Running with Prostate Cancer - My Journey

Dublin City Marathon 2011

2011-10-28T00:54:00.001-07:00

Off to Dublin again! On Monday next, October 31st, I'm running the Dublin City Marathon. This will be my 21st Marathon and I'm again running to promote Cancer Survivorship, wearing a "Cancer Survivor" strip on both the front and back of my club singlet, as I did last year.

This year, I'm joined by Ned O'Brien, (Melanoma) another member of "C Team - Cancer Survivors"

Ned O'Brien (left) and John Quigley coming in to the finish of the 2011 Cork City Marathon Relay with C Team - Cancer Survivors.

C Team - Cancer Survivors before the Cork City Marathon Relay
Ruth Ahern (Waterford AC), Breast Cancer, Mossie Shanahan (Togher, Cork), Skin Cancer, Ned O'Brien (Clonmel AC), Melanoma and John Quigley (Eagle AC), Prostate Cancer

Both of us are in approx. the same ballpark wrt expected finishing time; Ned is hoping to run 3:30, while I'm heading out a bit faster and hoping to run 3:15. I'm carrying a load of 'niggles' going into Monday, so I'm not as upbeat as last year. Weather forecast is looking like rain during the race - not exactly what I like, but we'll see. Very often, in the past, bad weather forecast for Marathon Monday have failed to materialise.

Fingers crossed!!

Dublin City Marathon, Oct 25th 2010

2010-12-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

The big day finally arrived! This was my first Marathon in seven years, second in twelve years and my 20th overall. It had been so long since my previous Marathon that I really considered my self a novice again - and was, rightly, concerned about overconfidence. In spite of everything, I had set myself a personal goal of sub 3:10 - a rule of thumb is double your Half-Marathon time, plus 10 min. I'd done 1:33:15 for the Half-mar mark in Cork to Cobh, earlier in October, so that equated to 3:16:30. Six minutes doesn't sound much on paper, but it's nearly a mile on the road. Hindsight has shown that the target was too ambitious.

Conditions on the day were pretty good; a bit on the cold side, but little or no wind and no rain. I had toyed with putting a "Cancer survivor" strip on my singlet and, after discussing it with the Irish Cancer Society and friends, I decided to go with this, on both my front and back.

My daughter & I headed for the start area early enough, jogging the 2 miles or so from her place. After a bit of 'arsing around', looking for friends and acquaintances, we separated - she was going in the 3:30+ start corral, while I was in the sub 3:30 area. I met up with a few clubmates while we waited for the start, but I was always going to run on my own - I find it easier to 'get in the groove' running on my own. Before the off, I was well wrapped up in a load of throwaway gear - raggy t-shirt, gloves, cap and one of those white process/pharmaceutical operator type boiler suits.

Eventually the gun went and we were off. I maintain that the first mile, in particular, should be no faster than your average intended target pace, but I felt that I was working a bit too hard early on and eased back a little. Loads of people were passing me - more than I'd expected - but then numbers were twice those of my last previous marathon (Dublin 2003, 3:13:29).

I passed the first mile in 7:25 or so. This was a bit of a disappointment as I was hoping to get it pretty close to target pace of 7:10, particularly as the first mile had an overall drop. Nevertheless, I wasn't too bothered, but the next 4 miles were largely climbing slightly. I ran away steadily for the next few miles, but they were all around the 7:20 mark. The throwaway t-shirt came off at 4 miles, but got tucked into my waistband (just in case I'd made a mistake and needed it again) and my name and 'Cancer Survivor' strips were revealed. From then on all the way round it was mayhem - I got *absolutely HUGE support*, with people cheering and calling my name. It was brilliant! One drawback though, was that it probably got my adrenaline going too much in the early stages.

Running through Phoenix Park, at about 4 miles, I got the fright of my life when the 3:15 pacing group came through - I was approx. 1.25 mins down on target pace, so it was up my game. I quickly got into a better pace and started working a bit harder,knocking in consistent miles in the 6:52 to 7:05 range. Except for the 7th mile, which had a fairly severe uphill section, I managed to run the section between 4M and 19M, in 1:46:32, just 30 secs slower than I'd run the Cork to Cobh 15M race earlier in the month.

I went through 19M in 2:18:55 and felt good. We had a tough little hill coming up and I held back a little. Because of this, I lost a little bit of ground on those around me. After the hill, I went to work back the lost ground and very soon disaster struck! I got a bulging muscle hamstring cramp in my right leg. This brought me to a pretty quick stop. I managed to massage the cramp and get back on pace pretty quickly, however I had to stop twice more in the next mile or so. I still managed to go through 20 in 2:26:16, giving 7:21 for that last mile, in spite of the stops.

Unfortunately the 'head went' and I figured that I should have gone through 20M in around 2:08:00, and that I was about 18 min behind schedule. This, combined with the cramping led me to jogging and walking the rest of the way. I missed the 21M mark and went through 22M in 2:43:16 (My best for the full distance is 2:46:03, set in Dublin in 1988), so my pace had slowed to 8:17/mile. I missed all of the splits from there to the finish - I suppose my mind wasn't 100% on my surroundings after that.

Coming through the last mile, along the north side of Trinity College, I got a huge cheer from a small group including my wife Deirdre, who'd managed to gather a group of cheering strangers. I did a quick turnaround, coming back about 10metres to give her a hug and a kiss - she deserved it, after all the support she's given me over the past three or four years, in particular. I also did it to show her that I was OK.

There was only about a half a mile left after that and I finished in 3:21:52 - my second slowest ever, but *definitely* the most satisfying! After crossing the finish line I was interviewed by the press, being quoted in one of the national papers the following day and my photo appearing in several others.

This was very important to me. I wanted to make a loud statement that Cancer does not have to be the end of 'normal' life. I strongly advise any Cancer survivor to make a similar statement. Your speed/pace doesn't matter a F(iddlers)! YOU are sending a *very* strong message to everyone dealing with Cancer in their everyday lives and that message gives them an enormous lift. They may not know you, but, by God, does it give them heart.

Before running the Marathon, with the 'Cancer Survivor' strip, I was apprehensive about appearing foolish with it. I need not have worried. the feedback I got afterwards was absolutely tremendous and positive. Since then I've run a Half-Marathon wearing the 'Cancer Survivor' strip. It's not something I intend doing all the time - only in high profile events AND where I think wearing it will make a difference.

Apart from the usual blisters, pretty uncomfortable aches and pains and general muscle soreness, for several days, I had little after-effects. On the leakage side, I had very slight leakage on the day. Probably about a tablespoonful in all. Not bad considering that I'd been out from 7:30am until approx. 3pm. I'll live with that anyday!

Since October 25th, I've run many races, from 1M to Half-Marathons, on the road, track and some harrowing cross-country races. I might get round to writing about some of these.....On the other hand, it's taken me nearly 5 months to finish this particular entry! I'll do something....just don't hold your breath!

PS: My daughter finished just 3 minutes after me, knocking a massive 26 minutes off her best time!

Lead up to Dublin City Marathon

2010-12-17T05:44:00.000-08:00

So....it's almost Christmas...nearly two months after the event..it must be time for me to write a race report [rolls eyes]

My preparation for this Marathon was meticulous. I'd been planning and organising my training strategy for this for well over a year.....Then, in the last two weeks, I threw the rule book out and probably blew my chances of achieving my aim of a) a National Championship medal in the M55 category and b) a sub 3:10 time. The first of these was definitely achievable, while the second was VERY ambitious.

Anyway....the things that nearly blew my chances:
The first was running not one, but two cross-country races, in the last fortnight. I was spouting the 'tried and tested' running philosophy of not going hard in the last fortnight, as it can do harm..."you can't do to little, but you CAN do too much"

On Sunday 10th October, I ran in the Cork AAI County Masters XC Chps and, while having a good run, I finished fourth scorer on Eagle's M50 team. I was a bit disappointed but hadn't tapered properly, so wasn't overly concerned. I don't think that did much, if any, harm.

The next thing did, however I had little control over the incident. I was in Dublin for two days of training in the Irish Cancer Society's Peer to Peer mentoring scheme and stayed in a hotel close to some of the Marathon route. On my first day there I went for a 7 mile run, including part of the Marathon course. I was flying and thought that the last 6 miles of the Marathon course was 'a doddle'.

Afterwards I had a shower and then the trouble started......when I was finishing I inadvertently turned one of the dual controls the wrong way. Instead of turning off the water, as I thought, I turned the hot control to full blast!! Normally hot is around 55-60C. This was at least 80C!!! I reeled and staggered with shock, falling in the process (The shower was in a bath, rather than a walk in unit). I was screaming in pain, all the time trying to get out of the bath. I fell back four times in all. After the last time I thought to myself "If you don't get out now, you're going to die here!" It took some effort, but I got out. Two months later and I still find it inexplicable. The mind boggles at the thought of someone having a fatal accident in a hotel shower.....almost incredible as it sounds. Immediately afterwards, I stepped back into the shower, under the cold water, and stayed there for about a half hour - that probably prevented deep burns, though I was pretty sore in the areas that the shower had hit. I was also sore, due to the fall itself, all along my left hand side, including neck, shoulder, hip and thigh. I honestly thought my Marathon had run its course.

I went for a run the following morning and felt all the sore spots. I was absolutely gutted.....and my self-confidence was in trouble too! I continued to train over the next few days, but the 'bounce' was gone. Nevertheless the following Sunday, I ran in the AAI Munster Novice XC in Macroom. This was only 8 days before the Marathon and was probably the main thing that went against me in preparation. It was silly to run in this race, but I felt that, as Club Chairman, I ought to run. I didn't push it, nevertheless, coming just eight days before the Marathon, I probably would have been better off going for a training run in the morning and taking photos at the Championship race. In spite of the fall, I was probably still overconfident.

I promise to post my Marathon report over the next few days!! ......really!!

Cork to Cobh Race

2010-10-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

Photo: The Last 200m - flying!

Preparation on the day could have been better. I'd allowed a good deal of time before the race (9:30am start) but hadn't anticipated that the bag drop for this 15M point-to-point race would be at the checking point, about 1.25 Miles away from the race start... and my car. So we had a walk uphill, followed by a jog back down. We got back to the car at 9:05 and went for a shorter warm-up than normal for this one. Got about 1.5 miles in. After that, I had a load of 'pfaffing about', putting Bodyglide at all the critical chafe points, smear of Vaseline to reduce sweat going into my eyes and causing problems - makes my eyes sting badly, with my contacts in. Then I had to pin a gel pack onto my shorts (there are no gel stations in this race). I finished all that with about 3 mins to go, so didn't get a chance to stretch at all.

So....The first few miles were pretty tight on the legs. I'd planned on going out at 7:10 miling, 7:00, if I felt good. The first four miles were: 6:56, 7:12, 7:10 and 7:17. Conditions were pretty foggy to start with, but that burned away around the 4 mile mark. After that I found I was loosening out and got into a rhythm, with all the remaining miles, except the 14th, coming in between 6:52 and 7:06. This course is pretty flat, with only a few 'hills' - and they're all pretty gentle drags - until 11 miles, when the race starts to get tough - and hurt! The general wisdom is that "The race begins at Belvelly Bridge", just after the 10 mile mark.

Belvelly Bridge

Just before Belvelly Bridge, I was stunned to catch up with two of my arch rivals. I had hoped that I might, on a bad day for him, catch Willie in the late stages, instead I caught him here, along with Brendan, St'Finbarr's AC, with whom my Club, Eagle AC, will be head-to-head in the M50 team race in Dublin, in just three weeks.
Unfortunately Willie was to overtake me again later.

After the impetus of passing out the large group at the Bridge, I pushed on passing people all the way, plus another big group at 12 miles. I probably overdid the effort at this tough stage but I'd probably do the same again tomorrow - If I didn't feel too sore.

I had a tough 14th mile but got going well again for the last mile, getting back to 7:00 miling and finished strongly. On top of it all, I finished as 3rd M55, getting a very nice mantle clock for my troubles!

I wore my usual cut-down pad for the race - I need not have bothered - there was only very slight 'spotting' on it after the warm-down. This scenario is becoming more regular - A good sign that I'm still progressing. Long may it continue!

Eve of the Test

2010-10-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

With just three weeks to go, tomorrow is the big test before Dublin. I've dropped my mileage from 76 last week to 'just' 55 this week, assuming I get 19 in for tomorrow's Cork to Cobh 15M race - 2 miles warm-up and 2 miles cool-down after the race.

Yesterday was 5 miles easy, with 3 miles, very easy, with my daughter, this morning. I felt quite tired, but I find that's not unusual before a key race.

Weather forecast is looking good for tomorrow - it's quite windy and feeling cool today, with some pretty heavy showers. Tomorrow is supposed to be a lot less windy and the showers are predicted to die away overnight.

I'm planning to go out at 7:00 to 7:10 miling and try to hold that. I want to run strong throughout, without 'going to the well' - too near Dublin for that. While it's a 15 Mile race, a key point for me is the Half-Marathon mark.

I intend using my Half-marathon time as a strong guide for my pace/time in Dublin, using the 'Rule of Thumb' of double your half time, plus 10 min. (my best marathon performance was double my half + 4 mins.) 7:00 miling would give me a Half-Mar time of 91:46 and a predicted Marathon time of 3:13:33, while 7:10 comes out as 93:57 for the Half and 3:17:54 for the Marathon. We'll see! Its pretty ambitious, but you never know 'till the day.

My first Marathon was Cork 1985, in 4:10:03 and my last, and slowest, apart from the first, was 3:13:28. I'd love to better that on October 25th. This will be my 20th Marathon.

Mossie Shanahan, a member of the 'C Team - Cancer Survivors' relay team is also running tomorrow.

