Mike Hurley email

Hey Guys
What’s your PSA score?
My father died of Prostate cancer being untreated. Any Dr. will tell you every man will get prostate cancer if he lives long enough. In the past few years they have made great advances in treating this cancer if detected early enough.
Types of tests Digital exam (finger up the old butt).
PSA test (blood work) PSA is a blood test that returns a number at this time the 5 is considered high or elevated. What has to be looked at in the PSA is the number or score and how it got to that level and the age of the person. In a person age 45 a score of 4 may be considered high. If your score is 3.5 and in six months it’s a 4 and in six months its 4.5 and in six months its 5 this will raise concerns. The person who invented this test has written it is not a failsafe test and needs improvement at this time it’s the best we have. I was told by my Dr. they are getting ready to lower the number or score that sends you for further testing.
Other signs or signals are what the person should be aware of.
Examples Leaking of urine after going to the bathroom the old saying it doesn’t mater how long or how many times you shake it the last drop still end up in your shorts. Is true what you have to look for is how much is a drop and has the amount changed in recent times.
Another sign is you just went to the bathroom and now you feel as if you have to go again shortly after well the key is did you have to go? When you get ready to go to the bathroom how’s the flow and how’s the pressure? Do you have to wait seconds, minutes for the flow to start? And again you leave and oh shit I feel like I have to go again.
The sex drive is it what it was and how’s the function. There are other see a Doctor.
My case at 52 years old
In the last 10 years I have had a least one physical per year and this included both exams most times I think.
About 7 years ago I would at times take a medicine for allergies that would put pressure on the prostate and give some examples of the above. This medicine has been removed from the market within the last few years for reasons I do not know.
My PSA started to climb as I described above. In January of this year I had another digital exam and the Dr. said the prostate seems to be a little on the large size. But did not think it was anything to be alarmed about. When the blood work was ordered they did not do a PSA test. This was at the Veterans clinic. You get what you pay for.
Shortly after this I had to attend 5 classes to keep my Electrical contractors License these held at a Holiday Inn. As part of these overcrowded over priced mandatory courses I found myself at the bar for lunch. On 3 Saturdays the following happened to me.
I ordered a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale draught and followed that with another and a hamburger for lunch. Going back to class I found I had to go and it was a got go now Hurry get there,after getting to Urinal it was come on lets go start the flow a long wait and poor flow. Return to class and what got go again and same thing. This happened 3 different Saturdays. All I could think about was what my father went through his last few years of his life. Well that did it so now to the private Dr.
On her exam without me saying the above Pale Ale problem. She noted my prostate seemed to be not so much enlarged but not symmetrical. She than ordered the blood work, PSA came back at 5.This prompted her to send me to a Urologist for a Prostate Biopsy. A painless procedure if done with anesthesia.
After discovering my health insurance was not accepted by many Urologists and then switching insurance companies. I found my specialist. I was told I only had a 25% chance of having cancer. I was asked to think about if I would want to take one of the new drugs on the market for enlarged prostate.
Well as luck would have it I was a winner the Dr. said Cancer you got it. This opens many more doors and questions for the person to consider and answer. You will have what’s called a Gleason score a math function of how many times cancer was found in the different biopsies. Mine was six, average score. My chances of having had the cancer leave the prostate one in two thousand. Having the luck of the irish should I double down?
Well here I sit five days after a radical prostatectomy. Very lucky the cancer never left my prostate. I have three drains in me but feeling fine for what I went through. I kept this whole process on the quiet until I found out the extent of the cancer. I know my friends that after the years of showing you all the love I have there is nothing you would like better then to see me now. Not a chance I will suffer in private if you don’t mind. Let this note serve to boost your spirits. After all these years of busting balls I got what I had coming. Sorry I don't think this will change my humor.
While in the hospital a Dr. Assistant that worked on me said I’m 45 and go tomorrow to get the results of my Prostate Biopsy. So it not uncommon.
So feel free to pass this on to other males it is something that men have to start to converse about. Here is how it should go
First male says to the second male The Dr. went so far up my ass the other day I thought I felt his watch beating. Second male asks so what’s you PSA score? Sorry not funny but something that should be asked. What is your PSA score?
I can’t say I will miss the old digital exam but I will say glad I had them and the regular physicals. I discovered the moral of this story. If they don’t have you favorite adult beverages try Sierra Nevada Pale Ale draught and yes of course it will be for medicinal purposes. That’s a joke dumb ass.The moral is
Get you annual physical and know your PSA score.
Be good
Get you physical
Mike