(Some) History of the blogger's prostate

And we're back.

I rise from my sickbed* out of a sense of duty: all my poor readers, socially distancing, isolated, and desperately searching their browsers for something, something, to read.

May I be a little more detailed about the history of my medical situation?  Prostate cancer remains enough of a "men don't talk" subject that I feel obliged. Briefly, a routine medical visit led to a PSA test with a bad result, after which a specialist took a look and ordered a biopsy. Results in January revealed prostate cancer, and not the fairly common, slow-growing, "watchful-waiting" variety, but the aggressive lethal type, still (fortunately) entirely localized inside the prostate gland.  Hence last week's surgery: to remove the prostate gland and all the cancer cells inside it.

It was major surgery, with much recuperation in store, but the prognosis seems excellent (subject to tests to confirm).

I did some reading in preparation, including Man to Man by the American author Michael Korda, which I found both very helpful and absolutely terrifying. It was written in the 1990s, and the 1990s turn out to be the absolute dark ages compared to prostate surgery today  -- many horrors I have not actually had to face or which should be not nearly so awful.

I am glad to have been in and out before Covid-19 really complicated hospital stays.  Other than that, I must say I have had prompt and excellent treatment throughout, and great care from the staff at my local hospital, St. Joseph's in Toronto.  As someone spending his first nights in a hospital since he was about 8 years old, I never felt so grateful for all our taxes pay for.

* Actually, lying in it and quite comfortable.  Needing to rest much of the day turns out to be an excellent adaptation to social distancing requirements.