Don't forget my Cancer charities:

Cork ARC and the Irish Cancer Society

My fundraising pages are here:

Cork ARC
Irish Cancer Society

Dublin Marathon

2010-09-30T02:15:00.000-07:00

My long term target has been, for the best part of a year, the Dublin City Marathon. I haven't done a Marathon for 7 years. This will only be my second in 12 years, but my 20th overall.

This one has special significance for me. I am running this as a Cancer survivor. I want - I NEED - to run this well and show others, particularly others dealing with Cancer in their own lives and their families, relatives and friends, that there is life after Cancer. I think it is also a personal milestone. Maybe I'm kidding myself. I don't think so.

My fall back target is the M55 Boston qualifying time of 3:45:59, however my stated target is 3:18:00, but depending on the day, I'm really hoping to do better than that. Sunday next, Oct. 3rd, sees the annual Cork to Cobh 15 Mile. I'll use this to assess my final Marathon pace. I'm hoping to average around 7:00 for the 15 miles, giving 1:45. Last years time was 1:53, with 2:04 the year before, just 4 months post surgery. My best for the course is 1:28:28, set in 1990.

I feature in last year's race report, in the photo with the clock at 1:52:59.

I'm running for two charities in the Marathon:

Cork ARC and the Irish Cancer Society

My fundraising pages are here:

Cork ARC
Irish Cancer Society

Please help!

June/July Aug

2010-09-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

I've deleted the previous 'holding post', so I'll try to do a short update here.

Following the Cork City Marathon Relay, I headed off for warm weather training - in other words a holiday/vacation - in Lagos, Algarve, Portugal for two weeks. Lagos is a lovely little town about 50km west of Faro and we've gone there for a summer break about 10 out of the last 15 years.

Praca Do Infante
The building in the foreground, on the right, housed Europe's first slave market

Promenade on the Avenida dos Descobrimentos, with the Ribera de Bensafrim and Lagos port.

Dona Ana Beach

View from Dona Ana Beach

I just 'ticked over'while I was here, going for a 5 mile run every morning, so 35 for the week, instead of my normal 55 - 60 miles. This was just R&R and dossing. I would have liked to get a race in while I was here but there weren't any in the immediate locality while we were there.

Shanagarry 5
Back home again and back to races. Thursday June 24th saw the second in the Ballycotton 5 summer series, the Shanagarry 5. I went out way too fast - at 2.5 miles, I was only about 30 secs down on one of my former arch rivals. Until now, I hadn't been able to get within 2 - 3 minutes of him. I paid for the early effort and came home in 33:49, about 1.5 mins faster than last year.

Corkbeg 5
Next up was the Corkbeg 5 in Whitegate, Co. Cork. The evening turned out very, very wet and a bit windy. The gear was soaking and, of course my pad was saturated, so everything weighed a ton. Despite a very strong run, I finished in 34:22 - I'd hoped to go sub 33. Anyway, this was the wettest weather I'd run in since resuming after the surgery. I learnt a lesson - there's no point whatsoever in wearing a pad in a downpour!

Donoughmore 7
Later in July came the Donoughmore 7, a tough run. The first two miles is undulating, followed by 3 lovely downslope miles. There is a sting in the tail! The last two miles are uphill and I normally 'fresh air' in the last 150m - the legs move. but I seem to be rooted to the spot! I went out steadily and let several of my peers make ground ahead. Several really went for it early on, but I let them go. I started working once we hit the 3 mile down section on the main road and started picking bodies off. The strategy really paid off in the last two miles, where I picked off most of my peers, except for two who still elude me to this day. Nevertheless, I picked off 27 of the 257 finishers, coming home in 70th place in 49:46.

Churchtown South 5
Next up was the third race in the Ballycotton 5 Summer Series, the Churchtown South 5. Of all 4 races in the series, this is the one I like least. About 300m after the start, the road narrows, with a green line down the middle, i.e. grass. Its a two lap course, with a deceptive climb in the middle. For most of this climb, you don't realise that you're going up, but you do need to work hard.

I was well outside the top 50 for the series and needed both to run very well (Prior to the first race, I figured that I needed to run 32:30 for each race, to stand any chance. So far, I'd lost over a minute on that target in both races). I finished in 138th place, 33:42. I found it tough but fell well short of what I'd been (optimistically) hoping for.

Incontinence Status - 28 months on
How bad are things??!! I'm now (Sept 30th) 28 months after major surgery and I'm beating myself up because I'm not performing at the very highest levels! I think it just shows how far I've come. Prior to surgery, I was prepared to accept that I might not ever run again (primarily due to severe incontinence). Now I am running very well indeed - I've been told several times "People are talking about you!", meaning that I'm running pretty damn well and making people sit up!. I still have slight leakage when I run - I have been fully continent (no pads whatsoever) since July 2008, 4 weeks post cathether removal, but I do have slight leakage when I run. This is normally of the order of a teaspoonfull or two, but can, occasionally, be heavier at about a few tablespoonfulls. Mostly its quite light. I certainly wouldn't call it incontenence, except maybe the heavier ones (happens about every 3 to 4 weeks). As I said, its mostly pretty light. I can see a time in the next 6 to 12 months, if even that far away, where I will not have to wear a pad while running. As time progresses, I notice the "spotting" is more noticeable, i.e. I'm rarely talking about volume any more. Recently, I forgot to wear my cut-down pad while on a 20 mile marathon training run and the leakage was minimal - spotting. Of course, incidents like this are great for self-confidence and this is a self-fulfilling matter.

August

August is usually a quiet month on the Cork racing scene. I was also ramping up my mileage in preparation for the Dublin Marathon on Oct 25th. Througout the year, I'd been hitting the 50 to low 60's per week, now I was upping to the high 60s/low 70s, as a consequence, racing, particularly the shorter ones, was taking a back seat. Nevertheless I planned to run two races: the Novartis 5k and the final race of the Ballycotton series: Ballycotton 5.

Novartis 5k
I like the Novartis 5k. Its a tough hilly course. The only bit I don't particularly like is the third mile, which is mostly downhill - the sprinters tear away and the 'speed challenged' (like me) struggle to keep up. There is a sting in the tail here though and the final 400m is uphill. I went out fairly strongly, but many left me for dead - the first 400m are slightly downslope, making for a fast start. The second mile is a long full hill/drag. I love it and make plenty of ground here...before the downhill section. Still, I made up about 30 places over the last 400m, finishing in 100th place, 20:42.

Ballycotton 5
The last of the series. I was 79th overall going into this. I had two chances of making it - None...and the other one! Conditions were dry but windy. I went out hard, hoping to hold the pace. This is another tough course - all the Ballycotton races are! The first mile is largely down, with a few bumps on the way. The second mile is more or less flat, but is still tough. It gets interesting after that. The third mile starts out flat, then rises...and rises...and rises. Then, just 100m before the 3 mile mark, it really kicks up. Incidentally, on this section, I passed a peer/rival, and he proceeded to tell me about the good results (clear) he'd got from a recent biopsy. All I could do is grunt .... and press on. The fourth mile is a fast on, largely downhill and the last mile is hard - mostly uphill.

Having gone out hard, I held the effort throughout. I never checked my watch throughout and really felt that I was definitely running at around 32 min pace. I finished strong, but holding on nevertheless. I was absolutely delighted with the effort throughout, but disappointed to clock 33:39, in 147th place. Nevertheless I had several peers in my wake, particularly some that I hadn't beaten since the op.

In the final standings, over the four races of the series, I finished in 68th place, well outside the top 50. Competition for the coveted Top 50 T-shirts is getting stronger....and I must face up to the fact that age isn't on my side. still,
I'll give it another try next year, God willing!

2010-09-29T00:30:00.000-07:00

Sep 29th 2010 Hmmm....So much for a day or two (rolling eyes!) its the best part of a month since I promised, on Sept 11th, to post an update on the C Team - Cancer Survivors relay run in the Cork City Marathon on June 1st.

This was the second year that we organised a team of Cancer Survivors to run in the relay event of the cork City Marathon.

In 2009, we had 6 runners for the 5 legs, doubling up on the last leg, and finished in 4:01:27.

This year, we had 6 again, and had a woman on the team. It was disappointing not to have any last year. So this year we had: Marianne Murphy (Endometrial Cancer), John Quigley (Prostate Cancer - surgery), Brian Kenneally (Testicular Cancer), Ned O'Brien (Glandular Cancer), Mossie Shanahan (Skin Cancer) and Joe Dineen (Prostate Cancer - Radiation)

Joe Dineen, John Quigley and Mossie Shanahan pictured close to the Start/Finish point in Patrick St. Cork, at the launch of the Cork City Marathon Relay. The €3,000,000 figure in balloons was the Irish Cancer Society's fundraising target figure for the event.

We met on the night before the race to sort out the logistics of meeting, handover, etc, and, most importantly, so that everyone would meet. This was the first time that several of us had met face-to-face. Very important is you're handing over to another relay runner! Ned wasn't able to make the Sunday night as he was travelling on the morning of the race. He had never met any of the others, except for me.

Forecast for the day wasn't good, with rain and wind predicted in a narrow band. The hope was that it would hit during the night, or hold off until afterwards. We wouldn't be so lucky, the rain hit before the start, but wasn't too bad. However, as the morning progressed, it simply worsened, with the worst hitting when we were going along the Mahon/Lakelands Walkway, the most open part of the course.

We met up, at the City Hall, for a pre-race photo shoot:

The Original Golden Eagles Relay Team
John Quigley, Dave Muldowney, Gary Relihan, Conor O'Brien and Aoife Quigley, along with Gary's daughter. Note: The bands on my right hand are our relay 'batons' - I have two; one for each of the two teams I was running on; C Team - Cancer Survivors and The Original Golden Eagles.

C Team - Cancer Survivors
John Quigley, Joe Dineen, Ned O'Brien, Marianne Murphy and Mossie Shanahan. Missing was Brian Kenneally - he had to rush off for the bus to his relay changeover point.
The red technical t-shirts were kindly sponsored by Maher Sports.

C Team - Cancer Survivors team members with Rose O'Dea of the Irish Cancer Society.
John Quigley, Joe Dineen, Rose O'Dea (Irish Cancer Society), and Ned O'Brien.

Leg 1
Marianne had originally hoped to run in the event, but persistent shin splints put paid to that, so she walked the first leg as our official number carrier. I ran the first leg, unofficially, for C Team - Cancer Survivors and also, officially, for Golden Eagles, so while we were bending the rules a little, to ensure that Marianne was our official runner, we still had fully continuity and handover from start to finish.

Marianne & I set off, in very wet weather, from Patrick St. and, while Marianne was walking, I set off 'hammer and tongs'. I quickly went ahead of the 3 hour pacing group and had high hopes of hitting my personal target of 35:00 for the 5.5 mile leg. By the time we'd hit the Quays, at about 3.25 miles, the easterly wind had risen....and the 3 hour pacing group was closing behind me. They passed me just before the 4 mile mark and I hung on for dear life - just 1.5 miles to go!

I got a second wind and inspiration after that and gave chase, passing the 5 mile mark in 33:51 and caught the group, just before the relay changeover point, and handed over the C Team baton to Brian.

I wasn't so lucky with the Original Golden Eagles team - we'd hoped to finish in around 2:51. There was no sign of my handover, Gary. I went right through the relay changeover point, but no sign of him. Having spent about 7 minutes looking for him, I decided to go on to the next changeover (We never figured out afterwards what happened - he was there but, despite all my shouting, we never met up - plans, plans & disasters)

I had planned to accompany Brian on his leg - he was hoping to go at about 7.5 min miling - but he had too much of a lead for me to catch him over the 5 mile leg. Anyway I ploughed on as best I could, trying to make up time for the Golden Eagles team (but knowing that we were going to lose about 10-15 minutes on our target handover for the second leg)

Meantime Brian handed over to Ned for the 6.25 mile third leg. At this point, the wind was up and the rain was at it's worst.

Ned O'Brien (C4205), about 0.5 miles into the third leg, with Blackrock castle in the background. All the runners behind Ned appear, from their different coloured numbers, to be marathon runners.

On the Golden Eagles team, I handed over to a frozen Dave Muldowney in about 81 - we'd hoped to handover this leg at about 67-68 minutes. I quickly met up with Brian and, rather than waiting for a bus (the relay courtesy buses were running late) we decided to run back along the marathon route to the city centre.

Brian Kenneally and John Quigley 'warming down' on the third relay leg, by Blackrock Castle.

Up ahead, Ned ran a very strong leg, handing over to Mossie Shanahan for the hilly 5.25 mile fourth leg. Mossie, in turn, handed over to Joe Dineen, for the fifth, and final, 4.25 mile leg. While Ned accompanied Mossie for his leg, both Ned and Mossie ran with Joe to the finish. So for the day, both Ned and John ran about 17 miles for the day, Brian did about 12, Mossie 10 and Joe & Marianne covered 4.25 and 5 miles respectively.

Meantime, after changing into dry gear, Brian & I headed for the 26 mile mark and waited for the others came in. When they arrived, we all ran into the finish, coming home in 3:27:51, a full 34 minutes faster than C Team - cancer Survivor's 2009 time!

Ned O'Brien, Joe Dineen and Mossie Shanahan approaching the 26 mile mark.

C Team - Cancer Survivors coming in to the finish together ( the guy in the middle is a member of another team).

C Team - Cancer Survivors after the finish
Brian Kenneally, Ned O'Brien, Joe Dineen and John Quigley (Mossie Shanahan and Marianne Murphy both missing)

As one of the team said afterwards "It was great to come in to the finish together. It was just brilliant! Better than any medication or drugs!"

