Life with prostate cancer
What do you wish others knew about living with prostate cancer?
, I would say; don't panic. When you hear the word cancer; we think the worst. My father got prostate cancer at the age of 72. He is now 87 and still going strong. Do your research. Find out what scores and greasons mean. I had never heard these words before. Take your time and find the best care for you; research, research, research. Last but not least. Try to get everything close to each other; doctors, hospitals, pharmacists, etc. It can take a lot out of a person driving all over town 2 or 3 times a week. 
Living with prostate cancer is not something that anyone plans to have. It is a barricade that was thrown into the road and blind sighted you. Know that you are the person driving the car and you have the ability to maneuver around that barricade the way you see fit. You can choose which direction you want to go in. Prostate cancer is a slow moving cancer! Cancer is not a death sentence. Gather and utilize support groups to keep your mental stimulation high and positive. Research ALL avenues of treatment because each man's journey may be different. Allow yourself to feel any and all emotions you may have.
However, for some men it is incredibly fast growing and absolutely lethal. I know of a man who had small cell carcinoma and died six weeks after dx. Thankfully it is very rare! 
Wow it happens - a former business partner was having issues and went in when he was unable to pass urine - catheter helped and was told he no signs of prostate cancer. Eight weeks later he passed due to a "rare sarcoma " on the prostate - apparently it had spread to lungs and liver. You just never know - Live your life to the fullest every day ... Dennis(ProstateCancer.net TEAM)
that it's tough, the hardest thing I've faced in my life. However, you can choose to think of yourself as dying of cancer or living with cancer. I chose living with cancer and try to make the absolute most of every day and live life to the full! I agree - the more you focus on the negative side if this the more depressed you can become. I certainly do not ignore the fact but at the same time i can choose to die every day for years - or just do it once at the proper time - until then I focus on the positives
What I suggest to newly diagnosed men is
A) We are not immortal and you are not going to die from this any time soon
B) Take a deep breadth and look at treatment options - speak up & ask lots of questions
C) Face the fact – life after a cancer diagnosis (treatment) will be different.
D) Learn to roll with life's ups and downs
E) Don't live in a constant state of fear
I am so glad to hear you were able to go out with friends and relax and have fun. I think it is great that you are keeping yourself busy with activities that you enjoy. Unfortunately I feel like we have heard a lot of members say that it is hard to get appointments in a timely manner. I am happy that you have yours already set up. It is completely natural to be nervous about every ache and pain. Having cancer is an emotional and physical roller coaster. I know easier to say than to do, but try to give your body some grace. Please keep us posted on how you are doing. Jill, prostatecancer.net team Once diagnosed the mind has a tendency to imagine the worst outcomes . In reality most men 70% + discover that they can live for many many years with a treatable disease or even better only require one treatment protocol
.From someone who is on the other side of the tunnel of treatment (4x) that began for me in 2013 I now realize my worry did not help the situation nor did it accomplish a positive thing.
I also realized that on any day i could either sugport positive thoughts or negative thoughts. The latter was not as much fun and was emotionally draining for me, my family and friends . The former found me enjoying life a bit more and being surrounded by positive folks ... It's not easy but how we choose to think is a decision we can make every minute of every day. Hang in there ... Dennis(ProstateCancer.net TEAM)
