PSA

[dustymojave]

Because if I don't post for a few days, Usually someone post up asking if I've been seen lately or have kicked off or some such... I'm posting this up now. I just posted the same over on TOS, but the list of people on there is not the same as the list on here. Thus repeating it.

PSA = Public Service Announcement

or

PSA = Prostate Specific Antigen

When you old farts in your 50s see an item in your lab test results from your Physical exam that says "PSA", its the 2nd one above. Prostate Specific Antigen. The doctor is checking to see if you have prostate cancer. PAY ATTENTION!

I got the cancer back in 2016 and had surgery to remove the Prostate and a bunch of lymph nodes that it had spread to. Then they gave me medicine to keep the cancer in control. Last summer (2021) my PSA started going up again. Doctor said it wasn't very high so he wasn't worried.

In October my right arm was aching at the elbow and shoulder. Talked to my GP and he thought it was tendonitis and should get better in a few weeks. In March, my arm was getting worse. I was trying to weld on a friend's buggy frame and couldn't hold the torch straight or steady. Then the next day UPS brought a new brake caliper for my son's F350 4x4. I picked it up and brought it into the house. Just inside the door, my arm felt like it was being torn out by the roots. Called my doctor again and he set me up with Orthopedics to check out my arm. 1st look at an X-ray and I asked what was that spongy looking area of the bone above my elbow. Turns out it's a tumor about 4" long and 1.256" wide in the bone. They referred me right away to the cancer department, who had no doctor available to see to it, so they referred me out to City of Hope (a very well respected cancer specialty medical group here in California). Their doctor right away prescribed a course of action to get after fixing the cancer. But it has taken until this coming Monday to meet with a radiation specialist about treatment. In between was a hell of a lot of wrangling to get Kaiser (my medical group that insures my wife and I for life as a result of my wife being a nurse for them her entire career until she retired 6 years ago) to approve any actual work to be done. Meanwhile I've done a couple of trips to the hospital for full body scans under sedation to find if the cancer is anywhere else. Turns out it's also in my sternum, pelvis, more lymph nodes and my spine.

I've had a number of other medical issues, mainly caused by medicines or something supposed to help my health through the cancer. Although the scrunched up neck and lower back with spasms may or may not be related to the cancer. But the severe gout flareup was definitely caused by the protein shakes to compensate for the protein lost to the cancer and to the medicines.

I now have a temporary handicap plaque. But can't climb into the mid-travel Ranger pre-runner or the F350 4x4. My Durango is on jacks waiting for a rebuilt trans and my Baja has a bent valve. So I have to borrow a neighbor's car for a friend to drive me to the doctor's on Monday. The friend's Bug just cracked a case and his Chevy truck has been waiting 2 months+ for a trans rebuild.

So I haven't been to a VW event so far this year. No offroad races or fun runs. With the gout, I can't push a clutch pedal anyway. Haven't been out in the Chenowth buggy for a few months either. Last time was with my son driving. Right now, I not only can't operate the clutch, I can't shift gears with my right arm nor steer it and climbing in and out would be pretty ugly.

With my arm jacked up, I can't type or control the mouse. So today, doing relatively well, I'm using my left hand for the mouse and to hunt & peck type for anything I'm posting. I actually went outdoors for the 1st time in a month yesterday evening, then again a couple times today. Probably be the last day in the 70s until October. Last week it was in the low 100s.

The "Public Service Announcement" side of this is to tell you guys that if your doctor says your PSA is up, PAY ATTENTION! Make sure the doctor DOES something about it and don't let him or her say "It's up, but not that high."

I expect there are those on here here who will be rejoicing at such news about me. As they say in Canada..."Hose Off, Eh" ... to others, thanks for your concern.

[chuckput]

Richard,
I have another PSA for you: Prayer Sent Ahead. I have had my challenges with PSA readings acting like a Yo-yo. It is not a good feeling when the doctor starts throwing around the "C" word, but I can't begin to know what you are going through. I am a man of prayer and faith, and I will keep your name before the Lord.

I second the warning of the Public Service Announcement. Men, do not ignore this warning. Listen to your doctors. If you do not understand something (there are a lot of initials and big words used in medicine), ask for clarification. It's your body, take care of it. When it comes to your prostate, it may be uncomfortable to talk about or to be examined (heck, I have a female Urologist sticking her finger up my butt). Take care!

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Sorry to hear about it Dusty. You've go this and I have the heart problems since the mid-80s ( a long story going back way farther than that). According to the doctor I was supposed to be dead sometime in 2002 but physically I am still alive (not sure abut mentally though ).

Take it easy and keep in touch with us.

Lee

[doc]

Appreciate the update and the advice. Hang in there. I, also, will remember you in my prayers.

[CentralWAbaja]

Thoughts are with your Richard. You got this.

[OrangeCrusher]

I appreciate your presence here and can't imagine what your going through.

[Steve Arndt]

Thinking of you my friend.

For the gout, taking celery seed capsules has 99% eliminated my flair ups. They are very cheap, natural, and with no side effects that I know of.

[dustymojave]

Celery seed capsules? 1st I've heard of it. I'll check it out though. Thanks Steve.

And thanks to the rest of you guys.

[bajaherbie]

My prayers are with you my friend.

Sent from my SM-A326U using Tapatalk

[dustymojave]

Started radiation therapy yesterday. At this point, they're just going after the biggest tumor, which is in the bone of the right arm above the elbow. After that, it's wait and see if radiation combined with the newer medicine will bring it under control, or if chemo will be needed.

Haven't driven a car or pickup truck since early April because of the elbow. Can't even shift gears in an automatic. Unless it was a 1960s Mopar push-button auto. They had the push buttons on the left side of the dash. Can't get in my Baja or Chenowth buggy or other offroader even with my son driving due to the risk of bumping the elbow. Just a bump is VERY painful. and with the tumor in the bone, breakage risk is VERY high and odds of healing right are very slim right now. Have to get a ride with the bus company's "Dial-A-Ride" to get to doctor's appointments. Hell of a note, a lifetime car guy who can't drive. They have to come 25 miles to pick me up, then take me 25 miles back, then pick me up again and take me 25 miles back home, then return the 25 miles. 100 mile round trip for them. Downright depressing!

[doc]

Hang in there. You’ll be back! Follow the instructions on this one. The doctors have come a long way on this stuff. Folks here will remain interested in your progress. Keep typing with the good hand.

[kyle_pc_75]

Hang in there Dusty. Hope to run into you at a race or elsewhere someday again!

[Skidmark]

Dusty - thoughts and prayers coming your way. As a cancer survivor, I wish you the best outcome. Do not lose your positive attitude and approach to this. It really makes a big difference. Skid

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Hang in there dusty and do as doc says. Life gets awful long and tiresome even during normal situations. Think of this is just another test to see how you perform under the worst of circumstances and it might make things easier for you.

Still your friend, Lee

[dustymojave]

I keep hearing from others that they're pleased at my positive attitude toward all of this, including Kaiser's Depression Care people (referred to me due to the cancer. So I suppose I'm doing it right. From my point of view, I'm not done with this job here and I'm not a quitter. I have forty-eleven projects lined up and waiting, and with the medicines combined with my age, I'm not able to keep all of my projects clear in my head, but that doesn't mean I'm done.