One of the prime aims of C Team - Cancer Survivors is to inspire people not only other Cancer Survivors but also others who may be affected by Cancer, e.g. family and friends and also the medical people who look after us. As someone said about C Team - Cancer Survivors recently: "You're world class!"

If you'd like to run with C Team - Cancer Survivors in the June 2011 event, please get in touch.

Cork Half-Marathon, Blarney Sept 12th

2010-09-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

Well today's race went very well. I'd planned to start out at Marathon Pace (I hadn't yet decided at what pace I'd run the Marathon at, but I figured that it'd be between 7:10 and 7:25) and then to 'lash it from the far side of the hill, i.e. from about 8 miles or so.

The course, along with the altitude profile can be seen HERE The altitude profile is on the bottom right. You can see that the course heads steadily upwards all the way friom the start to a little over halfway, but really kicks upwards after 4.5 miles to 6.5 miles.

As I said in previous posts, I leak slightly when running, and normally wear jockey type underwear under my shorts. This is mainly to keep a cut down incontinence pad in place. I've found that this is fine for short races, but, for longer runs/races, can cause a bit of chafing (due to fabric/elastic pressure in the upper thigh/groin region). I'd decided to forego the jocks today and just ran in regular running shorts with a cut down pad. I had no issues whatsoever during the race and felt that I had little of no leakage. Later I found that leakage was minimal - guessing about a tablespoonful or so - and most probably happened after the finish. We also went for a 3 mile warm-down afterwards to loosen up. i said in yesterdays's post that I reckon that, in the foreseeable future, I'll be completely dispensing with need for wearing the pad while running.

Anyway....
The race itself attracted some 600+ runners and was run in warmish conditions. It wasn't too hot - about 16-18C - but it was somewhat humid. I intended respecting the hill and set out to run at about 7:10 pace. [I should say that, in the previous week, I'd run 20 miles last Sunday, ran 4 miles easy on Monday, did 6 x 800m on the track on Tuesday, with 3 x 1M on Thursday, with 9.6M on Wed, Fri and Sat - in otherwords, I ran 68 miles last week, with two hard speed sessions AND no Taper! Not your ideal pre-Half Mar training, but that was the plan - This wasn't a key race for me - Cork to Cobh 15m, in 3 weeks, definitely is.]

The first mile was 7:07 and I was a little concerned at the very slightly fast pace, considering the humid conditions, and decided to cut back a little. The next three miles were: 7:29, 7:27, 7:24, with the 5th mile slightly slower again, 7:34, bringing me thro the 5 mile mark in 37:02.

The 6th mile is, by far, the toughest and the pace dropped considerably, to 8:06. Nevertheless only two people passed me in this mile - I passed loads - and both of them were caught on the downhill stretch after the village of Grenagh.

There is a steep section, out of Grenagh,lasting about a half a mile, or so. This is a fine section for hill runners, but I'd planned to take it comfortably, just stretching out the legs, and so it was.

This mile, which included the last of the uphill section, came in at 7:18 (52:26 for 7M). I'd planned to 'take it out' from the bottom of the hill, and started to work hard. I also started to count 'net place' from there, in other words, if I passed someone, the count was +1, with a -1 if someone passed me. By the finish, the count was +34, with no passes - Nobody managed to overtake me in the final 6.11 miles!!

From the 7 mile mark, I rattle off very steadily, 6:47, 6:55, 6:53, 6:56, 6:57, 6:52, with the final 0.11M taking 40 secs. I normally don't look at my watch during a race, except to get a feel for the starting pace, so I had no idea what pace I was going at. Frankly, I had expected to be passing more people, so I figured I'd come in around 1:37 and was very pleasantly surprised to see the clock at 1:33:59 - unfortunately the clock was about 80m from the finish line.

The official results aren't out yet, but I made it 1:34:14, just 45 secs slower than I ran in the same race in Sept 2006, some 5 months after my initial 4.3ng/l PSA result.

Overall I am absolutely delighted with today's result. All I wan't now is for my current PSA test result to come back as <0.02ng/l. I had the test done two weeks ago last Friday and am still waiting. Results are normally available between 5 and 10 working days after the, but this isn't the first time they've been this late. I don't mind the wait, as long as they're good!

September 2010

2010-09-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I'm running in the Cork Half Marathon, in Blarney Co Cork. All going well, I hope to run somewhere in the region of 1:34 - 1:40. I'm not racing this one all out - I hate this particular course and intend going at Marathon pace for the first 8 miles and then, if I feel like it, giving the last 5.11 miles a "bit of a lash".

I'm entered for the Dublin City Marathon, on October 25th, and hope to run 3:18 or better. With that sort of time, I may be in with a shout for a Masters category medal in the Irish National Marathon Championship, which is being held as part of the event. My club, Eagle AC also has a Masters M50 team in the event: myself and two other 'auld fellas'. Training has been going well and I've three 20 mile runs under my belt and am consistently around the 60/65 miles a week mark.

I'll be running for Cork ARC and the Irish Cancer Society, but must set up my charity donation pages (get the finger out man!).

The training hasn't been causing me too much bother, I should really say the 'leakage' hasn't caused me too much bother. The marathon will be a different matter, but we'll see. Come what may, it will be an education.

This will be my 20th marathon, my first in 7 years and my second in 12 years. In many ways I feel like a Marathon Novice again, but I still have the confidence that I can go the distance at a fairly fast pace, i.e. 7:10 to 7:20 per mile average. I just hope I'm not being too ambitious. I'll probably set my final pace after the Cork to Cobh 15 Mile race, in three weeks time.

One thing I've found, over the past month or two, is that my 'leakage is gradually lessening and it's now conceiveable that I may soon become fully continent, i.e. nil leakage, when running. I have been fully continent at all other times since shortly after the operation (about 6 weeks afterwards), so this will be the icing on the cake. Either way, I certainly can live with the current position - well I have been running with it since resuming running in August 2008.

With all the mileage and long runs, I have to ensure that I'm fully hydrated at all times. That hasn't given rise to any problems, but I generally don't drink heavily within 3 or 4 hours of a run/race, prefering to ensure that I 'top up' well at all other times.

C Team - Cancer Survivors -- Cork City Marathon Relay June 7th 2010

2010-09-11T15:02:00.000-07:00

Gone to the dogs again! More than 3 months since the Marathon Relay and not a peep out of me on the blog! As a colleague said I "need a good boot up the h#*e!"

I'm going to park the Relay report here for a day or two (I promise no more than that - really!)

Suffice to say that we had a great relay effort and came home in 119th place from 1152 teams, in 3:27:51. I have quite a few photos from the day and a wonderful comment from one of the team members that I'd like to share with you all.

So..I promise to update in a day or two.

Update

2010-06-01T04:06:00.000-07:00

My God, it's been a long, long time since I updated the blog. My original intention of keeping a detailed diary leading up to and after my surgery. I did that to my own satisfaction. The second intention was to detail my recovery. Initially that was only half-hearted, however, in moving on, I failed dismally to keep posting.

In all probability anyone checking out the Blog would feel justified in concluding that I've not been doing so well. Nothing could be further from the truth - I'm absolutely flying it!

My next target is the relay in the Cork City Marathon on Monday June 7th, where I'll be running both for my Club, Eagle AC and also for C Team - Cancer Survivors, doing three legs (16.7 miles) in all. My ultimate target for 2010 is to run the Dublin City Marathon on October 25th. Target time is 3:18 or better, with the real target being the 2011 Boston Marathon M55 qualifying time of 3:45.

Summary: With respect to Prostate Cancer, I had my surgery, an open Radical Prostatectomy, on May 22nd 2008, just over two years ago. I am, to all intents and purposes, fully recovered. My PSA has been monitored regularly since and has remained at <0.02 ng/l. In other words undetectable. I have been fully continent since June/July 2008, some 6 weeks after the operation and have not worn a pad by day or night since then.

I do wear a small, cut down, pad when running, mainly to protect my running gear, prevent chafing and for peace of mind. Sometimes I just 'spot' it. Occassionally, it can be quite damp. Generally it's in between, but it's steadily improving. I reckon that there will come a day when I'll have the confidence to go without. On the other regular side effect of surgery, things are improving all the time and I've a smile on my face. That's all I'm going to say on that matter - it's for discussion with my wife and my surgeon only - period!

I've been doing a few things that seem to be improving the slight leak while running: Clearly the running, general fitness and well being helps enormously. My surgeon has never recommended kegels, so I've never done them - well I tried a (very) few times early on, but, as progress was excellent, I stopped doing them. What my surgeon recommends, to this day, is stopping and starting your stream. I do that and i'm not going to stop doing it. It worked for me.

One thing that I've started doing in the past six weeks or so is using a Foam Roller and this has strengthened my midriff/abdomen/lower back. I reckon it's having an effect, but I still have a way to go.

To conclude the health aspects, I don't think I could be doing much better. Thank God for this. Starting out on the PC rollercoaster, I had been prepared to be unable to run again, to be fully incontinent and to have full ED. None of those situations has occurred and I thank my surgeon, care and God for that.

My running is coming on leaps and bounds. It's been a slow process, but now (touch wood) it's progressing like an express train. I've been doing around the 60 mpw mark for the past 6 months. I reckon I haven't missed a day since October last and I've started getting in the prizes (M55, mind you, but 'How bad?) and my peers have started to take notice.

I'll probably go back and summarise my running recovery over the past two years in a few later posts. For the moment, I'll just outline the past two months.

I suppose I may as well start in April 2010:

April 2010
Earlier this year I started measuring the Cork City Marathon course and later volunteered to measure the inaugural Great Island 10, in Great Island, aka, Cobh (pronounced cove), Co. Cork. This race was to be held in aid of the Irish Cancer Society, with all proceeds going to the Society, so I couldn't pass it up. So it was that in early April, I found myself on Sunday morning measuring the remaining part of the Marathon and then heading off to Cobh. Tough morning, doing two courses. It took 7 hours in all, from home to home.

Race day was on Sunday April 16th and off we set over the hilly 10 mile course. Obviously I knew the course from the measuring, but I'd measured from finish back to the start ..and it's totally different when you're running, as opposed to being on the bike. Anyway i was prepared for the fast downhill sections over the first two miles, before we encountered the severe hills. Eagle clubmate Paul Cotter was my target. We had had many fine battles on the road before my PC reared it's head and even a few before the surgery. Since the surgery, the only times I'd beaten Paul was when he was 'taking it easy'. I reckoned that today was my day though. With two miles gone, I got occassional glimpses of Paul in the distance, about 250m ahead. The next two miles, from 2 to 4 were the severest section, so I bided my time.

Once we got over the second severe hill, with several more lesser ones to come, I started working and every time I caught a glimpse of Paul, the distance between us was less. Finally on a long straight section, with a steady upslope, from 6 to 7.5 miles, I had him firmly in my sights, catching up close to the top of the last major downhill section. I still held back, not letting him know I was there, knowing that he'd stride off down the hill. Sure enough that's what happened and was about 15 metres ahead at the bottom. The 8 mile mark was 300m up the road and I saw a mutual colleague there calling out times. Dreading the "C'mon John!" call, giving away my presence to Paul, I decided to move up on his shoulder before then. The call came "Well done John! Good running!" Usually that's 'like a red rag to a bull' and Paul takes off. This time I decided to boot the boot down and pressed on. Paul kept pace for the next half mile, all the while we were increasing the pace.

Finally, I heard his breathing lessen and drift back. 1.5 miles to go and a tough section. It was now a matter of getting as close to 70 as possible. I'd done 72:25 in Mallow back in February. Finally up the last slope and on to the finish in 71:06, with Paul 24 seconds behind. I finsihed as 6th M50 (there was no M55 category) but this was great: tough course, good time and my colleague and arch-rival beaten.

October 2008

2009-05-05T08:49:00.001-07:00

All the work laid down in September was put to the test on October 5th. It turned out that the day was perfect. My apprehensions about weather evaporated. I'd felt that my pads wouldn't last 15 miles in lashing rain, so the only thing I had to contend with was keeping my spinchter tight and, maybe, if necessary, swapping my pads en-route (i had a spare pad, in wrapper, in a back pocket in my shorts. In the event, it turned out that I wasn't to need it, but better safe than sorry. I don't know how i was going to change it discreetly on the run, but I hadn't intended stopping.

Anyway, some 500 or so starters lined up on Summer Hill in Cork. I didn't do any warm-up, deciding that my endurance was at it's limit anyway. This was to be the acid test. I chatted with a few before hand and got lots of well wishes. One of my clubmates nearly frealked when he saw me but said little. After the race, he said, "Jesus Johnny, I really thought I see you crawling into Cobh, in last place..a sorry sight...not just 14 minutes after PC"

I ran steady all the way, running all the miles at around 8:40 pace, except for mile 14, past the old Verolme dockyard. There is a rotten hill there - it's not bad really, but after 13.3 miles, it is tough. Looking at the photos of those finishing around me, i appeared to be the freshest. Fresh I wasn't though, but it was good. I was really a one-paced runner and running close to the margins of my delicate "membrane". I'd finished a 15 mile race in 2:04:44, just 131 days after major surgery! Wow! Acid test passed!

The following Sunday I turned out for my Club, Eagle AC, in a 4 mile cross country race. This was a much more competitive affair than the previous sunday. The day was very foggy and, after only about 300m, I was left stranded, well adrift of the pack. I ploughed on nevertheless and, after 2.5 of the 4 laps, caught up with the second last runner, one of our own new members, running in his first ever race. I ran behind him for the next lap - I hadn't the energy to pass and he thought I was staying behind him to "encourage him". With half a lap to go. I did what any gallant cross country runner does to a flagging clubmate - I left him in my tracks!

