When I was told I had cancer after a biopsy I was not surprised. My prostate PSA score had been increasing over 3 years and I knew my risks were very high. I was also aware that 1 on 8 UK men contract prostate cancer and of these 1 in 4 die from this condition. This is a global problem. We need more public voices on this largely unspoken issue so I hope this blog helps others.
I was lucky to have a local friend in Brighton who had started a charity to improve prostate cancer awareness through Golf Clubs. He had asked me to register his trademark to boost marketing this important message. Men over 50 years dominate golf membership and are often reluctant to talk about this.
Registered trademark.
Two months before my diagnosis, I’d experienced acute abdominal pains and visited A and E. However, medics were unable to run an MRI scan or detect issues, as I had a pacemaker fitted 12 years ago, so I was sent home with pain relief pills. I’d previously written about my Arc wearable to relieve my cardiac condition on my website below
https://consult-smp.com/archive/2016/06/staying-alive-by-blending-high-tech-and-herbal-health-drinks.html
I strapped up again to reduce this pain successfully. I was still using the Arc I was given 12 years before when I’d provided consulting support to the original ArcEquine designers treating horse injuries. I’d previously assisted in registering their trademarks and designs and supporting approval for human use as a class 2 wearable medical device. https://arcmicrotech.com/arc4health/
My next psa test showed an increased risk and a follow up biopsy confirmed cancer. Clinicians explained all the treatment options in detail face to face and I chose prostate removal to reduce future risks. My operation was supported by a Da Vinci robot involving 6 abdominal cuts to save nerves around the prostate, reducing risks of urinary incontinence and sexual disfunction. The robot successfully removed my enlarged prostate after an extended 5 hour op as it was 4 times normal size, and within a few weeks my waterworks returned to normal. I surmised my earlier abdominal pains were caused by my enlarged prostate affecting bowel movements.Post op I wore the Arc on my ankle overnight for 2 weeks to reduce pain and accelerate tissue repair. Having been a busy self-employed management consultant in my home office for 35 years I was back at work the following week. I took care to avoid driving for 2 weeks and avoid lifting anything over 2Kg for 6 weeks. My post op pathology indicated no signs of cancer outside the prostate so I’m now just on repeat psa checks.
May I offer some learning points? Prostate cancer affects one in eight men with 25% fatality. It can occur without visible signs so all men over 50 should ask for a psa blood test. Explore all treatment options in full and chat with friends and family. Robots reduce risk. Wearable technology can help. Share your story with others to give them the confidence to check.
With thanks to Angus Chisholm at Fitter Better Golf angus@candm.co.uk
Best wishes from Clive Bonny clive@consult-smp.com
