Living with Stage Four Prostate Cancer: My Honest Experience
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- Today's video is about how my thinking led to a bad start to the week but then it all got better.
I often talk about the role my thoughts have in processing my everyday life with prostate cancer and sometimes they can get out of control.
Thanks for watching. Thank you for watching this video, I’ve been making these videos as a vlog sharing my journey through Advanced Metastatic Prostate Cancer.
My world literally fell apart on Sept 15th 2021 when I was diagnosed with Advanced Prostate Cancer which according to my Oncologist is incurable (although ive never accepted that) Questions such as how long have I got left how bad is it , in fact, a whole host of frightening thoughts, where sudennly swarming around my mind and exploding at opportune moments when I felt most vulnerable.
If i were to be honest, I was lost and lonely to begin with. People don’t know how to deal with someone who has stage four cancer. It’s a taboo subject. I honestly didn’t know who to turn to for help. It can be a dark place and I only wish I could of found a channel such as this to help me through those early days.
I started writing a blog whilst I was in hospital and recovering at home after the initial treatment phase.
I then decided to make this vlog because it seemed a better way to get my story out there. I want to provide a channel where I would continue telling my story for as long as I can and invite comments from others that can also help and share their own experiences.
Cancer can be a lonely place, and I hope this channel will help someone else who may be a bit lost and feel alone whilst dealing with their own diagnosis and experience.
Nothing is ever as bad as you think it will be, and that seems to the case so far with my experience with Prostate Cancer.
Thank you for watching. Please comment and subscribe if you feel like it, and please share the videos with anyone you think may find them helpful
Woody ❤️
Appreciate the video. Helping a lot of other people in similar situations. You are a legend to many.
I appreciate that it’s really kind of you to comment
Had the same conversation with my wife 15 min ago. The hormone therapy makes me feel like a lab rat, but at the same time, we are fortunate enough to live in this time, that they can keep us going. My dental hygenist said to me, that i have to cut myself some slack. That statement really took the weight off. Also, when those crazy thoughts (hormones not me) start to build, i just tell my wife right away, and that helps big time. I find that doing any work around the house, i take lots of breaks. I have tea and biscuits like you do across the pond 🙂👍 Second time round for me, as i've mentioned in my previous comments, so i've learned a lot. Hope this helps you mate.
Thank you, yes it does help. All the comments people write are helpful and mostly really positive it's great to share our experiences here.
Well done on your efforts to keep going. I understand exactly, I have not felt well since starting hormone treatment and today for the fist time in months I worked very slowly in my vegetable patch and apart from stiffness feel so much better. The lousy weather we have had this winter with constant rain has dragged us down, but the daffodils are coming up now and spring is near. A bit of sun on our backs will buck us all up I am sure. We are lucky to live now, even despite feeling rotten. 10 years ago I watched my brother die of cancer and it was dreadful. We would not allow an animal to go through that. Luckily I don't think that will be my fate even if the cancer is not beaten. Best wishes. Graham
Thanks Graham, you are right cancer is a horrible thing, I watched my father in law go through cancer of the asophagos and it was bloody awful. Yes the weather in the UK isn't helping my mood either perpetual rain and cloud hardly seen the sun for ages but it's the thought of the spring and summer arriving that keeps my spirits up. We have daffodils and crocus flowering early and making the world a bit brighter here in Kent.
I can't wait for the warm weather it makes a difference, but also a walk in the rain can be ok too😃
I’ve been in the fight for years now. Prostate removal, 39 radiation treatments, 2 years Lupron injections. Remission for 2years 7 months. Then it came back. I’m now on Lupron injections again and thank god my PSA went down
Thank you George, so much you say resonates with me. Keeping positive is the most important thing because it helps with everything else. Although also recognising we can't be positive all day everyday and therefore have to accept that some times it's ok to not feel great. The journey does open up the eyes to see so much more than before.
Best wishes to you 🙏
No doubt about that @@Livingwith-prostatecancer . There’s good days, bad days and the days in between. I’m glad my comments were relevant to you. I have only posted a few times about this situation, once just a couple of weeks ago and to to you. It’s a very complicated situation that take its toll but at the same time it can be very rewarding. I know that sounds crazy but as you know it’s true. Stay strong! 🫵👍🙏
You describe my situation to the T. Finished radiation yesterday and continue on the lupron. Have not dealt with reoccurring issues as of yet. Yes, being positive with purpose is key. With regards to cancer, being positive takes work.