September 2008

2009-05-05T08:46:00.001-07:00

September was a quiet month. I did one race, the PTAA 5k in Togher. I ran it in 24:56, finding it tough all the way, but I hung on and wasn't tempted to push the pace. I always find this a tough one. The altitude profile isn't bad, but i just find it a hard one to run - can't seem to get into a pace any time I've done it.

For the rest of the month I concentratedon getting my long run in, generally on a Sat or Sunday and did it all on grass at The Farm. Any time friends or colleagues were there I left them off - my 10 min miling was too slow for them. Prior to the op, I'd have been doing the 2.35 mile circuit somewhere between 18:00 and 19:00 - now I was going at about 24:00 and somewhat erratic at that. I didn't mind. I had a target - the 15 Mile Cork to Cobh road race on October 5th. I had only two concerns for the race - lasting the pace and continence. The endurance I could, and would, work on. My bladder was another matter and was weather dependent - I'd see closer to the day.

So once a week for 5 weeks before the race, I ran 11.5 miles. It generally took me nearly two hours to do it, but I managed to get it in every week. My mileage went 17-26-30-24 and 32 for the week including the race.

All through the month I was working hard at the fitness/stamina, without pushing. this was like gently pushing at the surface of a delicate membrane, all the while realising that i could very easily rupture it - in other words set myself back massively. Like I always advise those I coach "Make haste slowly!"

August 2008

2009-04-24T05:18:00.000-07:00

Right....It's now almost May 2009. I need to get the Blog to live up to it's title. To date, there's been very little mention of running. I'll just have to knuckle down and get something together.

While the Blog is (intentionally) relatively hard to find, - you'll really need to be looking for something specific to find it - I've had quite a few personal comments and stories from 'fellow travellers' and others contemplating surgery, so, I think, it is serving its purpose. That is, to give men (and their spouses) an idea of what they might face when undergoing a Radical Prostatectomy. Eleven months (actually it was 11 months ago on Wed - today is Friday) after the op, and I'm starting to feel strong again. Ok, I'm still on ED medication (but seems to be gradually improving) and I sometimes leak a little while running, but I'm totally continent (Touch wood!!) at all other times, but how bad. This is far better than my wildest dreams before the surgery.

Anyway back to August.

The diary part of the Blog stopped on Tuesday August 12th, the day after my first periodic post-op check-up. I'd gone for a run on grass that day and hadn't been too tight in the waterworks dept.

On Wed. Aug 13th, D & I flew to Faro, Portugal for 11 days break - she had to be back at work for Mon 25th. We had an apartment booked in the Aqualuz complex in Lagos, some 50 miles west of Faro. After an early flight 06:30 - thankfully we live only 10 mins drive from Cork airport! - we drove to Faro. I was wrecked and spent most of the afternoon lying on the bed, recovering.

One of the things that we like about this smallish complex is that it has a lovely swimming pool and, while I rarely swim now, I enjoy swimming there. It's nice to cool off once in a while. I was a lifeguard during my student summer holidays over 35 years ago - my God! How Long! I don't want to think about it!

I had decided before we left, that I was only going to run every second day, that I wouldn't do my normal 5 or 6 mile runs there, and that I'd only do a short run of 2 miles or so, at an easy pace. I did intend swimming, stretching and doing press-ups every day.

So on Thurs, the day after we arrived, I did 6 untimed lengths of the 20m pool. It was hard work. I was well aware that I didn't have the strength or speed that I had before. D said "Now you're swimming like the rest of us!" I find swimming is a good indicator of how you really are. Running or cycling, I can rationalise a bad day as being due to wind/heat/rain/time of day/whatever. Swimming (in a pool) is a different matter - if performance is well below par, it's usually because I'm below par. I wasn't expecting great things in the pool anyway, but I was surprised, considering the non-loadbearing excerise, at the loss of strength I'd had. Still this was my marker. It was the base from which I intended gauging my progress.

I had deliberately chosen a relatively flat course of approx. 2 miles as my route and set off slowly - no push/effort - about 12 min miling. After Tuesdays debacle, I wore a pad and found this a great (mental) comfort. The run itself wasn't too bad, but I fould it hard to relax fully - I feared the pad failing to absorb everything and the embarrassment of going through the complex foyer on the way back. I needn't have worried. I did leak but the amount was quite small, I'm guessing several of tablespoons. OK this would certinly have caused me some grief if I hadn't had a pad, but apart from the obvious reason for using it, the second reason was to enable me to relax in my running, knowing that I had "a parachute".

So for the remainder of break, I ran every second day,varying the route slightly and increasing the distance to approx. 2.5 miles. The effort was the same and I made no attempt to increase my speed, or introduce hills. Where I did make a big effort was in the pool. While, again, I made no effort to increase my speed, I did increase the load, going from my initial 6 lengths to a final total of 46 on the last day of the holiday. Most of it was breaststroke as I found the occassional frontcrawl quite hard. Breaststroke was my stroke when I swam competitively and has remained my favoured stroke.

We returned home on Monday 25th and that night I ran with the girls from the Meet&Train group for the first time in three months. I always go with the back-markers, so I was able to 'hide'. The 3 miles was tiring but OK.

On Thursday Aug 28th, I lined up for the Ballycotton 5. I'd only missed this event once since 1987 but had no hope of getting within "an asses roar" of my course P.B. of 28:09, set in 1990. I set out at the back of the record entry of 378, intending to start at around 9min miling for the first two or three miles. I think, after a couple of hundred metres, that there were about a half dozen people behind me and I continued steadily until about the two and a half mile stage - it's more or less level or down until about that point. Feeling good, I upped the effort a bit, knowing all the while taht there is a 'bitch of a hill' just at the 3 mile mark, with a sting in the tail, just 250m after that. I took the hill strongly, but conservatively and pushed on, strongly but certainly not hard, until 1 mile to go. I always find the last mile here hard but I pressed strongly, finishing in 348th place in 46:04, doing the last mile in 8:30. On the way into the finish, through the small lower village, I had great cheers and encouragement from my fellow athletes. Quite a few knew or had an idea of what I'd been through. Their encouragement was wonderfully uplifting. I felt I had come back.

Friday 24th October

2008-10-24T00:13:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's over three months since I updated the blog. If you're wondering how I'm doing, suffice to say that blog activity seems inversely related to recovery and well being ..............so....in short, I'm doing good!!

I have been keeping the diary going, but nowhere as diligently as during the early days of recovery. I intend to fill in the missing three months, but not for a week or two at least.

Current Status
Since late June/early July, 4 to 6 weeks post RP, I have had full bladder control during normal day to day activities. I resumed running in early August, and have been running with a pad (Tena 1) most of the time since. I have tried without a pad a few times and, for the most part, it's been OK. I've been dry running several times and event went two weeks where I was dry for all runs, however I then resumed speedwork on the track and, as the load increases, so has tendency to leak, but it's manageable. I've also resumed racing and recently competed in a 15 mile road race, just 122 days post Op., and also a cross-country championship. Both went OK. I was quite apprehensive about the 15 miler but it went well. I finished in 2:04:07 (I did the course in 1:28:28 in 1990 and 1:48:34 in 2007). I'd targeted 2:15:00 but secretly hoped to dip sub 2 hours, but I was happy with the finish.

This is me just coming into the finish line in Cobh. I was absolutely delighted to get there, particularly without any bladder issues - I was dry, apart from some minor leakage - I probably could have run without a pad. It was damn tiring - I really hadn't the base training done for a 15 mile race, but I'd never missed the race since the current series resumed in 1990 and that was an incentive to do it.

You can see more photos from the race on the Eagle AC website. BTW, That's me in the lead photo for the Gallery. I figured that I'd had the Star Performance of the day, and so deserved Pole Position!

Weather here has dropped a few degrees recently and I find that I'm leaking more also. I'm putting the leakage down to several things; Speedwork volume and intensity is increasing, I'm drinking more fluids, daily workload has increased and, in particular, the temperature drop.

Drinking and Incontinence
Some observations:
* I haven't drunk alcohol (much) for many years, so that hasn't been an issue.
* I stopped drinking coffee whilst in hospital in May, and I've never liked tea, so water is the drink of preference now (Yeah, I know! Sad individual!) When I can get it, I drink hot chocolate.
* Citric drinks - Orange/lemon etc - stopped taking them. Pretty sure that they were leading to strong tendency to leak.
* Soft drinks/carbonated drinks - same as for Citric drinks.

As I generally run in the evening, I tend to do most of my drinking/fluid intake early in the day, so that my bladder isn't under pressure when I run. If I'm running in the morning, I prefer to drink little before running.

What Now for the Blog?
I'll try to fill in the missing three months soon, but the active Prostate Cancer blog is clearly coming to an end. I don't know what I'm going to do with it in the future. Probably do a periodic (monthly?) summary. We'll see.

Tues 12th Aug

2008-09-10T01:16:00.000-07:00

Tues 12th Aug
After yesterdays clean bill of health and the OK to return to exercising, I went to the farm and ran 2 laps (about 4.5M). Pace was quite slow, it took me approx, 51 minutes for the two laps. Before the op., I would have done it in around 37/38 min, or 34/35 min if doing a fast session.

My bladder wasn't full starting but I began to dribble very early. I passed a couple of walkers after about 0.5M and, as I passed, I felt could feel a dribble running down my leg. I eased off after that but stopped every 2 to 3 minutes to empty an already bladder - there was never much in it. When I was concious of it, I leaked. I think I didn't when I (rarely) switched off. I had a second bad leak episode when a woman was approaching. I think, in both cases, that I was afraid that they'd see my state.

I haven't been wearing pads at all since July 4th, however, for the foreseeable future, I think I'll have to wear one while running.

Monday 11th Aug - First Check-up Post RP

2008-09-10T00:54:00.000-07:00

Monday 11th Aug
We were up at 06:00 to get the 07:30 train to Dublin. My appointment was for 13:20.

When I went in he asked immediately "How many pads a day?" I replied "I've been off them by day since July 4th and, by night, since June 24th. He said "My God, you're doing very well!" He then said "You're not getting erections yet, but don't worry, they'll come." I told him I'd done up a (one page) sheet outlining my progress. (While I've detailed some of my (intimate) bodily functions on the blog, I'm not going to go into any detail regarding sexual function/activity, however I will outline some of it)

I have been experiencing (unfirm) erections and had been concerned that I wasn't making enough progress - I'd intended asking him about it.

He read the sheet and said "You shouldn't be getting any erections yet. You DO know what I've done! I've taken one complete nerve bundle!" I asked how long I'd have to remain on Cialis and he responded "Until you get spontaneous erections." I asked when that might be. He said "Soon." .....and I'd been worried that I wasn't making enough progress!!

I asked what I could do in the area of exercise. He said "Anything you want!" I asked "When can I consider myself recovered from the surgery?" He replied emphatically "Now." He reckoned that the two UTI's weren't what they seemed to be, but didn't say what they might have been, and I didn't think to ask what he thought they were. I gave a urine sample and also a blood sample for PSA.

Overall impression: Boy am I doing well!! D is very relieved.

Wed 30th July - Sun 10th Aug

2008-09-10T00:17:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated the blog for over a month, for several reasons; we were away on holiday in Portugal for nearly two weeks (Badly needed and the weather here was brutal while we wre away, so it was just as well that we went!), I've been building and filling out a race results database for the club ( www.eagleac.net ), procrastinating and various other committments.

Wed July 30th
Regular 5 mile walk.

Thurs 31st July
Rain all day, so didn't get out for my walk.

During the night I started to pee, but woke up before I got too wet.

Fri 1st Aug
D & I went to Kinsale to watch the Kinsale Regatta 5 Mile road race and to walk around the picturesque town.

Blurry photo of Kinsale harbour.

I took quite a few photos of the race, many of which turned out blurry. Photos can be seen here: I probably should have realised that I was not quite myself at this stage, making photo errors. After the race was over, I felt a strong urge for the loo, but passed little.

Sat 2nd Aug
Slept badly and woke with a headache and muscle aches. I saw Dr. P. in the morning. He dipped a urine sample and found antibodies. He diagnosed anothere UTI (urinary tract infection) and prescribed Velosef 500mg.

Sun 3rd - Wed 6th Aug
Regular 5M walk each day. Took more photos at the Novartis 5k in Ringaskiddy.

Thurs 7th Aug
Rained all day, so no walk.

Fri 8th Aug
Walked 5M in the morning. Went to the streets of Cobh 5k and took more photos. After the race, I tended to leak a little.

Sat 9th Aug
Regular 5M walk.

Sun 10th Aug
Only managed 3.5M today, having cut short due to rain.

Fri 25th - Tues 29th July

2008-08-09T02:51:00.000-07:00

Fri 25th July
Walked 5 miles today. Legs are a bit sore today, especially my shins, after last night's race.

I got the UTI test results back today - no sign of infection.

Sat 26th July
D & I walked by the Castle today, going around the full 5 mile loop in approx. 81 min ~16:20 pace. It was good, but not as strong a walk as previous days. Probably no harm. I did have one or two very slight leaks during the walk, mainly due to "carelessness"

Sun 27th July
Went for 5 mile walk in the morning. Afterwards jogged in the back garden for approx. 7 minutes. No problems, but it was a slow(ish) jog (- garden isn't huge).

Mon 28th July
Walked 5.5 miles

Tues 29th July
Walked 5 miles. Had a one of my "Mega Sneeze" episodes today but stayed dry throughout, without the slightest tendency to leak throughout. I get these sneezing bouts periodically. I always dread getting them while driving!! This was the first set I've got since the op. It was good to find that I held tight during it - great for confidence!

