A Good News Cancer Diagnosis?

As many of you know I have been a prostate cancer survivor for almost eight years. And in many ways, I've learned over that period to not panic and to always take a deep breath every time I hear the latest news on what might be going on in my body. I have pretty much been able to ride that bucking Bronco until recently when I received what could only be called a knock out blow.

A shocking initial diagnosis

I was visiting my daughter in Virginia when I suddenly came down with some pretty excruciating pain centered in my chest and back. It got to the point where I started to think I was having a heart attack. A trip to the emergency room yielded a diagnosis that scared the hell out of me and forced me to end our visit and return to Connecticut.

For the next 2 weeks, I was under the impression that I was facing an extremely new and deadly form of cancer and my time here was going to be limited.

Your stories brought me hope and calm

During those moments I turned to ProstateCancer.net to look up the stories of so many men who had faced other deadly diseases in addition to facing prostate cancer.

As I read those stories, I began to slowly regain some calm and I began to realize my worry and mountain concerns were not doing me any good. All I was doing just caused additional stress. The only real solution was to face reality one day at a time and let the facts emerge.

Putting a name to my new cancer diagnosis

Before, I briefly stated the emergency room doctor in Virginia, in concert with the hospital radiologist on duty, told me I was facing a case of metastatic pancreatic cancer. With all the news about Alex Trebek and other famous people, I had a pretty good idea of what my future was going to look like. I took a deep breath and at the suggestion of a new oncologist underwent an endoscopic biopsy to determine exactly what I was facing.

Within a few days, I learned that my issue was not pancreatic cancer but rather a treatable form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The outlook on my new diagnosis looks promising

I never thought in my lifetime that I would the grateful for a cancer diagnosis of one variety versus another. So many men who are impacted by a prostate cancer diagnosis often presume that all cancers are fatal. I write the story because non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (apparently) is a highly treatable form of cancer much like prostate cancer when caught early.

At this stage, it appears that the disease is not advanced and that I stand a good chance for survival and even can see a possible chance of remission.

My words of guidance to other men

My message to all men is...pay attention to your personal health and give in to the reality that annual checkups, annual physicals, and routine medical exams can save your life.

At the same time if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer remember that we live in fortunate times where this disease in most cases can be treated and defeated if you were willing to take a proactive part in your personal health.