An Ode to prostate cancer

Posted by jeff Marchi @jeffmarc, Nov 7 11:26am

One of the online group I attend twice a month (CSC) encourages participants to write a poem about their treatment.

I listened to a few of the poems and never was into writing something like that, until one day, I thought why not try it. Spent about an hour and came up with a poem about the roller coaster we are on when it comes to treatment. The guys in the group really liked that I had hit upon a bunch of things that they had experienced. This is a little different from what I usually post, but I figured why not.

On a rollercoaster for another day

Prostate cancer diagnosis brings on a lot of fears.
Never knowing if I will live, will I get 5 more years.

A low Gleason score gives me some hope.
But the thought of a father lost to it, makes it hard to cope.

I have a family with children, will I survive to see them grow.
It makes everything in life seem to happen too slow.

Then three years later, there’s a reoccurrence, what will I do?
They tell me salvage radiation, and sneak in Lupron too.

Radiation sessions are over, now life can continue without fear.
But then a couple of years later it comes back, is death now near?

What’s missing now is knowledge, what direction do I go.
Where can I find more information? I need what I know to grow.

I now have to go on ADT, so many side effects, what can I do?
The hot flashes are burning me up, is suffering normal or just for a few.

I get a few more years, with an undetectable prostate cancer life.
But then comes castrate resistance, is an ARPI another cancer strife.

Now I’m on Abiraterone and the hot flashes are even worse.
How many Afib events am I going to have? Is this drug a curse?

It’s time to find out why so much cancer is in my family.
An hereditary test is done and BRCA2 explains it with clarity.

So a few more years go by and I’m almost never undetectable.
And then there’s a metastasis in my spine that makes my fears lamentable.

Abbie’s side effects put me in the hospital for four days.
My oncologist says, we are going to change your ways.

I move on to Darolutamide and I finally get some relief.
I have a couple of years of undetectable cancer, reducing my grief.

What will the future hold, no one can say.
After 16 years of cancer I will be here for at least another day.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

mjp0512 | @mjp0512 | Nov 7 12:03pm

If I read this without knowing who posted it, you would have been my last guess. Well done, Jeff!! 👍

shalom7777777 | @shalom7777777 | Nov 7 1:10pm

Kudos Jeff! Have always admired your pragmatic and plausible approach.
May God bless you with decades of cancer free healthy happy life!

xahnegrey40 | @xahnegrey40 | Nov 7 5:33pm

just starting this journey..we are all in the PC club..it chose us, and we are all doing our time in the cancer jail.

...well take comfort Jeff.. your knowledge and objective viewpoints help many guys on here.. you sure have helped me..! it takes courage to keep marching into the unknown.

asolidrock | @asolidrock | Nov 7 6:14pm

He has surely helped me!!!

ecurb | @ecurb | Nov 8 8:48am

This dude is a POET and don t know it- goofy fart. Lmao

ecurb | @ecurb | Nov 8 8:50am

In reply to @asolidrock "He has surely helped me!!!" + (show)

@asolidrock he s as smart as a doctor, lives in California where that last Tsunami hit: he followed the elephants to safety; Elephants were smarter than Jeff. lol

jeff Marchi | @jeffmarc | Nov 8 10:45am

I mentioned that I wrote this poem in about an hour. I sent a copy to a friend who mention that I should probably say something about the fact that I’ve been around for 16 years after having been diagnosed. I thought about that and realized that should probably be at the end, but then the 16 years time hit a thought that I had way back when I’d been diagnosed.

When I was diagnosed, the first thing I thought about was, am I gonna be alive in five years? That really bothered me for a long time. I suspect that thought also comes to many other people that first get diagnosed. I realized that fit in the very first stanza, so I changed it to include that fear, that I’d always had way back then.

Not sure this rings a bell with other people, but the group I first read it to really like that being included.

xahnegrey40 | @xahnegrey40 | Nov 8 11:09am

In reply to @jeffmarc "I mentioned that I wrote this poem in about an hour. I sent a copy to..." + (show)

@jeffmarc absolutely...the emotions I had in early June when MRI and biopsy confirmed..I was in shock, had to beg to get in to see my urologist..I teared up..she stood back and finally handed me a box of Kleenex and as she left the room for another patient, she patted me on the shoulder and said " in my professional opinion, you should still be around in 5 yrs" then she was gone..I knew I was on my own on this one..but got enrolled with Urology Austin oncology group who have been pretty caring along the way...but I have Googled my Gleason score and other particulars for prognoosis at least once a week since..it can make you a bit crazy...plus it is a commitment of time attention, discipline..finances, taking the medication, show up for radiation, make yourself go to gym..and sadly, some of your "friends" drop you cause of the cancer word..I knew when I saw the results it was gonna change my life around, and it has..but I am ok..

dpayton | @dpayton | Nov 8 11:23am

In reply to @xahnegrey40 "@jeffmarc absolutely...the emotions I had in early June when MRI and biopsy confirmed..I was in shock,..." + (show)

@xahnegrey40 You are not alone, sir. We're all here and in the same boat. I can't think negative about this. If I do, bad things happen. There are a LOT of things that can help us and stuff coming down the road as well. Keep it going. Kick the C word's butt!!!!

xahnegrey40 | @xahnegrey40 | Nov 8 1:48pm

In reply to @dpayton "@xahnegrey40 You are not alone, sir. We're all here and in the same boat. I can't..." + (show)

@dpayton thank you and yes, this web site has been very helpful...in fact, when I couldnt tolerate Erleada side effects, Jeff suggested Nubeqa..and I asked my docs for it and got it..I would not have known about alternatives on my own..so yes, this is more than just a chat box ..it is medical advice, shared experiences from therapies, and encouragement!!! ..and a great help..I hope those that choose not to join but do look here for advice see how helpful and encouraging it is..thanks to all !