Fri 18th - Thurs 24th July

2008-08-09T02:23:00.000-07:00

Fri 18th/Sat 19th July
Feeling quite down as a result of yesterdays phone call, nevertheless walking away anyway.

Sun 20th July
Our first grandchild was christened today. We all had a great day but it was hectic all day, so I didn't get out for my walk.

Mon 21st July
Walked again today, but felt very, very down.

Tues 22nd July
Managed to put things in perspective and am feeling much better today. Went for my walk in the morning. In the evening I went to the track for a chat/walkaround with the Eagle AC club members.

Wed 23rd July - First Run Since Operation!
I went to "The Farm" this evening. Walked a "lap" in 38 min. On the second lap I repeatedly jogged for a minute and walked for two minutes. I did this 6 times. Before I finished the initial walking session, I went for a "leak" in the bushes and tended to leak after this, ending up quite wet during the jog. I'll need to do a lot of stomach exercises before I run again.

I drank two large glasses of "7 Up" - it's like "Sprite" at tea, shortly before going to the Farm - that wasn't very clever at all!!

Thurs 24th July - First "Race" Since Operation.
I went to Churchtown South this evening. If you follow the link, you'll find me a distant last on the result sheet, a full 47:25 behind my best time for the course. It was probably mad going, but I haven't missed this race since first running it in 1986.
I walked the entire course, taking photos en-route (it is a two two lap course). I felt good and had no bladder problems at all, in spite of the strong pace, mostly sub 15 minute miling. I took a lot of photos during the last mile (for everyone else - I was still in my second/third mile).

This was my view after approx half a mile - the "pack" disappearing the distance, approx. half a mile away. The camera is on maximum zoom!

Fri 11th - Thurs 17th July

2008-08-09T01:46:00.000-07:00

Fri 11th July
Walked 5 miles. No problems,

Sat 11th July
Walked 5 miles in the morning. In thge afternoon we went to the Cork City Sports.
Normally I like to roam around the spectator areas around the arena, socialising and networking, however this year we stayed in the stand, enjoying the competition. I took some photos

Sunday 13th July
Went for my regular walk, but it started raining heavily, so I turned for home. By the time I got close to home, it had stopped, so I continued on and ended up with 4.5 miles.

Monday 14th July
Woke at 05:00 to go to the loo, but couldn't get back to sleep again. Got up at 07:30 and went for my 5 mile walk. I'm now walking at sub 16 min/mile.
For the first time, I've felt really, really good - feeling like "normal". I felt like I could have gone for a run.

Tuesday 15th July
Woke at 08:30. Didn't go to the loo until 09:30, after breakfast, so, last night, I went 10 hours without trouble. Following my urinary tract infection over two weeks ago, I'm submitting a mid-stream sample for analysis. This will be sent for tests.

I asked the doc about resuming running, stretching etc and got an emphatic "No! Not until after at least 12 weeks!" He doesn't even want me walking "Gentle walking is OK". I'm not happy with this, but my O.H. is still very concerned about me, so I'll keep everyone else happy. A few more weeks rest won't do any harm. I am certain, however, that, given my progress, the lack of specific exercise is now holding back my recovery.

Wednesday 16th July
Walked 5 miles at 16:15/mile.
For a while fter tea, tended to leak a lot.

Thursday 17th July
Went to town for a "bazzer" - Cork parlance for a haircut. We went by bus and had lunch in town. We went for a walk together after a light tea. i tended to leak slightly during the walk - more than I had been. I find that I do have a slight tendency to leak in the early evening.
I got some "unhelpful" news today - not a medical issue. This depressed me somewhat and I wasn't in great spirits over the next few days.

Fri July 4th - Thurs July 10th

2008-07-29T04:47:00.000-07:00

It's been nearly four weeks since I update the Blog. I'm still around and doing things, but the Blog hasn't been high on my priorities - Must try harder!

Friday 4th July
Went to G.P. for RTW (Return to Work) certificate. He strongly recommended against ANY running for the next 4 to 5 weeks. He's also against any stretching. I'll try to keep to that - have to keep the Higher Authority happy! I was taken aback with his demeanour - I don't think, even after attending him for nearly 30 years, that he appreciates the level of fitness still, even after the surgery, retain. When he heard I was walking 5 miles, he wasn't very happy.

I suggested going without the pad during the day and he agreed. I feel that I've been somewhat dependant on the pad as a "safety net" and probably could have dropped wearing it about a week ago. I'm to bring a mid-stream urine sample along on Tuesday week, two weeks after finishing the course of antibiotics, and he'll send it for testing. I asked about doing a PSA test prior to my visit to the surgeon on august 11th and he said to wait and let the surgeon decide.

I stopped wearing the pad immediately after I got home and stayed in for the rest of the day, as a precaution.

Saturday July 5th
Walked 5 miles. No pad, no problems.

Sunday July 6th
Walked 4 miles of my intended 5 miles but it started to rain and D came to collect me in the car.

Monday July 7th
Went for 5 mile walk and dropped into my Physiotherapist en route. We spoke about my requirements and shee is to work out a program and contact me. She is of the same opinion as the G.P. about resuming running. She dooes feel, though, that I'm over the surgery long enough to start some physio work.

Tuesday July 8th
Walked 3 miles of 5. Had to cut short due to drizzle/rain. D & I went into Cork for a little bit of shopping. This was my first time out in (sparse) crowds. No problems.

Wednesday July 9th
Walked 5 miles in the morning. In the evening, I went to the EMC 5k race to take some photos and meet some of my running friends again.

The lead group coming up the hill for the first time, after about 1k.

Sean McGrath comes in to win the EMC 5k

Lots of people welcomed me back. At the hall, after the race, I drank several small cartons of orange (between 21:00 and 21:30). This is probably the latest I've drank anything since the cathether was removed. I tend not to drink much, if anything, after 19:00, to ensure that I don't have to get up during the night. Anyway, I hadn't any problems. This was also the longest I've driven since the surgery. It was only about 20-25 miles round trip, but I didn't have any problems. I had been warned that brakeing might cause leakage, but I didn't have any.

Thursday July 10th
Walked 5 miles with D. I'm now walking at sub 17 minute/mile pace. I had a tendency to micro-leak today, but it wasn't a significant problem.

Sat June 28th - Thurs July 3rd

2008-07-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

Saturday 28th June
Woke 07:00, having worn pad since 03:00. It was OK with, maybe, a small amount of leakage. I was feeling much better than Friday. I tended to leak every so often - maybe the residual of the infection, general tension or maybe a loss of confidence. I was going to the loo about every two hours, with no sign blood in my urine. I slept from 23:00 until 07:00, wearing a pad as a precaution. There was little or no sign of leakage.

Sunday 29th June
We went for a walk at Blackrock Castle - 4.25 miles. I tended to leak a few times, mainly from tension - I'll have to relax more! The leaks were like squirts, maybe a teaspoonfull. I think I am "holding" my middle and either relax, lose concentration or get distracted. I think this is holding me back. I went to bed at 22:30.

Monday 30th June
I woke at 03:00 and again at 05:00 and 07:00 to go to the loo. i passed a fair bit each time. I also tended to leak during the night, mainly "squirts". Second thoughts on the "squirts" is that there may actually be an improvement after all. Where previously there may have been an "oozing", I am now getting a positive shut-off. We walked 5.25 miles today. It took about 80 min. I tried to count the squirts en-route - maybe 6 in total but not bad. I rested up for the rest of the day.

Tuesday 1st July
Bad weather all day, so we didn't get out for a walk. Slept for 6.5 hours - no problems and no pads, but woke at 05:15 to the sound of very heavy rain. i tended to squirt during the day Probably due to tiredness. Not bad though.

Wednesday 2nd July
Slept all night, no problems. It was raining for msot of teh day, so we didn't get out for a walk again today. I reckon I'm feeling much stronger.

Thursday 3rd July
I slept for 8.5 hours. I woke from a heavy sleep with the beginnings of a leak and a full bladder. It was only just starting and I had been fine until then.

Today I went for my first long walk unaccompanied and did 5 miles without any problem.

Fri 27th June - Urinary Infection!!

2008-07-08T01:52:00.000-07:00

I got up at 08:00 - breakfast, showered etc. The morning was damp, so we stayed in. I went to the loo at 13:45, for the first time in three hours, and passed urine. This was along time for me as I going fairly regularly every two hours or so. I got a good strong stream but, at the end, I passed blood.

I rang the GP, who diagnosed a urinary infection and prescribed Ciproxin. I took the first tablet at 14:30. I went to the loo again at 17:00, with a much higher volume, with quite an amount of blood, but not alarming so. There wouldn't want to have been much more blood though. I went again at 18:00 and, this time, there was a very minor amount of blood and a small volume of urine. Went again at 19:00, small amount again but no noticable blood. 20:00 passed water again with no sign of blood, except for one small clot. I have a vague recollection of seeing a clot earlier, but not recognising it for what it was at the time. I thought it might have been a bit of dirt. Was that this morning or last night though?

I slept without a pad but woke about 03:00 with my jocks quite damp but not soaked - the bedclothes were very slightly damp. I had been sleeping very heavily. I changed my jocks and put on a pad and then slept until 07:00

Sun 22nd - Thurs 26th June

2008-07-08T01:30:00.000-07:00

Sunday 22nd June
Sunny but blustery day. We didn't get out for a walk.

Monday 23rd June
Slept until 05:00. Woke again at 09:15. Pad was pretty dry. we walked 4.25 miles.

Tuesday 24th June
Slept badly and woke at 04:30. Couldn't get back to sleep until 06:30.

First pad-free night!
Last night I slept without a pad for the first time and had no problems. We didn't get out for a walk today as it was rather wet. I'm starting to notice general aches and pains - probably body telling me to do some (light) exercise. Went to bed at 22:30

Wednesday 25th June
Slept badly again. I woke at 04:15 and this time couldn't get back to sleep at all. I went without a pad for the second night in succession and, again, had no problems. We walked for 3.5 miles today and I felt quite tired. I had aches and pains during the night, so I took two Paracetamol tablets before breakfast. I went for a nap between 13:00 and 14:00.

Later on I read the leaflet in the Cialis packet, checking the listed side effects. All symptoms agree with mine, nevertheless I took another tablet, hoping that my symptoms are due to a 'bug' of some sort. Because of the aches etc, I wore a pad in bed again tonight. I felt inclined to micro-leak. I think it may be the Cialis affecting the working of the muscles. Slept from 22:30 until 05:55, but couldn't get back to sleep again afterwards.

Thursday 26th June
The morning started out fine but it began to rain about 10:30 and stayed wet until 19:00, so no walk today. I still have aches and pains and a greater sense of urgency, along with maybe 3 or 4 micro-leaks. I slept from 23:00 until 06:00 - no pad again and no problems.

Fri & Sat - 20 & 21st June

2008-07-08T01:11:00.001-07:00

Friday 20th June
Got up 08:45. I changed the pad after showering. I had very little leakage overnight, most occurred when I farted - not best idea! - at 06:00. We went for a 4 mile walk at 11:00.

Today, for the first time, 4 weeks (and 1 day) after the operation, I am starting to feel normal. I'm getting there!!

Went to bed 22:45. The pad was virtually dry.

Sat 21st June
Slept through to 04:45, so I went six hours before having to go to the loo. afterwards I slept until 08:45. The pad was still dry - no indication of any leakage. I did have a small amount f leakage after breakfast, before changing.

We didn't get out at all today as the rain was torrential from 03:00 until after we went to bed.

I got a mild cramp in my right leg, behind and below my knee - about the very top or above my calf muscle.

Went to bed at 22:30 and woke about 01:30 with a tightness in my chest. I thought I was having a heart attack/clot/whatever, but then realised that I was VERY, VERY tense. My pulse was normal - 56 (it's gone up since the operation - I had been 48 before the op. When I was at my peak of running, in my thirties, it used to be 34-37), so I figured that it was muscular, made myself relax and fell asleep again. I woke for the loo at 05:50, so I went seven hours last night. The period seems to be getting longer every night. I woke again at 09:00.

Wed & Thurs 18/19th June - 6/7 days Post Cathether

2008-07-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

Wednesday June 18th
Slept from 23:00 to 04:00, and then till 07:00. Got up at 09:00. The night pad was still quite dry - most of the leakage occurred after 04:00. The day pad was virtually dry - there was some leakage after going to the toilet.

It rained all day, so we didn't get our walk in. The rain was very, very heavy.

Thursday June 19th - One week after Cathether Removal
Slept from 10:30 until 04:00 - five and a half hours - and then till 09:00, another five hours. the pad was virtually dry - no noticable leaks.

We went for a walk at 12:00 and did 3.5 miles in 68 mins. Later went to the pharmacy for the Cialis prescription. Later I called around to see G and his wife, from 15:45 until 17:05. G had a radical prostatectomy four years ago and I had talked to him prior to deciding on the course of action I was going to take with my cancer. g was surprised at the progress I am making with continence. One very important thing G said was "Remember what your underpants looked like before the operation!" In other words if you're looking for your jocks to be 'virginal white' after the operation, then forget it. It didn't happen before, so don't use it as a success/failure yardstick afterwards.

Went to bed at 22:30. One pad used for the day - little or no dribbling. Went to loo at 02:00 and again at 06:00 before getting up at 08:45.

Mon & Tues June 16/17th - 4/5 Days Post Cathether

2008-07-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

Monday 16th June
Got up at 08:30. The pad was damp but not bad. We walked for about 60 mins today - 2.75 miles. I'm walking at about 70% effort and I feel stronger each day.

