My Dad’s Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
In a previous blog, I reported that my Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December 2018, one day before his 85th birthday. At the time, he had a TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate), a surgical procedure that improves urine flow by cutting out parts of the prostate.
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland found in men between the penis and bladder that surrounds the urethra, a tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis. As men age, the prostate typically enlarges and sometimes blocks the urethra making it difficult to pee.
A TURP procedure doesn’t require an incision as it uses a thin metal tube containing a light, camera and loop of wire inserted into the urethra until it reaches the prostate. Once in position, the surgeon cuts away the parts of the prostate that are impeding urine flow. My Dad had this procedure several years ago, which was very successful. However, over the years, his prostate continued to enlarge, making it difficult for him to empty his bladder again.
After his procedure, the tissue removed from his prostate was sent to the lab for analysis and was positive for cancer, with a Gleason score of 4+4=8 and a PSA of 6.8. After hearing the news, my Dad had a CT and bone scan indicating cancer hadn’t spread outside the prostate. He then talked to his doctor, an oncologist, a radiation oncologist, the Cancer Clinic, and a few friends and family, including me.
Considering his options
There were several options to consider, and after lengthy discussions and thought, he opted to avoid treatment altogether, primarily due to his age. Instead, he decided to monitor the cancer through active surveillance. A process that involves monitoring his PSA every three months and scans every 6-12 months. My Dad was most happy with this option as he wanted to live the rest of his days without the burden of treatment. He says he would consider treatment if he were a younger man. But since he was 85 at the time of diagnosis, he felt he had already lived a long and fulfilling life.
Since that decision, he’s been monitoring his PSA and having regular scans. And here it is, almost 4-1/2 years later, and his PSA is now 56.4, up 49.6 points! However, he recently had an MRI that indicates his prostate hasn’t changed shape or size. So most likely, the cancer hasn’t yet spread outside the prostate. And besides, he’s going to be 90 years old this year, so he’s not too worried about it.
Covid-19 pandemic
But the sad thing, though, is the Covid-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, my Dad was a very active dancer and would be on the dance floor 4-5 times a week. And unfortunately, when the pandemic hit, all the dance halls were shut down. And as a result, he stayed home like many of his dancing friends, losing practice and falling out of shape. So he was very sad about that for a very long time.
Back on the Dance Floor!
Now, almost 3-years later, with Covid-19 cases dropping and the dance halls reopening, he’s very excited to be back on the dance floor! And I have a video of him dancing!
I don’t have a video of him on the dance floor. Dad danced his heart out on the dance floor for about 2-3 hours and was so happy and excited to be back! Afterwards, he wanted to call it a night. So he left the dance hall and went down the hallway, ready to go to his car, when a good friend asked him for one last dance. But they couldn’t return to the dance floor because it was crowded and packed. Therefore, they decided, well, let’s dance in the hallway! And we were fortunate enough to have that dance filmed for all to enjoy and see Dad in action.
Now mind you, he will be 90 years old this year and has prostate cancer. But the cancer is still likely contained, and it’s not bothering him. He’s had it for almost 
5-years now, and here he is, dancing in the hallway without a care in the world!
Dad is so pumped, and he’s all excited to get going. It’s really unfortunate that the pandemic shut everything down. But we’re happy things are back.
If you haven’t already, please subscribe to my blog to be notified when I do another video because I want to get him on the dance floor.
Watch the Video
Here’s my 90-year-old, or almost 90-year-old, Dad dancing. He’s in much better shape than I am, and I should get up there and join him! So please enjoy!
To learn more about my Dad, please read My Dad’s Prostate Cancer Diagnosis.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my prostate cancer diagnosis and lessons learned. You can read all my family posts under Gogs’ Family.
If you’ve read my prostate cancer memoir, please consider writing a review on , Goodreads, and other online sites. Your review is deeply appreciated, helps with visibility, and lets others know if this book is right for them. If you already wrote a review, I’m sincerely grateful for your time.
