Friday, December 9, 2011

the best numbers are 0.0

Once again my PSA came back at 0.0, the cancer remains in remission.

Woo Hoo!

What an awesome Holiday gift.
Thanks Dr. Reza, I owe you much gratitude.

Instead of going back 3 months from now, we're pushing it out to 4 months.
Massive smiles all around.

Until next time.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

It's good to be boring...

I had a follow up visit with my Oncologist today and instead of meeting with Dr. Reza, he had me meet with his PA. Due to the fact that my PSA has been 0.0 for over 1 year, I'm now considered 'boring'.

It's great to be boring :)

PSA results coming in a couple of day

Sunday, November 13, 2011

my son


So at my b-day party last night, after opening a few presents, I thanked everyone for their support during the past 2.5 yrs and my battle with cancer.

Then my son steps up and gives me a pin and tells the group he bought the survivor pin for me and pins with the word 'hope' for Kathy, Rachel and of course Bradley. His idea, his money.

What a great kid. I love him immensely and I'm so very proud of him.

Life if Good :)

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Turned 50 today


What a great day! A flock of pink flamingos showed up in my front yard today wishing me a happy 'bird-day'...courtesy of my lovely bride.

50 and with my cancer in remission, life is good!

Make it a great day

Bob

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

welcome to Movember

It's Mustache season again as the 2011 Movember Campaign kicks off.
Starting today in 14 countries around the world, men like me will grow a 'Mo' (slang for moustache)and raise awareness and $ during the month of Movember.

you can find my Mo page at
http://mobro.co/kickinpc

do your part during this month by
1. getting your PSA checked
2. make a donation on my Mo Bro page
3. create your own page a become a Mo Bro or Mo Sista

It's growing season!

later

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Done with hormone treatment!

After 24 months of taking Lupron and Casodex as part of Hormone Therapy, I'm done!

FYI, hormone therapy is designed to cut off the food source of aggressive high risk prostate cancer, testosterone.
So over the past 2 yrs I've tolerated weight gain (20 lbs), hot flashes, mood swings.....yeah, almost turned me into a woman ;)

Big deal, great trade-off to kick cancer's ass and putting it into remission.

Huge thx to my Dr's and the support of my family.

Until next time, be well.

Bob

Friday, September 23, 2011

please sign the petition

I could use your support and so could every other man battling prostate cancer. In October, I bet you see football players wearing pink in honor of breast cancer awareness, which is great. Let's do something for men and prostate cancer awareness. You're just a few clicks away from signing a petition to 'light the white house blue' thanks

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

good time in Little Rock

i just returned from a trip to Little Rock for a visit to the Arkansas Food Bank. What a memorable trip. The Arkansas Food Bank has recently moved into a new, state of the art building that will help them almost double the amount of help to needed families in 33 counties. check out their website awesome team there who is passionate about being the best Food Bank in the nation and they have what it take to do so. In my line of work, it's awesome when I can meet with an organization that "get's it" and it poised for success and this is one of them. Please consider supporting this org if your heart moves you to do so. Great trip to Little Rock, I'll be back Be well! Bob

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

almost 2 years in hormone therapy

It's been almost 2 full years of being on the hormone therapy and I just had my most recent visit with my Oncologist yesterday. As a refresher, I was on both Lupron and Casodex and we stopped the Lupron in December but continued the Casodex. My Oncologist told me to take my daily Casodex for 30 more days and then i could quit! Woo Hoo!!! Next on the agenda for me is to focus on 3 things 1. work on my cardio 2. work on strength training (lift weights like Arnold used to) 3. stretching exercises during the past 2 years while on the medication I've lost muscle mass and bone density and now need to get back in shape. I'm on a mission to drop 20 lbs by my 50th birthday. now just watch me go Be well and continue to spread the word since it's Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

So why aren't the NFL players wearing Light Blue? (the color for PCa) You can bet they'll wear pink during October. I don't get it...1 in 6 men will get PCa and yet they don't try to help raise awareness. I need to call the commish. Spread the word and wear light blue this month, I will. Later

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

I'm one proud father

today my son went next door and mowed the lawn for our neighbor. they are dear friends and Eric, is only 3 weeks removed from a triple bypass. He dodged a bullet and he's making an amazing recovery.

So Eric can't lift more than 10lbs and he asked Bradley to cut his lawn and told him he would pay him $20. Now keep in mind, Bradley just turned 13 so $20 would be great.

But Bradley told mr. Eric today..."no, I don't need the $20, I'm a Boy Scout and we're supposed to do a good turn daily. I want to do this for you"

As it turns out, I've been Eric's walking buddy, helping him get back in shape and when he told me this, I was almost moved to tears, I was THAT proud of my son.

What a great kid and 1st Class move.

oh, I forgot to mention one point....Bradley just advanced another level, he IS a 1st Class rank Scout.