I wore only one pad for the day, with a total of a tablespoon or two leakage. The main times of leakage are:
a) When I try to hold on too long before going to the loo;
b) Getting up from a sitting position;
c) Starting to go up the stairs.
I also need to concentrate when getting out of bed. Leakage at each point is minimal - about a teaspoonfull.

Tuesday 17th June
Slept 23:00 to 03:00 and then again till 05:30. I got up at 09:30. We went for a walk at the Castle at 10:30. I had to pee in the bushes shortly after we started - I hadn't gone before we left home. Amount was small - stress! We ended up cutting the walk short on account of rain, but got in about 2 miles anyway. Went to bed around 23:00. Used only one pad for the day.

Sun 15th June - 3 Days Post Cathether

2008-07-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

Woke to go to the loo at 01:50, 04:20, 06:30 and finally at 08:30. After breakfast, I walked round to the local shop, with A, for the paper. Scanning the TV channels later, I surprised myself when I found Mass being broadcast on RTE 1 and stayed watching. I found it good and soothing.

Didn't manage to get a walk in today. I've now used up all the pads provided by the ward in hospital and have started using the Tena pads for the first time. They are easier to wear. I reckon that, over the day, I'm leaking about a couple of tablespoonfulls. Went to bed about 23:15 and slept until 01:30, and then until 04:30. Finally woke at 06:00.

Sat 14th June - 2 Days Post Cathether

2008-07-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

Woke about 06:00, but didn't get up until about 10:00, having been to the loo again about 08:00. Changed pad - I've been wearing the surgical pads provided by the hospital. The pad had become quite damp overnight but not saturated.

Went for a walk on the path at Blackrock Castle. Went about a mile out and back. I felt great - no more restrictive cathether/bags etc. Went to bed about 23:15.

Friday 13th June - 1st Day Post Cathether

2008-07-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

Woke at 05:50, feeling my bladder full. Tried to hold up a bit longer, but had to get up at 05:55. I had turned the pad around at 01:50 and the dry side was now quite wet but not saturated. [I have no idea what these pads were for, but they were not incontinence pads and were rectangular, with two halves. Once one section was wet, I turned it round, top for bottom - being frugal with the pads.]

I think a lot of the leakage may have occurred between 05:50 and 05:55, so it's probably not a good idea to wait until I feel that my bladder is full. Both at 01:50 and 05:55, I gave great concentration to getting out of bed without flooding the place. I think I may have succeeded but I'm not 100% sure. The urine stream stop/start regime is OK, however the shut-off isn't very positive, but it happens - seems to peter out. I ate and drank at 06:30 - I keep a 'hoard' of biscuits and cake from the previous day, as I'm always famished when I wake and breakfast takes a while.

I went to say good-bye and thanks to the staff in the Hawthorne ward. It was well worthwhile doing so - I got a whole lot of proper incontinence pads from one of the ward sisters.

We then returned home to Cork, leaving around 10:30. 'A' drove and we stopped in Durrow, Co. Laois, for lunch. I passed up on liquids, apart from a glass of water. We also had to stop on the roadside, between Cahir and Mitchelstown, where I felt a need to have a leak - so I went up a boreen (small side-road) to be out of sight from passing traffic. We stopped again in Mitchelstown for a snack and arrived home about 15:00.

I changed the pad and rested for a while. I went to bed around 21:00 and slept until 06:00 or so. I had to get up to go to the loo every two hours or so during the night. I changed the pad again in the morning.

It is strange being without the cathether. The safety net is gone and I have to re-learn how to control my urinary function.

Thurs 12th June - 3 weeks Post-RP - Cathether Removal

2008-07-04T06:49:00.000-07:00

I'm re-entering hospital today, for cathether removal and to get the pathology report.

Slept fitfully from 22:30. Woke several times and finally, at 04:45. I got up at 06:00 for the 07:30 train to Dublin. Arrived at St. Vincent's Private Hospital at 11:00.

I'm due to get an antibiotic after I see the house-doctor. The cathether will be removed after that and I'll see the surgeon later in the afternoon. once teh cathether is removed, I'll be expected to walk and my urine flow will be monitored. Took a Ciproxin tablet orally at 12:00. lunch 12:45.

Cathether removed 13:10. It was uncomfortable but OK. went for a walk upstairs to the Hawthorne ward at 13:15. Dribbled a good deal en-route - had to change out of my pyjama bottoms. That was a silly thing to do - too ambitious! Remember Rome! Should have rested in bed for a while to let things settle down, before making any 'trips', tackling stairs etc. I'm now going to sit out for a while, until I get more confidence.

I had a glass of water at 13:40 and another at 14:00. I went for a leak at 14:00 and only passed 20cc max., but stopped positively. There was a small bit of debris in it. went for a walk in the corridoor with D immediately afterwards and was dry for all of it, except when I started thinking about it towards the end - then I dribbled a small bit. The nurse said to drink plenty, to test my bladder function. She said that my bladder should about 3 litres.

Had another glass of water at 14:55. 15:15 - Felt like going for a pee - felt in penis, rather than bladder pressure. I dribbled before I realised it, then made a bolt for bathroom, but missed out and dribbled badly. Went about 200mL before stopping, but then getting a small bit more again. Took another glass of water at 15:20 and got up for a walk at 15:35 and began to dribble but couldn't stop. Made it to the bathroom with wet, but not soaking, jocks. Passed a total of 350/375 mL for the last two streams. The nurse says that this is fine and that I can start to drink normally now and not to worry about dribbling - muscles need to retrain.

16:00 Started to dribble again and made a bolt for it. No measuring jug, so had to wait. Managed to hold until the jug arrived and passed about 50 mL, very clear. Went again at 16:10. I think I made it this time but wasn't sure. Passed 50 mL again, but had more control over it this time. Went again at 16:25. very little passed this time but had to push to start, stopped and then started again. Passed about 25 mL ad there were two spots of debris in it. Went again at 16:55 - minor amount. 17:30 - 25 to 50 mL. Had tea at 17:45 - coq-au-vin. Feeling OK. 18:25 - passed about 50 mL. Went again for the tiniest amout at 17:55.

When i came out, the surgeon was with D. he asked about the continence and I told time the story. He said that I should have been using pads. he wants me to start practicising stopping/starting my urine stream when I get back to normal urine flow. he says that pelvic floor exercises are useless for men - they are for people with a birth canal, i.e. women.

Pathology
Gleason score upgraded to 4+4=8, 5% of gland involved, no seminal vessicle or lymph gland involvement and negative margins. He says that it is gone and that I am "a lucky, lucky man". I can go on holiday (to Portugal) 10 weeks after the operation. he gave me a prescription for Cialis, to be taken Mon, Wed and fri. the prescription repeats for 6 months. It is expensive but better. I went to sleep at 22:30, having washed and put on a large pad. i woke at 01:50 and went to loo, stop starting. I had started to leak when I woke and bottom of pad was wet but not saturated.

Mon 9th - Wed 11th June - 18/20 Days Post-RP

2008-07-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

Mon 9th June
Went for a walk on the path ~2.5 Miles. No problems

Tues 10th June
No walk on path today either, but did some in the garden. Didn't go in the afternoon as it was too hot (26C) and humid.

Wed 12th June
Made it to the path today and walked for 2.6 Miles. i seem to be getting stronger without trying.

Sun 8th June - 17 Days Post-RP

2008-07-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

Slept for 7 hours. Sleep is much better since taking Cataflam. Ache in my hip is less. Passed approx. 1 litre overnight and tube is now more or less clear. Passed regular morning motion, along with a good deal of fluid. I feel more and more that spinchter muscle is getting back to normal.

We tried to drive to Blackrock, but the whole place was choked with traffic from the Cork-Tipp hurling match - Cork lost at home to tipp for the first time in 85 years!! - so we had to turn back. It was probably just as well, as it started to rain shortly afterwards.

Sat 7th June - 16 Days Post-RP

2008-07-04T05:07:00.000-07:00

Woke at 07:30. Probably the best sleep I've had since the operation. I feel very rested. The sore spot on my left buttock feels much better this morning.
Had my regular morning bowel movement . After passing stool, I got a strong flow of urine past the cathether. I can't be sure, but I think spinchter muscles are getting back to normal.

Blackrock Castle, Cork, Ireland

This minature of Blackrock Castle sits on top of a wall close to the castle.

A view of the 'path' from Blackrock Castle, looking down the harbour towards Cobh (cove).

Went for a 60 minute walk along the path during the afternoon ~2.6 Miles. Leaked a fair bit, particularly on the way back - the cathether was pulling a fair bit. I had to change my underwear and leggings when I got home. The cathether tubing is discoloured from deposits on the inside, on the 'body side' of the joint. I probably need to drink more.

Fri 6th June - 15 Days Post-RP

2008-06-22T04:39:00.000-07:00

Thursday 5th June - 14 Days Post-RP

2008-06-22T04:29:00.000-07:00

Wed 4th June - 13 Days Post-RP

2008-06-22T04:24:00.000-07:00

Tues 3rd June - 12 Days Post-RP

2008-06-22T04:14:00.000-07:00

Mon 2nd June - 11 days Post-RP

2008-06-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

Sun June 1st 2008 - 10 days Post-RP

2008-06-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

Sat 31st May 2008 - 9 Days Post-RP

2008-06-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

Fri May 31st 2008 - 8 Days Post-RP

2008-06-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

Thurs May 29th - 7 Days Post -RP

2008-06-16T08:56:00.000-07:00

Wed May 28th - 6 Days Post-RP

2008-06-14T03:11:00.000-07:00

This diary extract outlines my radical retropubic prostatectomy from a fly-on-the-wall perspective. It will not be to everyones taste. The idea is that other men faced with Prostate Cancer may find it helpful in considering their own options. If you find the contents distasteful or undesirable, I'm sorry for your troubles!
***********************************************************************************
Woke at 05:00. Went for a sit-down from 05:10 - 05:30 - "at the gates" but no joy. Followed this by two 3 lap walks in quick succession, then sat again for 20 minutes. Finally went. It was VERY uncomfortable. Once passed got very uncomfortable spasm internally in the groin area - like a backlash. I managed to block the toilet, but it felt great. I told a nurse that I'd blocked the toilet and we had a bit of a giggle about it. She managed to unblock it after several flushes.

All these wind, water and bowel motions seem like a throwback to childhood days - "Look Mammy, see what I did in the potty! I'm a good boy"

While I was waiting for it to happen, I had a chair in front of me - back facing me - and I leant on this. That helped enormously.

I showered almost immediately and went for several more walks. I decided to wear "normal" clothes today. I'll also be getting a smaller leg bag to wear during the day.

11:00 I changed into a T-shirt ("Brag" shirt - Ballycotton 5 series top 50 shirt), and basketball tearaways. The tearaways have snaps all the way down the outside of each leg, so I have the cathether tube coming out through one of the sections between snaps. The cathether bag was changed for a leg bag at 11:45. It was great - it felt so much easier.

My foreskin area has been quite swollen for several days. The surgeon has seen it, but the medics want him to see it again, but say it shouldn't make any difference to my discharge from hospital tomorrow. My dressings were taken off permanently at 12:00.

14:45
Went for a walk outside in the car-park with D. Going out the front door of the hospital was quite emotional. The previous week I'd been extremely worried - wondering would I come out! The fresh air was lovely - even with all the fumes from cars idling and moving around.

20:20
Surgeon came in - he'd been in surgery all day. He said that the the swelling in the region of the foreskin is due to the breakdown of tissue and would pass as easily as it had arisen. He also said that the discharge from the tip of the penis is residue/debris from the lymph glands and seminal vessicles and this is normal. There may be more discharge. He said that I should have my doctor (in Cork) remove the staples after 9 days, but that this will be Tuesday next, as Monday is a Public Holiday.

I did a little more walking this evening, but not much. Going to bed for the night, we put the two bags, leg bag and night bag, in series. This wasn't a good idea as it caused pooling in the middle bag while sleeping and the nurses had to lift them during the night, so that it ran into the night bag. It certainly caused more hassle than its worth in the shower on Thursday morning.

Tues May 27th 2008 - 5 Days Port-RP

2008-06-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

This diary extract outlines my radical retropubic prostatectomy from a fly-on-the-wall perspective. It will not be to everyones taste. The idea is that other men faced with Prostate Cancer may find it helpful in considering their own options. If you find the contents distasteful or undesirable, I'm sorry for your troubles!
***********************************************************************************
Woke several times during the night, but managed to get back again each time. A couple of us were talking about waking during the night and it seems we're all experiencing the same 'symptoms' - once we wake, our minds start racing, thinking about trivia. i think I've got round it by telling my mind "just go away" and shutting down. Seems to work - like throwing a switch or shutting a door.

Finally woke at 05:15, when I got up and went for a 2 lap walk, after which I rested. I took a shower at 06:00.

NB: When showering on your own, particularly when using a combi-shower/bath, like they have here and I have at home, make sure that you use three point contact at all times getting into and out of the bath/shower. Three point contact is where three parts of the body are anchored, i.e. if only one leg is on the ground, make sure that BOTH hands have a firm grip of something, ideally a support bar/rail. I have a towel rail at the opposite end of the bath to the shower head and I use this.

Several weeks before the operation, I bought a support rail that I was going to install vertically just outside the bath. However, in the hospital, these rails are on the opposite wall to the side you get in from, which is a better idea - there is no turning moment, so the risk of unbalance and swinging is less.

Washing: Groin area tending to get quite "whiffy". The tubes interfere with access. I found that the best access is by lifting one leg onto the edge of the bath - careful you don't slip/unbalance - and then bring your washcloth in from behind. Same for drying.

Walked for another 2 lapper at 07:00 and got into bed for a rest afterwards.

