Optimistic Despite Diagnosis: Intellectual vs Emotional

Generally, I had not really thought too much about dying. 

Until now.

But then, I had never had cancer before.

Until now.
On an intellectual level, this does not mean every cancer diagnosis is necessarily a death sentence. And apparently mine is not.
Yet, I initially had a fatalistic outlook, on an emotional level, after getting my diagnosis recently. 

The kind of cancer I was diagnosed with a couple of months ago, prostate cancer, snuck up on me, without any kind of warning.

I had no pain; no physical discomfort. I still don’t.

Surprising Symptoms 

The only sign that anything was amiss were two tiny specks of blood one day after a regular visit to the bathroom.

I was startled and scared.

But I rationalized and intellectualized that the specks of blood resulted from too much physical exertion during that bathroom break.
Common Sense Prevailed

On an emotional level I wanted to forget about the tiny blood spots, or to pretend I hadn’t noticed them. 

I also didn't like the idea of talking about it with anyone, even a doctor, since the location of the blood was so private and personal.

Yet, I value my life so on a practical, intellectual level I knew I had to tell my doctor about the situation. 

I also knew there were other people who would want me to get this problem checked. There are people I care about and those who care about me, who would want me to tell my doctor about the specks of blood I saw in the bathroom, in case it was significant; which it was.
The Diagnosis

After telling my doctor about the blood and following a subsequent biopsy, I learned I have prostate cancer: likely the last thing any man wants to hear, but which many men do hear, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.

"Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). It is the 3rd leading cause of death from cancer in men in Canada (https://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/prostate/statistics/?region=on). 

Room for Optimism

For me, there seems some good news amid the bad. 
I have had some other medical tests since my prostate cancer biopsy and diagnosis. I have been told my prostate cancer has not spread to other parts of my body. 
So, I am lucky compared to some other men. 
My prostate cancer biopsy reaped 12 samples which were carefully examined. 
Eight of those 12 samples were clean, with nothing amiss. 
Four of those 12 samples from my biopsy showed tiny spots of cancer. 

The urologist said on a scale of 1 to 5, my prostate cancer is at about number 2 and not aggressive. He said he thinks I will likely die of something else long before the prostate cancer gets me. 

Sad Statistics 

Sadly, some other men are not as lucky. 
The Canadian Cancer Society (2017) reports about “21,300 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. This represents 21% of all new cancer cases in men in 2017.”  

--“4,100 men died from prostate cancer. This represents 10% of all cancer deaths in men in 2017;" 

--"On average (2017) Canadian men were diagnosed with prostate cancer every day;" 

--"On average, 11 Canadian men died from prostate cancer every day” (https://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/prostate/statistics/?region=on). 

Declining Mortality Rates

The Canadian Cancer Society says “the mortality rate for prostate cancer has been declining since the late 1990s. The decline likely reflects improved treatment” (https://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/prostate/statistics/?region=on). 

“It is estimated that about 1 in 7 Canadian men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime and 1 in 29 will die from it” (https://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/prostate/statistics/?region=on). 

The Canadian Cancer Society says “the incidence rate of prostate cancer peaked in 1993 and again in 2001. Each of these peaks was followed by a decline. These peaks are compatible with two waves of intensified screening activity using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. Since 2001, the incidence rate has generally been declining” (https://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/prostate/statistics/?region=on). 
For more information, see Canadian Cancer Statistics publication or call, toll-free, 1-888-939-3333.