I was sitting next to local realtor Jim Burnett at a Rotary meeting a week ago and he was looking more hirsute than usual. He was growing a moustache as part of Movember.
Movember signifies the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of prostate cancer and other men's health issues. Burnett, by briefly changing his appearance, had an opening to talk to men about the importance of prostate screening.
For most men, if they had an option of which lower body organ they would prefer to get larger as they grew older, it wouldn't be their prostate. But nature can be perverse and that is where men of a certain age, usually over 50, experience growth.
I was a victim of this unwanted growth over the years, such that the strong suggestion was made a few years ago that I get a biopsy to check for cancer. I expected the worst. The urologist said the cure rate was great if they caught prostate cancer early.
A most unpleasant procedure it was. No cancer was found and after a few days of bleeding from various lower body orifices, I was on my way to the Turks & Caicos Islands for some much needed rest and recuperation.
However, I had a steadily increasing PSA level. I don't know what a PSA is, but apparently a steadily rising number is not a good thing. As I aged, time between necessary trips to the washroom became shorter.
Then one morning this past summer, the problem changed. After a previous day's round of golf and perhaps too much wine at dinner, I woke up to find I couldn't urinate at all. I assumed, incorrectly, that I was dehydrated and drank more water. A bad call on my part!
What had happened is that my oversized prostate had for some obscure reason decided to obstruct my urinary tract. Drinking more water was just like blowing more air into an already full balloon. The pressure became intense.
So it was off to the medical clinic where my doctor was fortunately working the Saturday morning shift. When the doctor saw me, he determined immediately that I would need a catheter and should head off to emergency at Delta Hospital.
I didn't know much about catheters, but what I knew didn't have me looking forward to the procedure. But it solved the problem and I was left with a prescription and an appointment to see my urologist.
The urologist suggested some surgery was in order, otherwise there would likely be a repeat of the incident. Fearing a possible reoccurrence far from the comforts of Delta Hospital, I said sign me up.
He then told me to take the catheter out at home. He promised it wouldn't hurt at all. I, of course, didn't believe him, but I overcame my dread and survived.
Surgery is now done and I eagerly await a reversal of the lower body growth patterns!
Happy Movember.