Friday, August 12, 2011

weight gain...

man, I'm frustrated.
Stupid medicine I'm taking, almost every one has 'weight gain' as a possible side effect.

I'll make a public declaration - I AM going to lose weight, starting today.
29 lbs over the next 90 days.

wish me luck

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

100+, very hot

Like much of the nation, we're a little steamy in Charlotte. I couldn't resist this post title given my last post title :)

We'll enjoy the summer while it's here, before you know it they will be talking about No'easter storms or some early snowfall.

Stay cool, enjoy a cold beverage with a friend.

Be well

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

0.0, Very cool

The last PSA was 0.0... So the aggressive prostate cancer is technically in remission. WooHoo!!!!,
Great news

So here's what I ask of all of you following my blog.
Go find a loved one, a father, brother, cousin, uncle, boyfriend, stubborn husband :)
Co-worker....you get the drift....RAISE AWARENESS People!!!!

1 of 6 men will get Prostate Cancer.

Please help me raise awareness

Thank U

Thursday, July 7, 2011

vacation mode

the family took a long weekend over the 4th....I should have taken the entire week off.
having trouble getting back in the swing of things

Thursday, June 16, 2011

kickinPC

Went in for my quarterly appointment with my Oncologist on Tuesday of this week.
Blood test, PSA, conversation with Dr. Reza...all went went.

today, phone call from Alison, Dr. Reza's nurse.

PSA = 0.0

Yeah baby....KickinPC!!! The words "cancer is in remission" are music to my ears

Now tell a friend, raise awareness, let's go find a cure

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

US Open Golf this weekend

How can you not root for Phil Mickelson? The guy has finished 2nd a record 5 times and given that the tourney ends on father's day, he's a big family man, so I'll be pulling for him to get past 2nd and to add this major to his resume.

The US Open, our national championship, most likely the toughest major of the four from a course setup standpoint, is going to be wide open this year where 1 of 60-70 guys could win.

It all starts Thursday.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

good news

last week I went in for a check up (so I could go to Summer camp for Scouts) and they took a PSA.
It came back "less than .01"

Woo Hoo!

I'm off to see my Oncologist today for my quarterly check up....should be a good visit.

KickinPC - Kicking Prostate Cancer.....all the way to curb, down the street and out of the neighborhood.

Do your part, tell a friend about my battle and go get your PSA checked if you're over 40, you'll be glad you did

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

getting nervous

My last Lupron shot was in December....in meeting with my Oncologist, Dr. Reza, he opted to not give me a shot in March. At the time, I was riding a winning streak of 5 straight quarterly PSA scores of "less than 0.01" which means the Hormone Ablation was working.

Cancer is in remission.

Next week, 6/14 I go back in for my first PSA since being off Lupron. I'm still taking Casodex which is the second hormone ablation drug we used to beat the cancer into remission.

I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about how the test will turn out. I remember my friend Rana telling me that for years she felt nervousness when going in for regular tests....and they all turned out fine as she's a 10+ yr Breast Cancer survivor.

I'm sure everything will be fine.

more later

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

day by day, feeling more normal

It's been 5 months since my last shot of Lupron and I can start to feel my body getting back to 'normal' or should I say pre-hormrone treatment (my wife would argue I was ever normal :))

Next visit to the oncologist is June 14 for the all important PSA check. I'm feeling good about it.

On a side note, if you're like me, your heart just aches for the folks in Joplin, MO and the other communities devastated by the devastating tornadoes. I need to find a way to best help my fellow man/woman/child, even though I don't know them....some day I may need help too.
Think about what you can do

Make every day great!

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Tubby Smith has prostate cancer

Tubby Smith, coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=ap-minnesota-smith

59 years old....this follows Steve Lavin, 46, coach of St. Johns University who at this time is contemplating his treatment.

Waaaaay too many people but it's great that it's not hidden in a closet. Digger Phelps, former BB coach of Notre Dame and now with ESPN has made a strong effort to raise awareness. So has one of his colleagues Erin Andrews. They joined forces in the 'On The Line' campaign, check it out...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/On-The-Line-Campaign/130119993722251

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Cabo was great

awesome weather, great resort (Capella Pedregal) and good friends

I played golf at Cabo Del Sol, one of the top courses in the world...a Jack Nicklaus design.
played like shit...too many blow up holes which is easy to do if you try to play this course after only playing 27 total holes.

I also had an opportunity to raise awareness about PC while on the trip...the tats are a great conversation starter.

no go forth and live life to it's fullest.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

energy is picking up

It's been 4 months since my last Lupron shot and it's weaning out of my system. That means more energy, less hot flashes and getting back to 'normal'. Feeling good.

I'm typing this from 34K' in the air...with my bride on our way to Cabo. Inner Circle trip and it should be awesome. fun in the sun.

