Community Spotlight: Steve

Steve Bluestein has been doing stand-up comedy for over 25 years and was an opening act for Barry Manilow, Melissa Manchester, Donna Summer, and Kenny Loggins. He later became a television writer for sitcoms and variety shows as well as penned several plays. His work includes "Rest, In Pieces" and "How to Kill Your Mother Without Really Trying". He authored the hugely successful book "Memoir of a Nobody” and finally the recently published book "Take My Prostate...Please!" about his experience battling prostate cancer. Now semi-retired, he picks his projects as he pleases and "will continue to write until they close the lid." This is Steve's story.

Making my prostate cancer treatment choice

My father had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and so I was always aware of having my PSA done twice a year. In January of 2016, it was 4.8 and in May it was 6.5. I had a biopsy done and the cancer was discovered in the very early stages.

One of my best friends, like a brother, was diagnosed with prostate cancer six months prior to me. He is a doctor and he did all the research and determined, for him, having the prostate removed would be the best thing. When my diagnosis came around it was an easy choice to chose removal over radiation...and that’s what I did.

How has humor helped during recovery?

Recovery for me was about six weeks. I managed the side effects well...despite the fact that at two years I am still incontinent.

My internist is a pediatrician...I said to him, “I finally feel like I belong here.” He said, “Why” and I answered, “Because now I’m in a diaper like the rest of your patients.”

When friends become family caregivers

There is no question that my friends were my support system. I write about it extensively in "Take My Prostate...Please!" The dedication page alone has about 60 names. I couldn’t have gotten through it without my friends. All the cards, letters, cookies, balloons, deli platters, flowers...it was non stop. Every time I was feeling sorry for myself I just had to look around the room to be reminded how much I was loved. It was the one thing that kept me going. Unfortunately, my family was not there. Suffice it to say, we are estranged and distant...but my friends...my wonderful family of friends came to my rescue.

I had one friend who stayed up with me the first night I came home. I couldn’t sleep in my bed and was sitting up in the living room in a chair trying to sleep. From where I was seated I could look into the kitchen where my friend was sitting just watching me. At one point it was 4 a.m. and I said to him, “I’m fine. Please go to sleep.” It was that kind of dedication that kept me going that first night. And I say to everyone, you must have a support system you can not go about this yourself. This is your time to take...allow yourself that luxury.

What is "Take My Prostate...Please!" about?

"Take My Prostate...Please!" chronicles my journey with prostate cancer from diagnosis and testing through surgery and finally recovery. The book is broken down week to week and documents the frustrations, the triumphs, the three steps backward of recovery from prostate removal. The idea of the book was to give hope to the reader that if I could get through this experience then they could too.

The inspiration behind writing a book

I’m a writer. It’s what I do. When I began the journey with prostate cancer it was a natural thing for me to sit down at the end of the day and journal what I had experienced. Being a comedy writer my experiences were always slanted to the funny side. Like showing up to have the catheter removed with the foley in a J. Crew bag.

But more importantly, I wanted to share with other men my experience so they would know they were not alone. I wanted to show them that even cancer could be funny but they should be diligent in their fight. One of the reviewers on Amazon said, “the book shows that what you thought might break you...doesn’t.”

To learn more about Steve and the lessons he’s learned from prostate cancer, check out his book "Take My Prostate...Please!"