Generational medicine involves talking
It is one of those unspoken
things that even became the butt of a joke and some rather frank talk, though, I
am not laughing now. Along the way, I have not acknowledged certain conditions that
have appeared in the family, that medicine would consider factors indicative of
a predilection to that condition.
This area of generational
medical history is somewhat more developed in female medicine, like if breast cancer
has been diagnosed in one member of the family with any degree of consanguinity,
other females are advised to undergo tests and attend to a regular monitoring of
their health to catch issues early. Some females even take radical precautionary
measures if genetics suggest a susceptibility.
Reluctantly, it was during
an eye test a few years ago that I volunteered the information that someone else
in the family had glaucoma.
I did not and do not, but that information alone meant from that time on, my eye
tests were free on the NHS. When the patriarch did attribute certain chronic health
issues to the prostate, I found myself dismissing the concern as that of a hypochondriac.
[Refer to the first sentence of this blog, for the context.]
The cancer you can see
Prostate
cancer is now an issue to deal with but differently from when I first had cancer
some 15 years ago. Then with Kaposi’s sarcoma, I
saw it appearing for almost a year like the slight irritation of Athlete’s foot that did
not respond to any fungal treatments and then a discolouration that I ignored even
as others where noticing that my health was beginning to deteriorate. I just put
a brave face on things and continued as I always did.
Then, it became a painful
weeping sore, at which point, it is was stupidity that took hold, I could weather
this problem, I thought. Just bandage up the foot and walk, it was bearable enough
until it became unbearable. When I finally went to see my doctor, if there was any
alarm in her voice, she was as measured as she could be, as she said, “This is serious,
I need to refer you.”
She probably had seen
many presentations of late cases like mine before, her urgency coupled with care
and understanding without any judgement, condescension, or condemnation was very
helpful in accepting the seriousness of my condition. I could feel the cancer, I
could see it too, it was utterly dreadful and thankfully something could be done
about it.
Appreciating the graveness
of my condition was exemplified in the statement of my consultant, just two weeks
later. “We can treat this,” he said, “but it depends on how your body can take the
treatment.” He continued. “If you can tolerate the treatment, you’ll be fine, if
not, you probably have five weeks.” Five weeks! Life could have ended before the
end of 2009.
A different prospect presents
With prostate cancer,
everything is internal, the biopsies would suggest cancer has been detected very
early and again something can be done about it. Apart from the results of the Prostate-Specific
Antigen (PSA) test that led to the Digital
Rectal Examination (DRE) suggesting an enlarged prostate and so, a multiparametric
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI) scan, and consequently an ultrasound-guided
transperineal prostate biopsy, these are all internal medical indicators, I
feel fine and well.
The weight of this situation
is inferred in many other ways, as being added to the National Cancer Registry with
a diagnosis and the initial prospect of treatment options that on the face of it
have no particularly pleasant outcomes.
The invisibility of this
invasion on my particularities and what might portend has me in a dalliance of disbelief
and anxiety. I am steeling myself, not with substance abuse, but with the encouragement
of the Word of God.
It is probably a kind
of delayed shock too; I am here with my partner, and it is difficult to bring up
the subject in the first instance and then begin to assess the situation. Yet, we
must face up to what we intend the outcomes to be, first with myself and then together.
It feels like we are hardly anywhere there.
Why I am writing about
this
Any health condition is
difficult to talk or write about, especially among men and even more so when it
comes to men’s things. Black men are too macho for such talk.
I took the PSA test as
an add-on blood test in trying to address an anaemic situation that I had tracked
through two previous sets of results that were indicative of a deficiency in vitamin
B12, iron, or folate (vitamin B9).
Years ago, I had folic
acid deficiency anaemia and knowing that it is essential in binding other vital
vitamins and minerals for good health, I wanted my doctor to address it, this has given rise to a series of Men’s things blogs.
One alarming statistic
is, 1 in 4 black men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. [Prostate
Cancer UK], I don’t know if 1 in 100 or even 1 in 1,000 black men get the basic
PSA
test to forestall any indication of prostate activity for medical intervention.
I reproduce the information from the Prostate Cancer UK website below:
You may also be more likely
to get prostate cancer as a Black man if:
- you are aged 45 or over – and your risk increases
as you get older
- your father or brother has had it
- your mother or sister has had breast cancer.
As for my journey, I already
have a diagnosis and will avail myself of all medical expertise available strengthened
by faith whatever the situation. We never quit living and living well.
Blog - Men's things
Blog - Men'sthings - II
Blog - Men's things - III
Blog - Men's things - IV
Blog - Men's things - V
Blog - Men's things - VI
Blog - Men's things - VII
Blog - Men's things - VIII
Blog - Men's things - IX
Blog - Men's things - X