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:
It’s a long story! It started on Friday 11th March 2022! Around that time, Australia had experienced huge rainfall volumes. I think in Bawley Point, where we live, there was circa 250ml in a few months. This was following the bush fires in early 2020. They say this is a country of extremes and that is certainly the case in…
Let’s remember that Kim and I have only been together for 2 years. We have been so happy in our retirement in our new home and surroundings with our animals and those all around us. The first day we moved in a King Parrot came to see us. We started to feed it sunflower seeds from our hands, and it…
Ahead of the initial meeting I was asked to attend the radiology unit the very next day for a full body CT scan, which would then be available to Dr Nicholson. This was undertaken on Friday 4 August. On Monday 7 August I had a second meeting with Dr Burt, who had the CT scan results. Kim was with me.…
Well, if I hadn’t hit that pothole, and if I hadn’t buckled the wheel, I would not have taken it for repair and a second new tyre. I would not, thereafter, be faced with trying to get the wheel back on the car and., therefore, would not have fractured my pubic ramus. Without the fracture I would not have had…
I had my first consultation with Dr Kasherman on 22 August. It was an almost three-hour journey to Dr Kasherman’s consultation rooms in Woollongong. Dr Nicholson had wanted me to see one of her colleagues, Dr Gary Tincknell, with whom she worked very closely, but he was away on holiday for 4 weeks, waiting any longer to start the treatment…
As you would expect, Kim and I had many conversations about the diagnosis. We had moved into our beautiful home just under two years ago, after I returned to Australia. I had returned to the UK to sell my home, gain a visa, and return asap to Australia. But I left on the last day before the Australian border was…
Following my meeting with Dr Helen Nicholson, the prostate oncologist, she arranged for me to see Dr Steven Chin, a radiology oncologist, with whom she also works close, and with Dr Tincknell. They are part of the same multidisciplinary team that meets weekly to review their cases. We met on Wednesday 30 August. At the same time, I met Sarah…
As we sit here today, 30 September, this is where I have reached with my treatments:
I had my Day 10 bloods taken on 29 Sept. I’m seeing the cancer nurse at the clinic where I have my chemo administered on 3 October. He will have the 10-day blood tests. I have just arranged to see an acupuncturist on 4 October. Acupuncture is very good for trying to rebalance the body and so many of the…
A week ago today, Saturday 30 September, our dream started to unfold. We had agreed that rehoming Kim’s horses was the right thing to do, as was moving home. We got a call from the lady that had agreed to take our beautiful 33 year-old Palomino pony, Kirra. I think it was the first time we had realised the reality…
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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 review with me again in 3 months.
The news all remains good and Kim and I are naturally delighted.
Prostate & Bone Cancer 