I had, actually walloped, a big breakfast; bacon, egg, sausage, brown bread, marmalade. Now drinking a lot more (water). Laid in bed till 11:00, when I went for another 2 lapper. I'm getting a daily anti-clotting injection in the thigh. I have a choice of the thigh or the abdomen. I reckon I've had enough things done to my abdomen!

I had compression socks on till yesterday, when they were rinsed, but they haven't been replaced since. Must ask surgeon if I still need them.

Went for two more 2 lappers before 12:00, with a rest in between.

Filt like having a crap at 12:00 and stayed on the 'throne' until 12:30. It was at the gates but wouldn't come out. Ended up hot and bothered and had to pull the alarm cord. I was assisted back into bed and was borderline fainting as I got in. Felt OK afterwards but didn't really feel like eating lunch.

Dozed till 14:00 when d came in and I went for a walk with her at 15:00. I got 2 laxatives, anally, to take at 17:00 and while I was getting them, the caterers missed me for tea. However one of the nurses managed to round up some grub for me, and i walloped it.

17:15
Got a mobile call from NR, asking how I was and telling me all about the Ballyandreen 5. Apparently they got record numbers there. JW made some sort of speech about me before the race. Mentioned that it would have been my 22nd annual running in the race. It was nice of them to think of me!

Surgeon came by later and and said i was excellent, and asked would I "like to go home Thursday or Friday?" I said (later) that Thursday would be best as traffic would be bad on Friday on account of the Holiday week-end. I need to put the socks back on. He looked at the dressings and cathether and said that "the wounds can be exposed from tomorrow". He put me on a different laxative, Milpar - I had been on Duflax. He also looked at my testicles. He said that the soreness was a normal feeling, like after a vasectomy.

I walked again later, trying to get (bowel) movement. Sat down several times - no joy. I was given Milpar later and I've been quite windy. I slept from 23:00 till 05:00, but fitfully - windy and worried about crapping myself.

Mon May 26th - 4 Days Post-RP

2008-06-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

Sunday May 25th 2008 - 3 Days Post-RP

2008-06-10T03:28:00.000-07:00

This diary extract outlines my radical retropubic prostatectomy from a fly-on-the-wall perspective. It will not be to everyones taste. The idea is that other men faced with Prostate Cancer may find it helpful in considering their own options. If you find the contents distasteful or undesirable, I'm sorry for your troubles!
***********************************************************************************
Slept fairly well. Woke up around 01:00, when one of the other patients had a loud, bad turn. I woke again around 04:00 and finally at 05:15, however I felt very rested. I went for a walk at 06:15. I just did "1 lap", felt like going for 2, but strength left me when I was just about back at the room. Building Rome!

Nurses here are all very nice and caring. One in particular is appropriately named - Cara (prounounced Karah). Cara (pronounced cor-a) is Irish (Gaelic) for friend!

07:05
Just back from my second walk. Feeling OK. I wore my glasses this time. I find I can hear better with my glasses on! Probably something to do with using the other senses at the same time as listening.

07:15
Been feeling hungry for a while now. I feel an order of magnitude better today but must beware of overconfidence.

Washed & shaved at 07:30 and got in my third walk afterwards - still feeling good. Ate around 08:50; special K, brown bread and marmalade. Washed my hair at 09:10, by bending slightly over the side of the bath and holding the hand-held shower head. went for fourth walk of the day afterwards. Feeling good.

To date, I've stayed in the hospital gown. I find it more comfortable and cooler. I must wear these anti-clotting long leg socks. I feel quite warm as a result, so pyjamas, even if I could wear them, would probably be quite stifling. It's also easier to get round with the gown and access to the cathether and drain is easier. When walking around I carry the cathether bag in the wire stand but I put the drain bag in my dressing gown pocket.

I saw the w/e surgeon at 11:00. He asked a few questions about my back. He reckons I'm looking a lot better, even since yesterday.

I went for my fifth walk at 11:45. finding it hard to stay in bed.

13:00
Lunch: Chicken, boiled spuds, jelly souffle & water. I don't like tea, but coffee was causing me to belch a lot, so I've stopped taking it - drinking more water instead. Went for another walk at 13:30. Catering staff offered me a biscuit, which I gratefully accepted - I may eat it later.

15:00
D, A, B & m-i-law all came by & all looking good. Got back into bed around 16:00, after a further walk (7th of day).

17:30
Tea: chicken salad, brown bread & marmalade. Spoke to B & Aa around 17:30. Train strike in Cork is supposedly "over" - I hope to return home to Cork by Train before the week-end.

19:55
Passed stool (first since operation) - no problem - slid out as gently as a metro train coing into a station! I got some bleeding from the tip of the penis afterwards. Nurse used "Instilligel" and gauze to numb it. Dripped some blood onto one of my socks and the floor.

Both canulars removed this evening and plasters put on the spots.

Stayed in bed afterwards. Took two sleeping tablets at 20:50 and slept till 03:00. Couldn't get back to sleep again, so dozed & listened to MP3 player until 05:45

Sat 24th May 2008 - 2 Days Post-Op

2008-06-09T01:33:00.000-07:00

This diary extract outlines my radical retropubic prostatectomy from a fly-on-the-wall perspective. It will not be to everyones taste. The idea is that other men faced with Prostate Cancer may find it helpful in considering their own options. If you find the contents distasteful or undesirable, I'm sorry for your troubles!
***********************************************************************************
Woke around 03;00 and couldn't get back to sleep. Told nursing staff around 04:15 but they said that it was too late to take something. They turned off all lights and drew curtains but I still couldn't get off to sleep. Listened to MP3 player and played chess & solitaire on my organiser until 06:00 (when the others in the ward started waking up). Feeling good, SATs are good too.

Had tea, toast & marmalade. Don't think it agreed with me though, I was very windy afterwards. I had an assisted bath at 10:00. It was in a "space age" bath - side opening door, tilting with jacuzzi. It was great to get a good wash and to wash my hair. As I runner, I shower/bath every day, so two days without washing properly had left me feeling "unclean".

I sat out for a while afterwards but then walked the length of the corridoor on my own (first time!) However I had to get into bed straight away afterwards - small steps!

The surgeon covering the weekend dropped by at 11:00. Seems very pleased. He reckons they go everything and the margins are OK. He said that they reckon I made the right choice. I mentioned that I hadn't wanted radiation and he said that he was at a seminar in the US the previous few weeks and that the reports coming through are bad on radiation. Colon cancer, etc. caused by radiation is worse then previously believed. He said that it probably won't be published on this side of the pond. He said I wouldn't pass wind for a few days. I told him that I had a good one yesterday.

13:00
Had my first dinner; chicken (no gravy), boiled potato, low-fat spread, jelly souffle and coffee. I walloped the lot!

D & A came in at 15:00. They reckon I'm looking better. Had tea at 17:00; chicken salad, brown bread, coffee & water. I went for my third walk of the day at 18:00 and got anal angesic at 18:40.

I've decided, looking out the window at a fine evening, with the trees gently swaying in the breeze, that this is a place of hope. Everyone here has a positive outlook and those who are in here are proactive about their health. i reckon I came to the right place. I came for the man, but the place is right too.

BTW, the room, containing four beds, has two fine big windows which fact west and overlook Elm Park golf course. The 4th green is right outside our window and about 80m away.

I went for a walk around 19:45 but when I went to get back into bed, I accidentally pulled on the cathether and got a bit of bleeding around the tip of the penis. It stung at the time but the nurse put some gel on it to numb it. Told her to make it a double dose - to make it num-num - OK, OK, its an infantile, schoolboy joke, but I never claimed my jokes were any good.

This morning I did a bit of exploring in "the area" and was surprised to find some sensation. I wondered about that. Was it phantom, etc? So I asked the surgeon about it. He said taht this was normal skin sensation but thet they went for early intervention. I asked what early was and he said months.

21:30
Went for fourth walk of the day and had another mega windbreak, along with another leak from the back passage - just clear fluid again.

Friday May 23rd 2008 - 1 Day Post-RP

2008-06-08T04:07:00.000-07:00

This diary extract outlines my radical retropubic prostatectomy from a fly-on-the-wall perspective. It will not be to everyones taste. The idea is that other men faced with Prostate Cancer may find it helpful in considering their own options. If you find the contents distasteful or undesirable, I'm sorry for your troubles!
***********************************************************************************
Slept OK, woke up twice - when nurse was checking SATS. My left buttock is numb. I reckon I must have been lying awkwardly on bone/pressure point.

Abdomen is a bit tender but OK. Surgeon came round at 8am and said he was happy with my progress. Said i should be getting mobile today and that I should be doing my leg and breathing exercises hourly.

I was allowed three (half) slices of toast & marmalade, along with two cups of tea, at 08:30 - it was lovely. Celebrity TV chef Jamie Oliver couldn't have done it better!! Going for a bath this morning - looking forward to a good wash. 08.50 bath cancelled for today but will get to go tomorrow. Today will be just a wash in the local (ward) bathroom.

Had wash & shave in the bathroom but got very "weezy" afterwards, pouring with sweat, but OK though. I was going to sit out for 30 min, but I was too sweaty and light headed, so got back into bed.

10:30
Physio called. She wants me to get out of bed later, after coffee (They come round with tea/coffee & cake/biscuits every couple of hours). I have some heaviness in my left leg, particularly calf area. She reckons its due to my lack of activity and that it will clear with exercise. She wants me to keep my back straight. I've been getting 2 balls up during the respiratory exercises, but she wants 3.

BP 106/66, Pulse 56

There is a new guy in the ward (there are 4 beds here - I didn't want a private ward - my sister-in-law died in a private ward, 20 years ago, having had a seizure and not being found for 20 mins+. Ireckon that there is safety in numbers!) Turns out the new chap is a brother of a leading runner in Cork. Small world!

12:45
A called by around 10:30 and stayed till 11:30, when she went for coffee. D, A & B came in around 11:35 and stayed till 12:10.
Maybe I got too animated/excited, but I felt weak/woozy while eating more toast/tea at 12:40, so stopped and lay down for a rest. The drain in abdomen was leaking slightly, and nurses reinforced it. They want Surgeon to check it later. Now sucking 3 balls, in sets of 5.

D & A back at 14:00
Morphine drip was taken off round the same time. The mediacal people reckoned in was causing my "wooziness". Very slight leak from the drain - taped up some more.

15:00
Went for a walk full length of the corridoor, overall about 150m, and then sat out for a while. The place is very, very warm. I've been allowed these peppermint flavoured lollipops, to moisten mouth. Belching a lot. Got back into bed around 16:45, but I reckon I stayed out too long - ended up feeling weak, hot and a little nauseous - felt very like post-marathon. Got back into new bed. I've now gor one of these motorised units - feel like a "boy-racer"

18:00
Tea & toast, with coffee at 17:30. Got anal analgesic (instead of morphine) at 17:30

17:45
Surgeon called. Seemed very pleased. He reckons we both had a very good day. he said that there was very little blood loss.

I sent a group text to friends around 20:00 and got amny immediate replies - very emotionally received. JD sent some of the Ballyandreen results. I reckon, if I'd run badly, I'd have been 2nd M55 - just my luck!

20:00
Drain leaked again, but OK. Went for my second walk. Feeling much. much better - no nausea and feeling strong. Leaked from back passage as I was about to get into bed. I sat down in loo and left a mega fart - laughed at it! My bum felt sore afterwards. The (little) fluid that leaked was clear. I felt like peeing as I was sitting down - like I was having a normal sit-down. I leaked from front also - around catherer/penis.

Everyone I've met here has been very pleasant. Staff all work hard and seem to have a good rapport. all the patients are equally caring - not a lemon among them. Rapport & comfort among sufferers?

Thursday May 22nd 2008 - Radical Prostatectomy

2008-06-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

May 21st 2008 - Hospital Admission

2008-06-04T03:08:00.000-07:00

This diary extract outlines my radical retropubic prostatectomy from a fly-on-the-wall perspective. It will not be to everyones taste. The idea is that other men faced with Prostate Cancer may find it helpful in considering their own options. If you find the contents distasteful or undesirable, I'm sorry for your troubles!
***********************************************************************************
I have kept a notepad outlining my RP and stay in hospital and recovery afterwards. It amounts to approx. 40 pages on an A5 notepad. I hope to post each days notes.

Today, I entered St Vincent's Private Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.

It was an early start. We got up at 6am, with a taxi ordered for 6:55am, bringing us in fpor the 7:30 train to Dublin. I didn't find the taxi journey to the station too bad but, getting on the train was fairly emotional - call it magnitude 1. The journey was uneventful but somewhat tense. We got another taxi to the hospital - emotional magnitude 2. Then entry into the hospital building - magnitude 3. I would have given anything just to leave. I wondered if this would be the last time I'd see the outside world. Bear in mind that I'd never been in hospital in my life, so this was traumatic in itself. The positively healthy running persona has had a bit of a culture shock..to say the least!

Not long after I arrived bloods were taken, followed by SATS, B.P. 127/79, pulse 49, wt. 11st, 11 lb (OK, I've been comfort eating for a while!)

I saw the surgeon later and he expected that the op would last 2-2.5 hours. He is carrying out a nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy and will be taking the prostate gland, the seminal vessicles and the lymph glands. I should not travel outside the country for three months. (that's the end of my plans for two weeks in portugal early in July!) PSA results should be back in 2 days, with the pathology results in three weeks. The risks include a very remote risk of bowel perforation. If this happens, I will have a temporary colostomy. He says that I WILL be incontinent and impotent after the op. Strictures - a gradual closing of the uretra over months. If thsi happens, I'm to come back to him and he will perform a minor procedure to fix the problem. I will be seeing him every day while in hospital, except the weekend, when one of his colleagues is covering.

