Prostate Cancer + COVID

No matter how you look at life these days, the level of physical and mental stress is more than a bit overwhelming. Now add in the fun of dealing with 2 run-ins with prostate cancer over the past few years, and the challenges of day-to-day living are really adding up. Then along comes COVID, and with it a whole new set of concerns.

Feeling uneasy

At first, I was not concerned and did not understand how it might impact me. As time marched on, I slowly found myself becoming more uneasy.

Do I get tested? Should I get vaccinated? Are the shots safe? If I have prostate cancer, am I at a greater risk? So many questions, and so many different and conflicting answers. When I was able to get my first COVID shot, I did so not knowing if I made the right decision. Then 30 days later I received my second shot. All in all, other  than a sore arm, I was ok.

In addition to prostate cancer, I have also been blessed with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, which fortunately is now in remission. When the opportunity to get a booster shot came along, my oncologist strongly suggested I get the shot.

Taking center stage

COVID has taken center stage in all our lives, and it is a significant distraction for men’s health. With any threat, be it physical or mental, I suspect most of us try to figure out the greatest threat and what our next logical steps should be.

On average, men tend to ignore routine health issues. Yes, they may go to the gym or engage in some sport, but beyond those, men often presume, “If I do not feel sick, I am OK.” Unfortunately choosing to not go in for routine check-ups can mask some serious health issues.

COVID's impact on routine health visits

Prostate cancer is so easy to ignore when you are focusing on your job, being a husband and father. After all, for most men, things do not suddenly stop and make us call an MD. As men, we tend to ignore small annoyances  and we also downplay subtle warning signs for too long.

In one of our recent Zoom meetings, our guest MD speaker said more men are now being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer findings than before. Why? He suggested the fear of getting COVID has made men reluctant to go in for any routine health tests.

Exhausted but still here

This article is being written in December of 2021. I have had my two COVID shots and a booster. Out of nowhere I developed a significant case of COVID. Suddenly I was hospitalized for 7 days and put on IV drug treatment. Fortunately, I did not need a ventilator. I am now at home and, as of my writing this, feeling very weak and having some issues with breathing. Overall, I am physically exhausted but still here.

Where and how did I get prostate cancer, and could I have prevented it? Why did I get non-Hodgkin’s and then COVID? Who knows? Not much I can do about the past. That said, I currently am focusing on a diet rich in vegetables and fruits and hope it helps my body heal.