My Life With Cancer

Today is February 13, 2020.  One year ago today, I was diagnosed with cancer. Today, through what I totally believe is a divine miracle from God, there is no sign of cancer any where in my body. He lead me to the appropriate tests, the correct diagnoses, the right team of medical professionals with the proper treatment. He surrounded me with other cancer survivors with all of their knowledge, support and wisdom. He provided me with myriad of friends and family members who just wouldn't stop praying for me. He lead me to a Medical Sharing Ministry so that money was not a worry when it came to treatment and so that my options were not in the least bit limited. He provided me with the opportunity to be on staff of a legendary Boy Scouts of America Wood Badge Course, full of more friends and even more support.  Between weekend sessions of that course, my diagnosis was changed to be much worse than originally diagnosed.  I was devastated!  But I got throug...

Happy New Years!  Have some Lil Smokies!! My Doc said my cancer tumor was the same size as a Lil Smokey.  Consuming Lil Smokeys, a standing Stewart-Longhurst New Year's tradition, will now never be the same. Monday I had another post-procedure meeting with my Doctor (really a Urologist/Oncologist), which included blood tests. Before I give you all the results, let's review PSA numbers. The prostate naturally produces PSA (which is some sort of antigen).  Normally, the PSA found in a guy's blood will be 4.0 or less.  If it goes above 4.0, then that is a warning sign that something may be wrong.  Tests should begin.  It could be an infection, easily curable.  Or many times it is cancer, not so easily curable, but certainly curable if caught early enough. My General Practitioner first became seriously concerned in October of 2017 when my PSA read 5.47.  It was 7.0 in December of 2018 and peaked at 8.0 last March.  Thanks to drinki...

Meet "Cancer Fox".  Cancer Fox is a cherished gift given to me by a great, true friend and his family.  Cancer Fox has seen me through some tough times and has been a huge help, a symbol that I am and never was alone in this battle.  Cancer Fox also went on some trips with us.  Cancer Fox has visited the back-roads of Oregon and the pumice-covered trails of Mt St Helens.  Cancer Fox now wears our blue fighting-prostate-cancer wrist bands instead of Hanna and me.  Mostly as a sign that we all beat the heck out of this cancer.  But also because Cancer Fox looks good with those on his ears. It has been just over 30 days since the evil cancer tumor was eradicated from my prostate.  How am I doing?  GREAT!  The cancer appears to be gone.  The pain and side effects from the procedure are dwindling and healing. My Urologist was actually giddy at my two-week post-op check up.  He lost his own father to cancer, so every battl...

And the ultimate battle begins, before daylight even, early in the cold morning of November 1st...... GAME FACE IN THE DARK!!! Dressed in my most comfortable sweat pants and my favorite over-sized Camp Fife Staff T-shirt (I bought it in a "get-rid-of-the-inventory" sale, I've never been on Camp Fife Staff), I am ready to deal my cancer one huge butt-breaking blow and kill it soundly. You just don't want to mess with me when I have that face on, especially this early in the morning.  STUPID CANCER.  It does NOT stand a freakin' chance.  DEATH TO CANCER!!! I check in.  The check-in lady is confused by my name.  They always are.  "Is it Stewart or is it Longhurst?"  "It's both."  "huh??"  She gets the paperwork in order.  I sign a consent form thus giving the hospital the authorization to host this gruelest of all battles.  She asks me about my Health Care Directive.  "I don't need a freakin' Health Care D...

Happy Halloween!!! I wish you the happiest of Halloweens and the happiest of tummies.  No doubt you are devouring candies full of sugar, caramel, chocolate and other delicacies RIGHT NOW this very minute. Enjoy. HERE IS MY FREAKIN DIET TODAY!!! If you look closely, you'll see that today's HEALTHY menu includes these four items: CLEAR Strawberry Flavored Protein Drink. CLEAR Beef and Chicken Broth. CLEAR Yellow Jello.  mmmmm   Lemon Jello! And tasty CLEAR medicine to be discussed later. DOCTOR'S ORDERS!!  I'm on a clear liquid diet in preparation for tomorrow's cancer-killing surgery.  I did this gig last June when I had my Targeted Biopsy and about starved to death.  CLEAR = no calories apparently.  Unless you want to drink sugar.  Sugar will add calories.  In June, I drank a bunch of Gatorade to try to squelch the hunger pains.  It really didn't work that much.  And the nurses were shocked at the spike in...

Ladies & Gentlemen!  This is the EDUCATIONAL portion of the blog! Here are the step-by-step instructions of how to perform a focal cryotherapy procedure.  (I thought about sending this to my doctor, along with a reminder about NO HORSES, just in case he needs a bit of help.  But then I did not.  He is, you know, stabbing instruments into some very delicate parts of my body.  So I chose not to be a sarcastic butt head.) The procedure is performed under general anesthesia.   (THANK GOODNESS!!!!) The patient is in lithotomy position.   (See the picture below.  And the part about general anesthesia above).  Briefly, the equipment utilized includes the cryotherapy console coupled with an ultrasound system, argon and helium gas bottles, cryoprobes, temperature probes and an urethral warming catheter. TOYS!!!  You don't have to have a medical diploma to see that these would be FUN to play with!  (Picture below) The procedure ...