Well, 6 or 7 years after diagnosis at age 50 or so - yep, very young for PCa - with bilateral prostatic adenocarcinoma T3bN1M1b Gleason 9 met to pelvis, and I'm still here. This has surprised me somewhat.
Chemo was hell. Radio was hell too, but a different flavour. I wonder if they do pistachio too.
Initially they gave me my DS1500, the delightful form that gets you wadloads of benefits, but knowing the docs won't be surprised if you peg out in six months. Had an absolute ball with the disabled bus pass and the railcard!
Now it's all gone a bit quiet. I was actually homeless and living in a hostel (I called it "Hell's Toilet, where imps and demons go to shake it off") when diagnosed. Had to paddle thin air for a few years until I got into my pension, and now I still get a moderate wadload of benefits as I'm "off sick" as far as the state is concerned. I see it as an interesting new career - I "have cancer" for a living. Warmly housed nowadays in a beautiful little house with a big ugly rent.
After 6 or 7 years of hormone therapy I'm a bit of a blob and not given to running marathons for sure - but I never was anyway, I was sensible and used extremely fast motorbike engines instead. Nowadays my favourite way to spend time (apart from playing with the bits that don't work any more - and I'm not talking about the bikes, dammit) is watching films. What with the benefits and pension I now have what I always wanted - my own little cinema. OK, it's a big telly (by "big" I mean "the size of a bed"), a comfy chair and a high-level IT ex-career that makes downloading and processing the results a doddle. I confess: I rent and buy a load too, as well as downloading.
So, there's my subject title. Would I still want to be sitting at that desk as I did for decades? Ummmmmm.... no. Do I enjoy what I do? Yes! Cancer isn't just my career, it's my best friend!
I know it won't last. I also remember saying that every year for a while now. What does? Immortals (that's how most people feel of course) don't stop to look at flowers. I do. I win!
The mince pies are already in Sainsbury's, so Merry Christmas my friends!!!
