“You have prostate cancer.”
Not the gladdest of tidings then … but not unexpected given the anxiety and tests of recent months.
It’s surreal hearing that verdict coming from the mouth of someone I have known for less than half an hour.
“It’s low grade …”
That’s good, isn’t it?
“Yes, it’s good …”
My life changes …
I feel very, very grateful to a very good GP who sent me off to a urologist. She may have saved my life.
And so I become a member of the Cancer Club, yet prostate cancer is so common as to be almost banal.
In some ways I feel empowered, with an early diagnosis and a fighting chance.
Like countless souls before me, I am blown away by the way complete strangers open up and tell me their stories, offer their wisdom and friendship.
I am grateful for the support and love of friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances.
The medical and support staff who are already becoming a big part of my life are marvellous – and I am happy to be telling them so whenever the opportunity arises.
Boy, does that make the nurses, doctors, technicians and all the others smile – so giving, but all they often get are cranky grumbles.
But there are downsides …
The waiting rooms and on-hold telephone calls – so time consuming and tedious, and destined to become even more familiar as I become a more full-time player in the health system than I or any of us desire.
The already tangible financial worries – also destined to become more acute.
Presently, the most challenging thing is attempting to get on top of and (hopefully) intelligently filtering an overwhelming amount of information and often contradictory advice.
Some time in coming months, difficult decisions will have to be made regarding treatment.
How all this will impact on Consider The Sauce, I have no way of knowing or even guessing.
Very little, I most fervently hope!
In the meantime, I intend to summon up the courage to continue to live well and laugh often.
consider the sauce 
Wishing you all the best!
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Gosh indeed! Very best wishes for your treatment.
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Sending you lots of positive vibes Kenny – my dad has lived with this for over 15 years and has a wonderful quality of life. I know you won’t let it beat you x
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Thanks for your honest, sincere sharing as always. Hang in there. We await the next update and you’re ever in our thoughts.
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I’m so sorry to hear that, all the best!
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Wishing you a speedy recovery Kenny, good that you have found out early by all accounts. If it’s not too brash of me, what were the symptoms? I just spent an afternoon at the doctors to have a mole removed. I’m glad that I had a good book or else I think I would have died of boredom before anything else could get me. Thanks to libraries I am still here
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Hi danthehungry and thanks everyone for the best wishes. dan, without getting technical when there are symptoms, basically you’re by then in big trouble. Depending on your age, your doctor should be making sure you have reasonably regular blood tests for PSA (prostate-specific antigen). Further action depends on those results. For men – there is no excuse. Just do it! 🙂
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have followed your food & fathering adventures for so long I feel I know you. I am so sorry but am elated at your attitude & have no doubts this will just be a hiccup in your life! xo
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Hi Diana! Ha – looks like I’m shaking a few “lurkers” out of the trees! The above post was written two weeks ago. I sat on it and sat on it, not sure whether to run with it. I’m glad I have. As you point out, I’ve been weaving our lives into the foodie stuff for so long, it’s a natural thing to do.
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Hey Kenny – thank you for sharing this very personal news with us, your CTS readers. Wishing you all the very best as you face this challenge with the good humour and enquiring mind that has made CTS such a great read thus far.
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Oh no! But so glad you have an early diagnosis. Fingers crossed you nip it in the bud soon. Thinking of you and Bennie.
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Best wishes Kenny. My dad went through this battle 7 years ago and is now totally cancer free. If caught early, as it sounds like yours has been, you should be in good shape.
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Wishing you all the best, and a full and speedy recovery!
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All best for your treatment and recovery, Kenny. It sounds like you’re in good hands, at least. X
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M went through this a few years ago. He wasn’t given much of a choice, they had to operate. But he is all in the clear now. Just had his final follow up consultation earlier this year. In a way I’m glad he didn’t get a choice because things happened very quickly. Otherwise we would have been sitting on a potential time bomb for years to come and I don’t think I could have handled it well. But then again it’s a major operation and there are inherent risks and also side effects that could be deal breakers depending on your circumstances. I hope u have someone close u can talk these options through when it comes down to making decisions on treatment. I wish u all the best. Keeping u in our thoughts
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Hi and thanks! Sounds like I’m in a similar sort of place …
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Wishing you all the best for a quick and speedy recovery. Low grade and early diagnosis are what you want in a situation like this!
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Best of luck, Kenny. Hope you’ll be on the mend really soon.
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Consider the sauce has become my best resource in a difficult time. Have enjoyed Ebi, which would not have found, and much else besides. Loved all the back stories. You’ve created a community with CTS, and that one is there thanks to you. So the reverse is true too. So, we are there supporting you, CTS
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Very shocking news for you but take heart treatable slow growing cancer you should be with us for another 20 years with modern treatment. Chin up!
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Thanks all. As noted above, I sat on this post for weeks … not wanting to appear attention-seeking. But I’ve long woven our personal stories into the food of CTS so it’s a natural thing to do. And I feel better for doing so – it’s for sure helped get my head in a better place after what has been a trying couple of months.
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Thanks for letting us CTS know! And you know all are beaming good wishes!!!!
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Best wishes to you, Kenny, and I think it’s great that you’re sharing this on CTS. We’re always here for you. xxx
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best of luck and wishes and good vibes and everything else positive in your journey from here Kenny.
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Good luck and best wishes Kenny. Stay tough and keep on bloggin’
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I feel I know you too. Thinking of you and wishing you lots of good karma. Looking forward to many more of your wonderful posts in the future..
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Go Kenny! You can fight it mate! Thinking of you!
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Just a speed bump in life Kenny, stay positive and fight the bastard. Best wishes mate, I know I’ll be reading your posts for many years to come. All power to you!
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That really sucks Kenny. I know we dont know each other very well but I’m here if you need anything. 🙂 best of luck with the treatment.
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Thanks you all – you’ve raised my spirits!
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Ahh geez. Well, you don’t seem like the sort of person to take anything lying down, and that can only be a help. Regardless of whatever else happens, putting a smile on people’s faces is about the best thing anyone could hope to do I reckon. Spread the love.
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Hi Kenny missed this post and was only just alerted to it by your recent post about your ‘disclosure’ and the support received and the positive decision it was. I also wish you the best on your journey with the ‘ the big C’. Sounds like it has been detected early which is a good thing and obviously assists the best outcome. Enjoying following your posts and sharing new places to eat in the west !!
Best to you – Cath
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