which goes back over 30 years. Maybe we will tell that story at some point. So many have said we should!

I want to start this blog by acknowledging Kim, who is as up for the challenge of beating this cancer as I am. I simply could not do this without the caring nature of Kim, her inspiration to support me and lead the effort to get through this and we cannot wait for the day we will be told I’m in complete remission.

Kim is my rock! She is right here with me, and I couldn’t be a luckier man to be facing this with her. I love her with all my heart and, together, we are going to be successful in fighting and defeating this disease!

Before I start to tell the story and start the journey, let me explain why I have created this blog. There are three main reasons:

  1. Firstly, and most importantly, the majority of my family, my friends and my former colleagues are now aware of my diagnosis. Naturally, they all wish to be kept informed about my ongoing treatment and, rather than constantly tell people individually, it makes sense to keep everybody that wishes to be kept up to date informed on a consistent basis. When recounting detail, it is very easy to forget what you have said and to whom.
  2. I find it very cathartic. Telling the story gives me the chance to reflect on what is happening, rather than just repeating facts about the treatment and, just as importantly, some of those reading the blog will have people they know that have been on the same, or a similar journey. I think sharing experiences is so valuable and I have already found others that have been able to provide valuable insights and connections, which I will cover later.
  3. Thirdly, I’m not the only one undertaking this type of cancer journey. I have already met other men who have experienced prostate cancer and there will be many more in the future. My experience may just help other guys on their own journey. In Australia, over 24,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, with 1 in 5 men at risk of being diagnosed before they turn 85. And it is far from being confined to Australia. In the UK, Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. More than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year on average – that’s 144 men every day. Every 45 minutes one man dies from prostate cancer – that’s more than 12,000 men every year.

  • Session 2 of chemo – update

    I have been feeling really good! I had my bloods checked on 10 October, the day before I was due to have my second session of chemo the following day. My white blood cell count had recovered sufficiently from the normal dip following the first chemo session. My day 10 bloods following session one were

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  • My best week since I started my treatment regime!

    Since my last update: The meeting with Bill, the cancer nurse at Milton & Ulladulla Cancer Centre went well. I had had my bloods taken immediately before the meeting, so Bill did not have these available. However, he had seen the ones taken on day 10 (19 October) after the second chemo session on 11

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  • Chemo Session 4 update – news is getting better and better

    I had my pre chemo bloods taken on Tuesday 21 November. I had my fourth chemo session on Wednesday morning 22 November. The nursing team confirmed they had the blood results through and everything was looking good. They had obviously read Dr Gary Tinckner’s note from my review meeting with him on Friday 17 November

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  • 5th session of chemo & update on our home

    The last three weeks, since the 4th chemo session, have been quite quiet on the health front, thankfully. My stomach has been a little less tolerant of the chemo, as expected. I’ve taken around 6-8 imodium to help, whereas I had previously only had to take a couple. The cancer nurse, when I discussed it

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  • Final Chemo Session, I hope!

    On Wednesday 3 January I had my sixth, and optimistically my last, chemo session. My bloods, taken the day before, were all normal and the session proceeded exactly as previous ones, no issues. That night, however, I could not sleep at all. The phrase often used by the cancer team is “wired”. I could not

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  • The best possible news I could have wished for!

    Earlier today I had my scheduled appointments with Gary Tincknell, Medical Oncologist, and Stephen Chin Radiology Oncologist. I met Gary first and he had the blood results taken last Friday, 9 February which, sadly coincided with the 12th anniversary of Wendy’s passing. I could tell from his smile that the news was good! When measured

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  • Continued good news and health

    It has now been just over 4 months since my last chemo session. It was suggested to me that it can take from six to 12 months for the chemicals to fully leave my system. From my perspective I feel this will be nearer the shorter end of that timeframe. I have been feeling really

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  • The good news continues!

    I had a telephone meeting with my medical oncologist, Gary Tinknell, on Tuesday last week. He remains very pleased with my progress. He had my blood results from late the previous week. They showed that my PSA remains at 0.01 and told me there are three levels within that score and I had dropped two,

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  • An early Xmas present!

    Having had my bloods taken last Friday, Kim and I visited my oncologist, Dr Gary Tinknell, this morning. My PSA score remains at 0.01, the lowest it can possibly be. He and we were delighted with the continued good news. It is not just the medication that is sustaining this momentum, but the holistic approach

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  • Quick update

    I have had a call with Gary Tincknell, my oncologist, following my latest set of blood tests. He said “cancer in your prostate is “undetectable”, which means the PSA score remains at 0.01 for the fourth consecutive quarter. There is no need to amend my medications, just keep doing what I have been. He will

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Space

Earlier today I had my scheduled appointments with Gary Tincknell, Medical Oncologist, and Stephen Chin Radiology Oncologist.

I met Gary first and he had the blood results taken last Friday, 9 February which, sadly coincided with the 12th anniversary of Wendy’s passing.

I could tell from his smile that the news was good! When measured three months ago, my PSA had been 0.09, down from the previous 0.34, having started at 13. The latest figure is an amazing 0.02, which is about as low as it can get. Technically, the lowest it can be is 0.01.

Kim and I were over the moon with the news, as you would expect.

I told Gary that I have had no bone pains since I started the treatment some six months ago. The only side effects are an unsettled stomach, occasionally, and my fingernails have started to die back at the tips.

The good news is that, since the chemo ceased about 6 weeks ago, matters have improved, including the fact my hair has noticeably grown!

Gary wants me to have my PSA measured again in three months and expects these to remain at the very low level of the present. That expectation remains for the next few years. As the treatment I’m on is new, he is not sure how much beyond that the PSA will remain at this level. It could be a lot more than 2 years. When it does start to move, there are other treatments available and, of course, research is finding new treatments all the time.

So, I will have my bloods taken on 10 May, ahead of my next appointment with Gary on 14th. In the meantime, I’m going to stick closely to my existing dietary regime, have my regular acupuncture sessions and, following an update meeting with my naturopathic specialist tomorrow, continue with the supplements she recommends.

My energy levels have just about returned to normal, which has enabled me to be back to my normal levels of activity prior to my diagnosis. In short, I am feeling good.

I saw Stephen Chin immediately after I saw Gary. He too was delighted with the results. There is no need to consider radiotherapy. The prostate is fine, and I have had no bone or muscle pains. He believes we should continue to monitor my PSA, as suggested by Gary, and only carry out further scans, either CT or PET, if the PSA moves higher, or I get pains in the bones or muscles.

It has been a long six months but every effort both Kim and I have made, has paid off. Kim has been the rock with me through this period, always with a smile, a godsend with the medications and supplements.

We both feel, strongly, sticking to the advice of the oncologists, that of the naturopathic oncologist and nutritionists, plus my acupuncture sessions and our positive approach has been the key to the success, so far.

Time for a small celebration, we think. We are about to enjoy a cruise from Sydney to New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, and return, after two weeks, to Sydney. I think we have earned this break to recharge us for whatever the future may hold.