Mark tells me, “Control is an illusion. The best you can do is improve your odds.”
Odds…
I am a lucky, unlucky man.
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer two days ago. That would be bad luck.
However, I would not even know about it if it weren’t for some incredibly good luck. My husband bought me a watch freeing up the money I was saving to buy myself the watch for something else. I decided that I wanted a comprehensive physical to get a baseline. The accident last year made me much more aware of my health and I decided it was a good idea to get a baseline. As part of that physical I received a PSA test. That PSA test showed a potential issue which was then confirmed with a second PSA test. This in turn lead to a biopsy which lead to the diagnosis.
Where the luck comes in is the government doesn’t want doctors to test anyone under 50 with the PSA test (let alone do a biopsy). Which means I would not have been tested for another 10 years. In 10 years who knows where that cancer could go? Metastasized into the bone, spread to the lymph nodes, who knows. I was lucky enough to have a urologist who as he puts it, “casts a wide net to catch them while their still minnows”.
On the other-hand, it might have done nothing. Prostate cancer is funny that way. So now I am on active surveillance and beginning to change my lifestyle. I might not be in control, but goddammit I am going to improve my odds.