I occasionally go into the support group website Inspire to check and see how my fellow prostate cancer patients are coping with their diagnosis, tests and treatments. I don't go as often as I used to because quite frankly sometimes it is depressing to hear what others are going through. Makes me realize how lucky I am to have my prostate cancer localized (which is what I was told but one never knows).
Last week I read a new posting, which was like to many other postings from men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. They are overwhelmed by all the options (which I won't go into here) and all the possible side effects (which I won't go into here either). All of these men are looking for a clean cut (no pun intended) answer of how to treat their prostate cancer. Well folks, there is no easy answer.
Thus I was heartened when I posted a response to one such man who didn't know how to proceed after he got his diagnosis of prostate cancer. See below:
Hey folks, in life there are no easy answers. From the day we are born we are programmed for survival. Why? I don't have an easy answer for that except maybe to love and be loved. Thus, when we come to a point in our lives that our survival is threatened, when we feel we're losing control and when we feel we may not survive, panic sets in.
A very ill friend of mine recently said "I'm not afraid of dying but I am afraid of HOW I'm going to die." Same here folks, I am not afraid of dying. I just can't work up that fear. Oh I know many of those "God fearing" folks want to make sure they get into Heaven. I don't know what happens after you die (nothing I strongly suspect) but what I do know is what is happening when we're alive.
I do not want to be dependent on anyone when I die. I do not want to suffer excruciating pain (I am a coward at my core, yes I said it).
I've lived a long life. For over 90% of my life I've been extremely happy and content and not wanting for anything. I've been loved and I have loved (and continue to do so, thank God). Lesson, make every day count and be thankful.
