This week’s message is a little bit of a different one.
About six months ago I received a phone call from a client just like you, and he had some bad news. It was couched in a conversation we were having about his health, which had become a regular topic because 2 years ago he was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of prostate cancer.
Now, Andrew is a really positive bloke and is absolutely determined to beat this disease, so doesn’t really dwell on it or like to focus on it. But I need to ask these questions so I know where things are at and how best to look after his needs, and those of his family.
This particular day we happened to me talking about his current treatment plan and what had changed, when he told me that his treatment plan had actually become palliative care.
Now as you are probably aware, palliative care generally refers to end of life care.
It’s not quite at that stage for Andrew, but he did concede that his doctors have told him they don’t expect him to live for more than 2 years.
I then bumped into another friend on November 1st who looked like he was having a bad day.
Turns out, he was.
That day was the last at his job (he had resigned and was starting a new position the following Monday), but in addition to that he’d also been diagnosed with prostate cancer 2 days earlier.
Two guys I know, both in their mid-40s to mid-50s, both diagnosed with prostate cancer.
I’m sure you have similar stories.
So this month I’m walking around with a caterpillar growing on my top lip as part of Movember.
Now I’m like many men in that I’ll generally only go to the doctor when I can’t avoid it, and I’ll often save up three or four issues to deal with at once. But I’ve become much more conscious of the need for at least an annual checkup just to ensure there is a record of your health stats and they can be monitored for trends and changes.
So, the main reason for me participating in Movember is to remind (particularly) guys to go and get checked out.
I have also established a Movember page, so if you have been touched by prostate cancer and would like to donate to research you can do so here.
