Steve

“My father had prostate cancer, his brother had prostate cancer, his sister had breast cancer.

They say men should get annual blood tests from age 50; or 40 if your father’s had it. Other than my blood test I had no symptoms whatsoever.

My father – he suffered. That gave me a horrendous fear of the surgery so that was off the table for me. My oncologist recommended hormone therapy, internal (HDR) and external radiation. And he explained, you know; there are side effects of hormone therapy.

Gosh. I REALLY got in touch with my feminine side. It wasn’t long before I got my hot flushes – 40 in a day. The sensation is out of this world and I think all men should understand it – there’s just no way to describe it.

The HDR procedure starts with the insertion of hollow needles up… I call it my ‘taint’. It ‘taint’ your balls and it ‘taint’ your ass, it’s the bit in-between. They connect to a machine and my prostate is fried like whitebait.

For five weeks I went in every morning for external radiation. Yes I did get tired, but I worked every day.

I did wish that all Doctors had long thin fingers, instead of little short fat sausages but I was treated with dignity and respect all the way through.

Here I am nearly 9 months since treatment and I’m feeling on top of the world. I’ve joined the pros-fit club and I like being around the guys in the support network.

You can live with prostate cancer. Men die because they don’t want to talk about it. It’s not a subject that should be taboo because cancer doesn’t affect just men, it affects the whole family.

I know it sounds awful but I have heard men say I haven’t had a check because I’m not gay; no one’s going to put a finger there. What’s the use of dying because you were too proud?

Men need to be aware that this is a very survivable cancer if caught early. Go get a check. Make it regular. And talk.”

– Steve

June is Men’s Health Month. #MenStartTalking http://menshealthnz.org.nz/mens-health-month/