This echoes much of my experience. Age 70, stage 4, Gleason 5+4 with about 10 bone mets. Just finished a year on daily Enzalutamide and Prostap injections to my stomach every 3 months. Suffered a lot with fatigue, nausea, hot flushes, raised blood pressure and a host of other weird things the testosterone blocker has done to my body. I've got 15 countable side-effects of various degrees of inconvenience. The hardest to live with are fatigue, nausea and the hot flushes. I completely echo your comments about trying to do the smallest of tasks. I was very fit before but now each little job has to be planned with plenty of rests during it, that's if I can even be bothered to think about doing it. I make sure I exercise most days (small dumb-bells, press-ups, static bike, walking) and although it can be a struggle I definitely feel better for it. I'm desperate not to lose muscle mass from the loss of testosterone, so I just have to keep going, or risk fractures as I progress through this. Thankfully, I'm not naturally a worrier, and although I'm at war with the state of this country and the world, like you I'm keeping as positive as possible. Only 10 years ago these modern treatments weren't around, so we're relatively lucky. I've got a wonderful wife, 2 adult kids, 1 grandson and another grand-child on the way. Why wouldn't I want to stay well to see them develop.
Stay positive, you really don't know what your next chapter will be in life.
Thank you Doug and good luck to you too on your own journey through this. It's great you have such a positive attitude that's so important.
Keep up the good work Woody. It's refreshing to to watch someone with a realistic yet positive slant on this hand we've been dealt. I wood say I enjoy watching your videos, but enjoyment isn't something that fits with why I'm watching, but I do find them very well presented, done with really useful content and they will be helpful to so many people.@@Livingwith-prostatecancer
Thank you for posting. So enjoyed your narrative.
Thank you
I’m praying for you brother. I’m in the same position that you are. It’s going on 10 months since my first injection. I’m determined to keep moving ahead and I’m very thankful that I am alive. In someways this has been a blessing in my life. You understand what I mean by that. I noticed things that I did not notice before. The sky is bluer, and the birds singing is more beautiful. I am thankful to the Lord that I have another day. This has actually brought me closer to Him. Keep up the good fight and keep moving. Yesterday I went out for a 122 mile ride on my motorcycle to a favorite lunch spot. Today I’m going to ride my electric bike around the lakes here in Katy Texas to get some exercise. I’ve also found that lifting weights helps quite a bit. Keep up the good fight!
It all depends on seriousness of illness and harmful side effects of drugs. Inside stage 4 there are many, many stages, from easy ones to terrible ones.
That’s true @@dusanjez2011. But what ever situation you are in. Positive thoughts, faith in god, faith in yourself are a very necessary parts of living your best life. It’s not easy at any point but in less you fight and fight hard using everything you have, the remaining days just as anyone else wont be as good as they can be.
Keep going woody it's one long journey ups and downs nice to here from you
I understand perfectly when you say in some ways this has been a blessing in your life. I think that is a sign of how a positive mindset can overcome even the worst of times. Always searching for things that are positive will always help the burden we go through. I'm not a particularly religious man but I believe there is some universal force out there that we can tap into to help in some way. Perhaps that is religion I don't know it's something I've been thinking about lately. I guess we all need something to believe in in this situation 🙏
Sadly you are correct. I know it's going to get a lot worse which is why I need to focus on the time right now where it is relatively not so bad. I can't put my thoughts into the future I live day by day and I'm grateful for many things I have right now. Nobody knows the future and what it holds not even the most healthy people on this planet our lives are changed in an instant when we learn we have some kind of terminal illness. I try to forget it's terminal and live my days expecting or hoping it to just go away at some point. I can't focus on anything other than survival.
Woody cleaning can be frustrating even with robotic equipment. Even though I recently stopped hormone therapy after 3 years I still get fatigued. Keep positive.
Cheers Mike
Hi mate, thanks for your CZcams videos keep going I’m following your progress. I’ve just this last week asked/ requested and tried to make an appointment for a PSA test with my GP but only for the receptionist to phone me back and tell me that because I had a test last June I can’t have another one until a year goes bye!!!! Wow i thought there was a message about prevention in the media of late and because of King Charles prognosis !!!! My farther had surgery on his prostate 15 years ago so my brother and I were told to keep regular check ups but the philosophy at my local doctors surgery is still set back in dark ages. Totally confused and anxious about the hole philosophical management of certain policies and contradictions!!
Anyway again a massive thank you for your message to remind guys to simply get checked out.
Best wishes and regards Mark(farmer-Cheshire/Shropshire)
Hi Mark
Thanks for your comments
If you are worried and in my opinion I think you should be as your father had prostate problems you can.buy a test online I think Amazon sell them.
A friend of mine has used them and said the service is good.
Best wishes
My best wishes to you.
Best wishes to you too Dusun
Hey Woody. Cheers mate. Thanks for your thoughts. There are many many men who can identify with you. Ian.
Thank you Ian
Emotional changes are new to me, and they lack understanding. The ADT and radiation has made me moody. I don't like it, getting angry is different.
It will get better as your body gets used to it. Focus on as much positivity as you can. Get a gratitude journal I've found that really helpful, even on the bad days I still can find something to be grateful about. It's important not to let all the darkness take over.
Take a pause, as needed and then…… “carry on”
Thank you