Thanks Dad - For the 10 Extra Years of Prostate Screenings
November 23, 2010, By Christopher Ford 1 comment
My father was diagnosed with prostate cancer a couple of weeks ago. They caught it very early and it looks like there's about a 100 percent chance he'll make a full recovery, but for my Dad it's going to be a long journey of pain and b.s. He'll be OK, but his life is definitely going to change and not in a way that any of us would want it to.
And as it happened my mother had to go out of town right after his biopsy, so I got to be his wingman at the let's-find-out-if-you've-got-cancer doctor's appointment. (It was good times, believe me). After the doctor gave my Dad the news that no one wants to get, the very next thing the doctor did -- even before my Dad had a chance to react -- was look at me and say, "And you have to come see me as soon as you turn 40 to start getting your screening."
Woah. Wait a minute. This was supposed to be about my Dad, not me. I just went to the appointment to support him. This isn't supposed to have anything to do with me. It never even occurred to me that this could be bad news for me too.
But it was. Here are some quick facts. While men with a family history of prostate cancer (like me) are twice as likely to get it themselves, loads of men get prostate cancer. According to WebMD, 80 percent of men who reach the age of 80 will get prostate cancer. Though most won't die from it (and many won't even know they've got it), it still is the second most prevalent cancer for men in the United States (second only to skin cancer). For normal guys who don't have a family history of it, they should start getting screenings when they turn 50. For guys like me, we need to start when we're 40.
What are screenings exactly? There are two. There's the one that you probably don't want to think about too much ("digital rectal" is about all I need to say there). The other is a blood test called a PSA test. PSA is short for "prostate specific antigen", and it's something that is in the blood of anyone who has a prostate. If that level starts to increase, your doctor knows something unusual is going on with your prostate. While an increased PSA level doesn't always mean cancer, it's an indicator that your doctor uses to determine if more tests are needed.
My Dad, being the great guy that he is, feels terrible about passing along this increased risk to me. As if somehow he could control his genetic history, or control which genes he passes along to his kids. And the fact that, in the cold reality of the knowledge that he has cancer, he would worry or feel bad about his son pretty much says everything about what a great father and what a great person he is.
So thanks, Dad. Thanks for the extra 10 years of prostate screenings. Thanks for making me twice as likely as anyone else to get prostate cancer. Thanks for this Sword of Damocles that I'll have to worry about until I'm 75.
But most importantly thanks for all of the genes you passed on to me. Because for every unlucky prostate cancer gene you might have passed on, there are countless good genes. Genes that have, along with your example, made me the man and the father I am today.
And for that, I truly am thankful.
We all thank dad for different reasons ... check out more Thanks Dad from the Man of the House team.
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