Keep talking to your friends, fathers, brothers, coworkers about Prostate Cancer, we need to keep raising awareness and maybe we'll be able to get the NFL to wear light blue like they do pink.

now go out and Make it a Great Day!

Monday, April 18, 2011

one item on the bucket list done

If you have a chance to either do a Ride experience or drive experience....do so with Richard Petty.
What a hoot, 146 mph, I'm the driver, no one else in the car.
very cool

http://evans4nc.smugmug.com/Other/Kings-Experience-2011/16654354_4w255b#1255517193_NzhLwHC

kickinPC....one day at a time. :)

Friday, April 8, 2011

Steve Lavin has PCa

Steve Lavin, coach of the St. John's University mens basketball team has PCa.

he discovered it in September and will get treatment now that the season is over.
Steve is 46 years old, 21 years younger than the diagnosis age....

What shocks me is that he had his PSA checked which helped him identify he has cancer.
Why mention this? Medical students are now being taught at many universities that they should discourage men from getting their PSA done. WHAT?!?!

It's crazy, doesn't make any sense

Thursday, March 24, 2011

nope, it's a major victory

I can't tell you how my energy level and attitude is sky high since monday.
Getting the news that we're stopping the Lupron injections after 18 months....and then hearing the latest PSA test was 0.0 it has me pumped!

Really pumped...I'm kicking cancer's ass, it's in remission and I want to thank my oncologist, Dr. Reza Nazemzadeh and his nurse Allison for GREAT care.

this is good....really good.

And I need to continue my messaging, raising awareness so that other men realize 1 in 6 will get PC and 1 in 2 men will get any type of cancer. Man up, get your PSA checked.

Monday, March 21, 2011

minor victory?

I met with my oncologist this morning for my quarterly PSA check and check up.
We agreed to stop one of my hormone therapy drugs, Lupron but I will continue with Casodex.

there isn't a ton of evidence that staying on both drugs for 1 yr versus 2 yrs is beneficial.
So I'm stopping at 18 months but while I didn't get my infusion today of Lupron, the side effects will most likely linger for another 6 months or so.

Feels like a minor victory and mentally I feel like this is a good decision.

enjoying the NCAA tourney? my bracket is a mess...

Friday, March 18, 2011

Why I'm guilty?

in the previous post I talked about my plumbing issues and the good news is things are going well after my RotoRooter surgery.

As I started this journey with PC, I promised myself I would be open, raise awareness, talk about PC as most men don't talk about issues "down their". Well, I'm guilty of not talking about my problems for a year so I'm back on the soapbox again.

Check out this new org, www.bluecure.org.
http://www.facebook.com/BeatProstateCancer?sk=info
I met Gabe last year at the Summit to End Prostate Cancer in DC....he's really getting the word out. Great job Gabe! We need to hook up so that I can get some tips on getting speaking engagements....I've got a big mouth. :)

March Madness is under way, what a great time of year.

until next time

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Guilty as charged your honor....

Man, I've got to be the worst blogger in the world. Geez.

A lot has happened since my last post including:

- Serious 'plumbing issues' that I let go on waaay too long, actually more than 15 months
- which prompted a follow up visit to Duke CC
- A failed Cystoscopy on 2/15 at Duke Cancer Center (yes, research Cystoscopy)
- A GB Packer Super Bowl win!
- A successful Cystoscopy and dilation today, 2/23.

My Prostate Cancer surgery was 8/09 and about 8-10% of patients get what's called a 'Stricture'
Homework assignment - research Stricture as it relates to the Bladder Neck and Urethra.

I'll be back tomorrow for more

oh...and as to why I'm 'Guilty'? I'll get to that...

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

way to go Packers!

How about those Green Bay Packers! Woo Hoo, America's team is in the Super Bowl.

my daughter said..."now that the Packers are in the Super Bowl, you better bring your big spoon"
cute, but the truth. It's the big show.

My wife is beside herself, just giddy.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

rumors are false

the rumors of my disappearance are false....I've just been procrastinating far too long on the latest post. Hope you all had great holidays, I did, they were relaxing, quite, awesome time with family.
Hell, we even got 4" of snow in NC on 12/26.

My last Oncologist visit was late December, latest PSA was 0.01 so the hormone therapy is working as planned. I have 18 months under my belt with 6 more months to go. Originally the Dr and I talked about being on hormone therapy for 2 years and we're sticking to it.

My Dr. did say that after the 2 years is done, the Lupron and Casodex will linger in my body for 6-9 months afterwards which means the side effects will continue. Speaking of, since my last shot on 12/20, the freakin hot flashes are at a new level, more dramatic than ever. It sucks, but it beats hearing "your cancer has spread"....so I'll continue to carry my towel, sweat, freeze, sweat, freeze :)

So until next time....which I promise won't be too long...be well and Go PACKERS!!!