My Dad’s Prostate Cancer and His Near-Fatal Fall
One day, in the middle of the night, my dad woke up with an urgent need to use the washroom. The only problem was he was unable to pee, not even a single drop. My dad was in so much pain and discomfort that he decided to call an ambulance. And that is highly unusual for him, as he doesn’t have a lot of faith in doctors or hospitals. At the time, he was 84 and had only been to the hospital a few times in his lifetime.
Going to the hospital
While waiting for the paramedics to arrive, my dad desperately tried to pee without any success. The pain was so excruciating that he thought he was going to pass out. And even though the ambulance arrived within 15 minutes, the wait seemed to take hours and was unbearable.
Upon arrival, the paramedics were highly professional as they asked my dad several questions while checking his vitals. Within just a few minutes, my dad was in the back of the ambulance on his way to the hospital. Before he knew it, he was in the emergency department, where he had several tests and examinations. Immediately after reviewing the results, the attending physician recommended a TURP procedure for my dad.
With that news, my dad was prepped and rushed to the operating room. A TURP, or transurethral resection of the prostate, is a surgical procedure to remove prostate tissue interfering with or blocking urine flow.1 My dad has had this procedure twice before and refers to it as a roto-rooter job to clear out the plumbing.
Getting diagnosed with prostate cancer
As with any surgery, the standard hospital protocol is to send removed tissue to the lab for analysis. In the case of my dad’s removed prostate tissue, it revealed prostate cancer with a Gleason score of 4+4=8.
Since my dad would be turning 85 the very next day, he wasn’t concerned about having cancer. He figured he lived a very fulfilling life and had already lived past the national average. And besides, he wanted to live and enjoy the remainder of his days without worry of cancer or treatment. Therefore, even though he agreed to monitor the cancer, he opted to avoid treatment of any kind.
A rising PSA lurking in the background
My dad was open with me sharing his experience, so I wanted to do it here.
At the time of my dad’s diagnosis, his PSA was 6.8 ng/ml. And a bone and CT scan indicated that the cancer hadn’t spread. But that was five years ago. At the time of writing, my dad is now 90. And during the past five years, he hasn’t given a thought to his cancer. He’s too busy enjoying life with his daily walks to the coffee shop to discuss the problems of the world with his friends. And when he’s not solving world issues, he’s dancing on the dance floor with his lady friends.
However, lurking in the background, his PSA continues to rise. What started at 6.8 ng/ml is now a staggering 162 ng/ml! That’s a huge increase over five years! And he has not had a follow-up bone or CT scan. Nor does he want one.
A sudden health scare: a fall
But as it turns out, his PSA and cancer are the least of his worries. A few months ago, he had a severe fall and fell face-first into the sidewalk. He ended up with a broken nose and a few cracked ribs. In his youth, he was a professional boxer who once had his nose broken in the ring. He told me that hitting his nose on the pavement felt the same as the time a boxing glove pounded his nose.
For a time, we thought this was the end for my dad. He couldn’t walk and was unable to care for himself. Everyone in the family and many friends gathered by his side to help. At one point, my dad said the pain was so bad that he didn’t want to live anymore. I was preparing for the worst. But to my surprise, he started making significant improvements.
Although he’s not in the same shape as before the fall, he’s back to walking, as of my writing this. Even though I got him a walker, he says he will use it for exercise to improve muscle strength. But he doesn’t want to rely on it. And he’s back to walking to the coffee shop, leaving the walker behind, all while not having a care in the world.
One more thing to consider
Please note that he told me that if he were a younger man, he definitely would consider treatment. However, due to his age, especially now at 90, he stands by his choice to avoid it.
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