Prostate Cancer Treatment: 10 things I would have done differently, by Gogs Gagnon
At age 57, Gogs Gagnon became one of the millions of men diagnosed with prostate cancer. After his surgery (May 1, 2017 ) and recovery, he decided to share his story as a way to inspire others to advocate for their health and learn from his experience. His book Prostate Cancer Strikes: Navigating the Storm is a deeply personal, yet humorous account of life after prostate cancer.
In this article Gogs shares his thoughts on things to consider when making a treatment decision, and the top ten things he would do differently.
My Surprising Diagnosis
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer when I was 57 years old. At the time, I had no symptoms and no health issues. Overall, I was in the best shape of my life, living a very active lifestyle, cycling to and from work, hitting the gym and training in the martial arts. Therefore, the diagnosis was unexpected and difficult to accept.
The news hit hard, and I thought my life was over. Just hearing the word “cancer” was enough for my mind to shut down, and I was unable to hear, let alone process, the words coming from the doctor’s mouth.
At first, I found it very difficult to talk about and even had trouble speaking to my spouse. But I soon realized that sharing my thoughts and feelings was very therapeutic and helpful. I wouldn’t have fared as well without my wife Mary’s constant love and support.
To help distract our minds from worry, we would celebrate every occasion in our life, no matter how small.
The results of a bone and CT scan showed no evidence cancer had spread outside the prostate. After carefully reviewing my test results, researching the various treatments, and considering my general health, age and life expectancy, I opted for surgery, an open radical retropubic prostatectomy.
Now that my diagnosis and treatment are well behind me, and I’m on the road to recovery, I’ve had time to sit back and reflect on the experience.
To anyone facing prostate cancer, I’d like to share my thoughts on things to consider when making a treatment decision, and the top ten things I would do differently.
Things to consider when making a treatment decision.
When you’re first diagnosed, you’re most likely going to be in a state of shock and will need time to recover from just hearing the news. During this period, it’s not a good idea to make any decisions. So that’s going to be the first item on my list of things to consider:
1. While in shock, don’t make decisions
2. Take your time
3. Don’t panic
4. Don’t think the worst
5. Don’t be pressured
6. Understand your test results
7. Question your results, and ask lots of questions
8. Research your options
9. Seek multiple opinions
10. Realize you’re not alone
11. Join a support group, even before making a decision
12. Talk with cancer survivors, and people living with cancer
13. Talk with people you trust
14. Share with family and friends
15. Think about what matters to you
16. Consider improving your diet and exercise
17. Above all, ensure you trust your medical team, make sure they have extensive experience with many successful results.
Top 10 things I would do differently
I was once asked the question, “If I had to do it all over again, would I do anything differently?” After thinking about that, I’ve come up with a list of my top ten things to consider:
- Number 10: I should have started journaling my experiences much sooner in the process
- Number 9: I spent too much time researching surgery
- Number 8: I would investigate alternative therapies
- Number 7: I would spend more time studying other treatment options
- Number 6: I would include my spouse in the research
- Number 5: I would improve my diet and exercise sooner in the process
- Number 4: I would speak with other doctors, such as a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist
- Number 3: I would participate at the local hospital cancer clinic support care program before treatment
- Number 2: I would talk with more cancer survivors, and patients before making a decision
- Number 1: I would join a support group early on in the process.
Recovery Overall
I am 2.5 years post surgery and doing extremely well. I find that sharing my journey is a big part of my healing. Therefore, I decided early on to write a book that shares intimate details of my diagnosis, surgery, and recovery. It captures what it was like and how it felt every step of the way, including what I should have done differently.
If there were only one thing I could do differently, it would be to join a support group as soon as I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, even before doing research and especially before deciding on treatment. I find the social interaction very bonding and therapeutic, and I highly recommend it.
However, no matter the source of your support, it’s important to recognize that each case is different, and not everyone will experience the same outcomes. Even though my results have been very positive, they could have been very negative. In that case, I would have regretted surgery and kicked myself for not having joined a support group earlier. Not only would it have potentially given my wife and I more options to research, but it might also have better prepared us for surgery and dealing with potential side effects. At the very least, we would have made new friends who shared a special bond.
To learn more about Gogs and the lessons he’s learned since diagnosis, read his book Prostate Cancer Strikes: Navigating the Storm. You can also visit his website here.