1redsock

amunro36 Alex Munro

2011-07-09T06:26:41Z

Many of you are friends of Alex known as amunro36 on this site.

I have to tell you that Alex is fighting his last fight with prostate cancer in St Barnabas Hospice Lincoln. His wife Pat is by his side and his children will arrive today. Alex is on the 'pathway' even though he was not expected to survive the night I know that my dear friend Alex will not leave us without giving it his very best.

Pat has done an incredible amount for Alex over the last 6 months as his cancer progressed. She is a wonderful woman and we will make sure she gets all the support she will need.

I last saw Alex in Leicester on 25th July he had insisted I joined a group of 80 men living with prostate cancer and their carers (wives, girlfriends etc) from all over the UK and 2 men from Arizona. Alex was determined to attend and I am sure that it was this goal that got him there overcoming so many obstacles (ramps for wheelchair access in the wrong place!!!).

Alexs prostate cancer was only diagnosed when it was at a stage from which palliative care is the treatment. He said to me on many times he wished he had been offered the simple PSA blood test earlier when a cure would have been possible. He said if he had been offered the test and then turned it down at least he would feel some responsibilty for the situation he found himself in.

More of that at a later date.

Alex was a football fanatic with Rangers the love of his life, Arsenal were the frustration of his life and he was a converted Scunthorpe United fan who presented him with a signed team shirt in November last year where he was guest of honour.

We are about to lose one of the nicest men it has been my pleasure to know.

He was the first person to become a friend on this site when I joined just over a year ago.

This damned cancer

2010-10-29T06:02:58Z

I was thinking about the elements of my life that it is detroying besides my body.

How do you deal with it?

Its frustrating coming to grips withall that needs to be known about my cancer.

The more I thought about it the more I realised I should find one part of it that interests me and concentrate on that.

Im not interested in any of the physical aspects Im interested in the psychology of cancer.

So that might be my niche somewhere I can contribute, the psychology of cancer, but not as a psychologist but as a cancer patient.

Maybe patients can bring something to the subject that the stand-off professionals miss.

Thank you Vaughan for putting the thought into my head.

Love to you all

Cryotherapy

2010-07-09T20:47:22Z

a close friend of mine has sent me an email to say he thinks his cryo has failed!

He was diagnosed 10 years ago and had RT but last year his PSA started rising so they offered him RP but he chose to go private and have Cryo they told him at the time he could not have RP after Cryo, so he is now contemplating a second go at Cryo but is worried OF COURSE about damage to other organs.

Anyone here has any experience or advice on Cryo?

we can surf the net but patient experience is golden

Boys together in this crap PCa world

Keith

Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer

2010-07-06T20:38:05Z

I have just removed two websites I was recomending for information about BC and PCa from this blog that i had posted earlier tonight because I have just read the terms of use and it asks us not to promote websites so didnt want to step over the mark.

Sorry admin.

Is it ok if I am selfish and have a rant tonite?

2010-06-30T17:56:39Z

I have just looked in my diary to see that I have an appointment with my GP next monday, it is one I made some weeks ago.

Then I got to thinking that EVERY time I have been to see my GP since my diagnosis of uncurable prostate cancer four and a half years ago every appointment has been made by ME not once has my GP asked to see me, all the appointments have been when I thought they ought to see me. IS THIS COMMON?

I know I see my consultant every 3 months but surely I could expect my GP to take some interest in my health or lack of it, he had decades of being paid for me being a patient even though I never had occaission to go to the surgery.

Now that I am trying Active Surveillance I am costing the NHS nothing except for some Double base for the dry skin.

And now today I discover that there is a difference between being terminaly ill and uncurable! According to the benefits office your terminaly ill when you only expect to live for less than six months otherwise your ONLY uncurable!!

Crystal Ball time, might go and get my palm read.

sorry everybody lol and hugs

Active Surveillance - Prostate Cancer

2010-06-23T09:59:44Z

Anyone got experience or an opinion about Active Surveillance? Would like to hear all comments even if you have no real time experience of it.

The reason being that I was on the 10.8 Zoladex and a 3 monthly Zometa for over 3 years then after much research I decided to have some time without their drugs.

I have advanced PCa stage 4 gleason 9 (at diagnosis feb 2006)

Keith

How can I love my cancer

2010-06-21T16:28:09Z

How can I love my cancer when all I want is for it to go away.

I returned today from a week abroad to find a dear friend same age same condition passed away he was a fantastic guy and I will miss his emails.

Four and a half years of living with a terminal illness and yet not feeling ill except when I took their treatment.

I had to learn quickly how to accept the side effects and condition my mind and body to take control.

Now I am taking a break from the drugs I worry about the cancer becoming aggressive again.

We all have bad days and that is why we need friends like you all to share the burden of our cancers and our sense of loss when someone dear leaves us.

Thanks for listening

Keith