Bob Williams – The Prostate Saga – My journey through prostate cancer
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L to R: Bob Williams, Sarah Crane (CEO of Pelican Cancer Foundation), The Worshipful Master Bob Nye. (Oakley Lodge Freemasons no. 694)
My recent 60th birthday was not as enjoyable as I would have liked, about a week before it I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Fortunately, it is described as treatable, but doing nothing is not an option. This all started back in August 2014 when I needed to see my GP because of a pulled hamstring and mentioned that I was going to the loo more frequently. My GP suggested that I have a blood test to check my PSA, she also explained the other ‘treats’ that form part of the diagnosis. Well, the PSA came back as 3.6 which she thought was a little high, so we progressed to the next stage. DRE is a digital examination, but there’s nothing technical about it. So far I’ve been prodded and poked, sliced and diced, I’ve had a DRE, an MRI, a TRUS biopsy and a bone scan.
Why am I writing this? Hopefully, so that anyone who reads this and is male, around 50 years old or more and has not had themselves checked goes and gets themselves checked. If through reading this one person gets themselves checked, then my work is done. The message still remains the same, if you know a man over 45 who has not had a PSA test, drag the shy, selfish so-and-so down to the doctor’s and get it done!