Over the past five years I have enjoyed writing my Blog and
have tried to write on a regular schedule but work on current productions would
often get in the way of my retelling of shows of the past.
My resent gap in writing has been caused by several health
issues.
Two and a half years ago I found out that I had prostate
cancer.
After talking with several doctors and a visit to Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo
I decided to opt for surgery.
Although I had lost fifty pounds in years the doctors wanted
me to lose more weight before they would operate.
I had hit a plateau and could only lose a few more pounds.
My PSA numbers continued to raise and my regular doctor
suggested that something needed to be done sooner then latter and this past
summer I decided to try radiation therapy.
Not wanting to have to drive to Buffalo every day I saw a
doctor at the Wilmot Cancer Center at
Strong hospital on Rochester only twenty minutes away.
After new rounds of blood tests, cat scans and bone scans it
was offered to me that radiation therapy plus hormone therapy would be a good option
for me.
In July I received the first of six monthly shots that would
help shrink back the cancer.
The drug has several side effects but not too bad on its
own.
On September 8th I began my radiation therapy and finished
my last treatment today as I write this post.
I wanted things to be normal and choose to keep working at
the college and work on the first show of the semester.
Things went well but as time went on I started to feel the
effects of the drug and radiation and it got harder to work on the production.
After struggling to get the show done I decided that I would
use some of my sick days and take a leave from the college.
If it was just the radiation therapy I might not needed to
take off buy I also have a very bad arthritic hip that needs to be replace.
The hormone drug plus the ongoing effects of radiation sapped
my strength and made it harder to do my job.
So I plan to take three to six months off and take care of
my health.
I already miss working but know that I have to get better
before I can effectively get back to work.
I expect now that I will have more free time I can get back
to Blog, but we will have to see.
The staff at both hospitals were both great.
What was unexpected to me was meeting some incredible brave
and strong fellow patients.
I met people who were much sicker than I ever was but these
people were always upbeat, full of life and fighting their cancer as hard as they
could.
These people helped me never to feel sorry for myself.
I have one more hormone shot in a month and will have blood
test in February to see how it has all worked out.
I will let you all know what happens.
