By Howard Wolinsky I call it the “twilight zone,” the time between the first sign that we may have prostate cancer and actual diagnosis, moving from uncertainty to certainty. I, of course, am borrowing from Rod Serling and his TV show, “The Twilight Zone,” which he introduced by saying: “There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity.”
Howard, your article addresses on of the reasons I'm considering starting a PCa support group in northwest Ohio. This support group will integrate mental and faith based elements into the conversation to shed light and provide a holistic approach to minimize the twilight zone experiences.
Rod Serling also stated that the Twilight Zone "lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge"....always loved that line and seems appropriate to this subject.
My own time in the Twilight Zone wasn't too long. From my initial urologist visit, through the MRI and biopsy and then being place on AS was about 3 months. But it did indeed incorporate one "man's (mine) fears" and the "summit of his (my urologists) knowledge".
I did bum a cigarette from Rod while I was there...don't tell my doctor!!
Excellent and essential item. I began doing a comment and was up to how I was led to get 2 consults after my urologist's diagnosis when I lost everything I was writing, and I'm just not up to re-starting now.
But the key thing, I think, is the need for starting a person's education about prostate cancer in the primary care physician's office where one usually first finds out that he has crossed the (then) magic 4.0 PSA line. And maybe this can start most easily if one gets an information piece from the lab that does the PSA analysis which explains PSA, the 4.0 line (or what for some is now a 10.0 line, or whatever), and an outline of how to proceed and the options that one may face and a list of contacts for info (e.g. USTOO, which seemed to be the one when I was first diagnosed, etc.).
Then, where do you turn to as only some of the 10-15 % of high grade cancers are potentially lethal. Which studies snd treatments have been scientifically proven to be safe and save significant numbers of lives?
Howard, your article addresses on of the reasons I'm considering starting a PCa support group in northwest Ohio. This support group will integrate mental and faith based elements into the conversation to shed light and provide a holistic approach to minimize the twilight zone experiences.
Perfect. I may quote you quoting Rod.
Rod Serling also stated that the Twilight Zone "lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge"....always loved that line and seems appropriate to this subject.
My own time in the Twilight Zone wasn't too long. From my initial urologist visit, through the MRI and biopsy and then being place on AS was about 3 months. But it did indeed incorporate one "man's (mine) fears" and the "summit of his (my urologists) knowledge".
I did bum a cigarette from Rod while I was there...don't tell my doctor!!
Allan, As usual, you nailed it. That's where I am steering my efforts. Thanks. Howard
Excellent and essential item. I began doing a comment and was up to how I was led to get 2 consults after my urologist's diagnosis when I lost everything I was writing, and I'm just not up to re-starting now.
But the key thing, I think, is the need for starting a person's education about prostate cancer in the primary care physician's office where one usually first finds out that he has crossed the (then) magic 4.0 PSA line. And maybe this can start most easily if one gets an information piece from the lab that does the PSA analysis which explains PSA, the 4.0 line (or what for some is now a 10.0 line, or whatever), and an outline of how to proceed and the options that one may face and a list of contacts for info (e.g. USTOO, which seemed to be the one when I was first diagnosed, etc.).
Keep on this track, please.
It’s a double whammy right?
> the wait
> the cancer label
Then, where do you turn to as only some of the 10-15 % of high grade cancers are potentially lethal. Which studies snd treatments have been scientifically proven to be safe and save significant numbers of lives?