JUST THE FACTS MA'AM

Just an update and a few facts about my cancer.
The fact is that this is not something that I am looking forward to, but it is something that I must have done in order to continue living. Dr. Pate said that if this had not been found or if I choose not to have it taken care of, I might live to my mid fifties. Considering that I am 49 now and will be 50 in August, that doesn't leave much time. However, if I do get it taken care of I should have 20 or 30 more years. Let me think about this for a minute.....5 years.....20-30 years.....
Dr. Pate went over everything with us, all of the different procedures, none of them sound like much fun, radiation from the outside will take who knows how long and the side effects are not good, radium seeds implanted into the prostate won't work so good for me because my prostate is only 18 centimeters, a man my age it should be about 23, to get enough seeds into it, it needs to be at least a 30.
To have it removed the old fashioned way will require being opened up from stem to stern. And then there are robotics where they go in through 4 small holes. Either way the surgery is a BIG DEAL. It is a major surgery with many risks, but God is a BIG GOD. I am not down nor depressed regardless of what the rumor mill says. Becky and I have been through so much over the recent years that we know God will see us through, and if He chooses to let it all end, just remember "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Phil 1:21 (ESV)
We are confident that we can take care of this and not have to do any other treatments such as radiation. One thing, we can have this removed and then have radiation if needed, but if we do radiation first the prostate can not be removed later because of damage the radiation does. So hopefully I can get by without further treatments, unlike my wife who will have treatments for her cancer the rest of her life.
Did you know that more men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year that women with breast cancer? Do you know how important it is for men to have blood drawn and their PSA checked? Also did you know that prostate cancer runs in families? Did you also know that Grandad Wilson had prostate cancer, it was found when he was older and because of his age it was left alone. Get your PSA checked guys, it could save your life!!!
Anyway there are a few of the facts, and I want to leave you with the words of the Apostle Paul;
"You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. 7 It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going. 8 Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming. 9 But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that's what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. 10 Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what's coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad."
2 Cor 5:6-10 (MSG)