Just diagnosed with prostate cancer

[Jerry1]

and  have no clue what to do from here my doctor suggested surgery , I have learned there are so many other ways to treat it .I live alone with my buddy king he is a 3 year old pit bull my mistake was I raised him like he was human I would come home from work and tell him my day lol but because he has never had contact with other dogs and will not eat or drink if  I leave him alone I have no one to take care of him so I put off surgery I have ask for second opinion but again I have a child I will not abandon 

[sch]

Hi Jerry,

I undertstand that you are seeking a second opinion and that is a good thing.

It sounds like you have a good friend there, but don't put it off for too long because you might end up with less options that you might otherwise have had.

I don't know anything about your the prognosis, what the doctor has told you or how bad any of this might or might not be. But if you get too ill, you might not have any other choice but to go to hospital, potential for longer.

How did you go with the second opinion?

-sch

[Jerry1]

Still waiting for Strong to call me 

[PhilPepper]

Hi Jerry

Let me start by saying, i'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Welcome to the site. No matter what outcomes you have, I think you can benefit from being on this forum.

I am with SCH on your diagnosis. Time is critical and you need to decide on a course of action. While there are alternative treatments, if someone directs you to surgery without considering options, a second opinion is a valid approach.

I think for my cancer, surgery was the best option, but a similar experience to you, I wasn't provided options. They pointed me towards a surgeon first. It all sort of happened before I could process what was going on. I had to catch up on my new reality.

I have heard of optional treatment for prostate cancer, but I won't pretend to be an expert. A friend of mine was diagnosed about the same time as one of his other mates. One had surgery and the other took a different path. One of them is still here and happy he chose surgery. 

With that said, everyone's cancer story is different. My friend recommend surgery but it doesn't mean it's right for you. Ensure you've considered your options but don't waste time. At the end of the day, it's your treatment, your choice.

I hope that helps. Not really advice but just digging into some other people's experiences. However, I must protest. Treating our family members like humans is not a mistake. It's a must. And since you've brought it up; and in such great detail, we need a photo. I've started a trend of posting my family members on this site and you need to join the party.

It is my personal opinion the dogs help cure cancer.

This is my Bonnie.

Cheers

Phil

[Jerry1]

This is my buddy king

[PhilPepper]

Hi Jerry

He looks every ounce a buddy; and a family member. Looks like you've got an SG sitting there in the background.

Thanks for posting the photo. How have you been going? 

I've been suffering chemo blues lately. It's a drag. I try not to complain about a drug that could be saving my life, but it gives me a lot to complain about. On the other hand, it silences my own motivation to  complain.

Take care. Keep posting. Tell me about your guitar.

Cheers

Phil