Firstly be prepared for a Rollercoaster Ride that I hope you never like others and myself endure and have to cope with many repeat ride's. My language is frank, because it's heartfelt as it was, is. If anyone on the Surgeon care side of things reads this , please be open and candid to your patients, hiding stuff always comes out later.

Stage 1- GP 

My journey started with the GP appointment for frequent urination visits during the night. This is where you get lucky or unlucky - my GP diagnosis was let's investigate for possible Prostate Cancer - on with the Marigold's and then the words you'll never forget - yes I'm afraid it's enlarged and we'll start the sequence of tests straight away. ( 10/10 )

Stage 2 - Investigation

The NHS in every area different so be prepared for trips to and from perhaps different hospitals/ treatment centres designated just for Prostate Cancer. So I had blood tests, biopsy, MRI scan , bone scan, a 4/6 weeks process before your briefed by a hospital specialist of what your individual circumstances (results) are accompanied by the Gleason Score a universal accepted measuring scale. So I was in the as near bad as it gets territory Gleason 4+5 (9) and told I had Advanced Prostate Cancer and put on NHS Palliative End of Life care program - sadly I found out the latter 1st before my formal diagnosis meeting. Bang - it's over my life that's how it hit me "end of life" how ? Why? Must be mistaken? Nope that's the NHS process procedure start plan after my diagnosis. (5/10)

Stage 3 - Robotic Prostatectomy or Radiotherapy?

Now the real fun your specific treatment and the big decision they make you decide. Yes you get to buy the treatment lottery ticket that will possibly cure you or leave you in a process of forever treatment. Yes scary don't start the worry world you have entered. This is a virtual instant choice but with a mixed bag of over information overload covering far too much information mixed with helpful reassuring words from the hospital specialist. ( 1 day ) (3/10)

Stage 4 - Choice made - Robotic Prostatectomy Op..

Now the anxiety really kick's in with a 4/6 weeks wait for a operation date during which you'll meet your designated Surgeon with brief information and chat prior to your day in theatre. You can check on a listing how good/bad your Surgeons success rate is if you want! The Robotic Theatre is in my mind like a posh mini Cinema experience without the pick and mix and popcorn! It's designed to look unique from the outside. You also have preoperative checking for fitness to be operated on so more visits to the designated hospital which in my case not my local one but specialist one set up in hospital 50 miles away additional fun expense traveling and car park fees £5 a go. Your big day arrives 16 weeks from your 1st GP visit The operation itself which is the quickest event you'll ever go through not in real time but because of anesthesia etc it will feel unbelievably quick! You awake drowsy and you'll be if lucky informed how it went - I wasn't I was left to recover which is a standard fits all 1 night stay then auto discharge. You now enter the uncomfortable bit a catheter attached to your private bits. Let's say 2 weeks of pure ackwardness and variable discomfort. Then you get catheter removal appointment. BUT before that the surprise I in the 2 week recovery at home bit came down huge infection of my private bits swollen like a pregnant hedgehog and admitted 999 emergency for a 10 nighter stay in hospital to try and sort infection out. Don't expect ambulance my wife took me in agony 50 miles by car NHS in my area said make your own way in after 10 minutes of waiting in an unresponsive queue. (2/10)

Stage 5 - Recovery and Results

Be prepared for tiredness fatigue was my biggest side effect. Urination and incontinence was a worry for up to 4 weeks but then near normality. Compression knickers a must plus pads. So it's then 8 weeks of feeling constantly tired before follow up appointment with Surgeon. Seemingly my operation not a success despite PSA count in an acceptable level. More geek speak. So I'm now to be referred for further treatment which is full course of 23 sessions of radiotherapy. Your kidding I said that's why I chose operation in 1st place to avoid the dreaded radiotherapy. Tough it's seemingly the now only way to ensure the cancerous bits left in me after failed operation can be treated and hopefully successfully this time. (8/12 weeks,) (2/10)

Stage 6 - The wait for 2nd treatment

So it's now 4 weeks since referral to Radiotherapy consultant before initiating an appointment. It's been now over 4 weeks since that appointment with no confirmation of times for it seems hormone treatment and radiotherapy treatment. So 8 weeks passed since results meeting and none the wiser when 2 now side by side treatments commence. Don't belief this 30 day commencement NHS talk of diagnosis treatment. So I'm still waiting for hormone injection - scans to determine radiotherapy - 23 consecutive days of travelling 100 miles a day X 23 X ,£5 car parking cannot wait..but that's all I can do wait. Consulted with local PALS a middle ground for sorting out your concerns and told yes wait Cancer Centre overwhelmed and finding 23 slots the issue. Expect 4/6 weeks further wait before actually starting radiotherapy. So that's me waiting no appointments allocated for pre treatment and no appointments allocated for radiology. Get the drift ! Me my family are beyond being distraught. It's NHS 2022 .I'm still feeling constantly tired the fatigue gets to you. So it will be nearly 1 year 52 weeks since last March before I know if the 2nd batch of treatment is successful or otherwise. Whatever the results it's blood tests frequently forever measuring PSA count. Enjoy the ride and like a rollercoaster the repeat ride's are the real fun Fingers X toes crossed (12/16 weeks) (1/10)

To be continued (hopefully in 2033)