During the evening, one of the other patients in the ward was visited by some friend, including an elderly priest. F asked if I'd like to get a blessing from a priest and I said I would. The blessing was Matthew 8:14:17

22:40 Got an enema. I lasted 9 minutes before letting go. The nurse reckons I'll be in hospital a week max.

23:20
Feeling ok, but probably overtired. Not thinking too much about tomorrow - my mind is ignoring/numbing or blocking.

Tomorrow is shitty, but its got to be done - no way round it. So, after all the fear and dread, when the event is over, its just get on with things - I've got a life to live, people who care about me and for whom I care - then the comeback will start. As I generally advise beginner runners, "Rome wasn't built in a day! Take each day at a time. Small steps = big milesones!

My biggest fear for afterwards is incontinence. that would affect the quality of many things in my everyday life.

One day to go!

2008-05-19T23:40:00.000-07:00

I'll be admitted tomorrow, with the RP taking place around 10:00am/11:00am. Mr.D.M. Quinlan, the surgeon, has four scoping procedures to carry out first, then I'm up.

The thought is still pretty scary. I go through low level 'panic' periods daily. Mornings are best, when I'm a bit 'gung-ho', but later on, it goes the other way. I'm usually fairly ok in the evening. Bearing this in mind, I'm glad it's happening in th morning.

For the past while, I've been getting cards, phone calls, emails and pats on the shoulder from clubmates and others in the athletic fraternity, friends and acquaintences. these are most heartening and it's uplifting to know that so many are rooting for me.

I took my last run last night, going out with the Ladies Meet & Train group. After that it was down to mowing the lawn. After that I got the "mads" and started tackling the ivy growing up our side wall. It has been threatening to take over the planet, and I'd decided to cut it back. After all, I'm certainly not going to be going up a ladder for the foreseeable future. I'm less likely to be lifting a heavy wooden ladder. At least now it's a little bit under control - I only went at the sides. The top is as bad as ever.

I hope to keep a detailed diary of my experiences in hospital and post it here, so that others might benefit from it.

So that's it for now. I'll be in hospital for 8 to 10 days, so there'll be no update until late May/early June.

Final Preparations

2008-05-13T09:05:00.001-07:00

My wife has been gathering all the things I'll need for the past few weeks. I've also condescended to getting a few items. My normal packing strategy is to wait until the day before travelling, or even the day itself, and just dump everything in. [First thing always is to ensure the running gear is either packed or I'm wearing it. I always wear the shoes - you'll be able to get away with forgetting everything else!!]

This time things are a lot different. There'll be no running gear. I don't know when I'll need the gear (for serious running) again. Obviously I can wear some gear when I'm convalescing, but it's not the same.

Last night I finally started getting all the gear together. I won't be bringing too much as (obviously!) I won't be dressing for dinner! However I will be bringing, amongst other things, T-shirts - particularly "Brag Shirts", e.g. top 50 Ballycotton shirts. Now that'll be a barrell of laughs; guy wearing top 50 Ballycotton t-shirt shuffling down the corridoor, doing something like 5 minutes for 100m! Still every step taken is a step closer to recovery.

Today I had to phone the Urologist's reception, to see what the procedure is wrt admission etc., and to try to find out what time of day I'm scheduled. Well he's got four scoping procedures first and then me. Hearing that didn't really fill me with great desire - I nearly felt weak. I suppose it is becoming real. When I saw Mr. Q in mid March and later got the date for surgery, I felt that May 22nd was in the distant future. No more - it's upon me. I really do not want to go ahead with this, but I find the alternatives, as I've outlined in previous posts, are not attractive. The 'run away and do nothing' option sounds VERY attractive, but, over the horizon, in 5 - 15 years, the vista is then very bleak.

Thursday 22nd, the day of the op., I'd normally be heading to Ballyandreen, a townland near Ballycotton, for the first of the Ballycotton 5 Summer Series. I look forward to this series all year. Not so this year.

Thursday week would have been my 22nd consecutive participation in this race. I've done 83 in the series all told. Hopefully I'll be able to get around the final race of the 2008 series, the Ballycotton 5, on the fourth Thursday in August. I don't care if I have to walk it!

Nine Days to Go! .......but who's counting???

2008-05-12T06:11:00.000-07:00

Monday May 12th
Been a while since I updated the blog....lots of things on my mind ..and my to do list! Meantime I've been running nearly every day and have had several races, including Masters T&F Championships.

The first race was the Midleton 5 on Thursday May 1st. As I was competing in the Munster Master's T&F championships on Monday May 5th, with the Pfizer 6M on Thurs May8th, I decided just to use the Midleton race as a training run. However....two mile into the race, I had a "mad urge" to chase after one of my peers, who was approx. 300-400m further up the road. I finally caught up with him at the last bend, with just 300m to go. Boy did I pay for that effort. I was wrecked for the following few days.

On Monday 5th May, the Munster Masters T&F Championships were held in the CIT. I competed in the 800m, 1500m and 3000m, along with the javelin, allin in the M50 category. Competition was tough, with nearly all of the usual suspects there. I found it very hard to run - these days I have to concentrate very much, with only limited success, on staying relaxed. I just find it impossible not to tense up, but I continue to work on it. I was a bit disappointed to run so slowly, 3:06 for the 800, 5:59 for 1500 and 12:56 for 3000. Still I was there and I competed, which was my prime target. I also received many, many cards and good wishes. They are much appreciated.

On Thursday 8th, I ran in the Pfizer 6 - my first race as M55 and managed to come second in the category! It took a lot of hard work, but what a morale booster! Again I got more cards and well wishes.

Monday 12th - stress starting to build again. Weather is fabulous. It's hard to think of this good weather, being symptomless and having to go in for major surgery.

Monday, April 28th 2008

2008-04-28T09:11:00.001-07:00

Well Mallow turned out to be a P.W. (Personal Worst), still I managed to keep several of my peers and, in particular, all except in the M50 category, behind me. I was happy enough with the run but I just seem to be running "through treacle". I can't complain (but I do) - I'm getting out and enjoying myself - not as much as before, but it feels good nevertheless.
Boy was I tired both Saturday (9 miles) and Sunday (12 Miles). 43 miles for the week.

Yesterday I found out that a neighbour had the same op, under the same surgeon, several years ago. I hope to talk to him over the next few days. I live in a small 'cul-de-sac' of 26 houses. It turns out that 5 of us have had prostate cancer, with 4 having surgery. Something in the air? I wonder what the stats people would make of that.

Mallow 5

2008-04-24T02:11:00.000-07:00

The Mallow 5 is on tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it, but not as a hard race though. I can’t motivate myself to run hard these days. I both can’t and won’t do it. I couldn’t, even if I wanted to, and I won’t as I don’t want to “go to the well”, as I want/need to conserve my resources. The running is good – it helps keep me relaxed (to some extent, anyway).

Sleeping & "Speed Bumps"

2008-04-24T02:10:00.000-07:00

Sleep
I realised this evening, like the proverbial lightbulb going on, that my sleep, and D’s, has been much better of late. I asked her “When, exactly, did we start sleeping better?” She hadn’t realised either, it just crept up on us. Very welcome though.

Speed Bumps
Quite often now, I hit what I call “speed bumps” - aka "snake days" I’m going along nicely when, without warning, I just feel “sad” and just don’t have the same “get up and go.” It’s not a feeling of depression, more sadness and listlessness. It passes slowly.

Wednesday April 23rd 2008 - Four weeks to go!

2008-04-24T02:09:00.000-07:00

Four weeks from today! This was always going to be a milestone. I’ve been getting things together over the past month or so, trying to anticipate what I’ll need, what to get, travel arrangements etc. I’ll have to start doing that in earnest soon. Time is running down and there’s lots to do.

Friday April 18th 2008 - Killarney

2008-04-24T02:08:00.000-07:00

D & I headed off to Killarney for a weekend of R&R. We had a good time and got out for a few walks. I’d intended going for a run on Saturday morning, but discovered late Friday night that I’d forgotten to bring a pair of shorts or leggings! Couldn’t go running with everything hanging out! So Saturday was an unscheduled “off day.”

We’ve been to Killarney many times before and have always found it enjoyable. This time though, there is a subdued air, a kind of suppressed sadness. Usually I’m bubbling over and raring to go. I can’t kick-in to that level at the mo’. I know it’s just a frame of mind. I could do it, but, right now, I think that would be like running away from what’s coming. Hopefully, after the op, I’ll be able to get in that “groove”, and its then that the ultra positive attitude will really be needed.

Thursday April 17th 2008 - Castlemartyr 4

2008-04-24T02:07:00.000-07:00

Castlemartyr 4, first of the evening races was on tonight. Conditions were windy throughout and I didn’t run well - I don’t run well in wind – nevertheless I was relatively happy with the run. I had a stinker of a time though, 27:42. It was my slowest 4 miler for over twenty years, probably slowest ever. …..But I was there and got round…and still managed to beat several of my ((apparently) healthy) peers.

Tuesday April 15th 2008 - Aches & Pains

2008-04-24T02:06:00.000-07:00

Today wasn’t such a bad day. Nice, sunny & cheerful. Back was at me this morning but eased during the day. I haven’t been doing my back exercises for the past two months or so. I have to get back into the stretching & flexibility routines. I think part of the back issue is down to my persistent right Achilles problem. For the past few days, I’ve been trying to alter my foot position on the car accelerator. I think this may be the root cause of my Achilles problem, which has been bugging me for the past 2½ years (and much longer if the truth be told). I think I’ve been putting a permanent strain on the calf area while driving, so the new position is easing it. However my back appears to be taking the brunt now. It’s only natural that the strain would be transferred elsewhere. Just have to work on it (back) consistently. I don’t want to have back-ache when I have the surgery – going in today five weeks!

Monday, April 14th - Apprehensions

2008-04-24T02:05:00.000-07:00

Monday April 14th 2008
Today is lovely and sunny, but it’s a “snake day”. Nerves are at me – just over 5 weeks to go,…. but who’s counting? For the last few days I’ve been thinking that the waiting period is lost time. A friend asked “why the wait?” Short answer is I don’t know. I reason that there are others whose treatment is more urgent than mine. Who knows?

For the past few weeks I’ve felt a “dragging” feeling on my right side, in the appendix area. Maybe it is my appendix, maybe not. What if….? For many years, I’ve told D that “What if…?” is an awful burden. It’s my turn now. Dear God! I wish it was all over…but…I’m afraid….I’d give anything for it to just go away, but that’s not going to happen.

April 3th 2008

2008-04-24T02:03:00.000-07:00

Sunday April 13th 2008
Did 5 laps of the Farm today, with several guys from the Club. We started out at just under 19:00 and progressed down to the low 18:s. I went of with D. on his third and final lap and continued at 17:35 pace for the remaining two laps. Felt good and strong – nice to feel that way again! One of the main things I practiced during the run was to relax as much as possible. I think it worked well. Afterwards I went home and watched the tail end of the London Marathon. Some race – first three guys did it in under 2:06:30! Nice bonus to see N, the Club’s only representative, looking round, quite contented as he passed Cutty Sark.

Later, B & A collected D from the train. We discussed the trip from Dublin and I think we’re agreed on the train as the preferred method of travel. Driving was suggested as a good option, particularly as “we could stop for toilet breaks.” I said I wouldn’t “need any toilet breaks – I’ll have a catherer!” We’ll have to plan out the journey and arrange for wheelchairs both in Dublin and Cork. A lot depends on when, exactly, I’m being chucked out of the hospital.

Travel

2008-04-24T01:25:00.001-07:00

Thursday April 9th 2008
We’d been discussing how I’d come home from Dublin. D was keen to minimise time and have me fly down. I wasn’t so sure. Today it dawned on me that flying is out of the question: risk of thrombosis. So that’s settled, it’s either driving or train. I’d prefer train, but we’ll have to see – it’s a matter of logistics. Getting from the hospital to the station, and from the car to the train. Then, at the cork end, from the train to the car. We’ll have to work it out.

What to do - The Decision

2008-04-24T01:22:00.003-07:00

The Decision
The medical crowd give you a leaflet and send you off to make the decision. Between when Mr. L., gave us the bad news and our return two week later, I asked D. what she thought L. expected would happen next. She replied “He wants you to tell him what you want to do.” I said “That’s exactly what I thought.”
I reckon I’m pretty good at research. A lot of what I do for a living involves researching. My interest in genealogy is similar. Anytime I come across some theory or fact, I ask the question “How came we confirm or corroborate that?” So I’d done a lot of research on the net and come across a lot of good advice and info. Came across a lot of wacky stuff too. That’s the main thing; get to know when you’re dealing with crap and cut it out.

Watchful Waiting
For God’s sake, I’m just short of 55 and in excellent health and fitness – except for this ugly little “walnut” inside me. ..and the cancer appears to be a pretty aggressive bugger. Except for the cancer, I’d have a life expectancy of 35 years. Watchful waiting is for slow-growing cancers in people whose life expectancy is less than their mortality period for PC. No chance. Not for me.

Brachytherapy
Several people recommended this but I wasn’t convinced. You’re estimating the size of the prostate from ultrasound and trying to place radioactive pellets inside the gland. Apparently the pellets have a two mm “sphere of influence”. That’s fine if it works. There are plenty of stories about it not working, i.e. “It came back!” When I had the first consultation and DRE, I was told that I’d got “quite a large prostate”. After the first TRUS biopsy, it was “quite small”, and after the second TRUS, it was “on the larger size.” So….you expect to place pellets, 2 to 4 mm apart, throughout the gland and get full coverage. No chance.

External Beam
For a while EBRT looked like being the only show in town. Thankfully the MRI came back clear, so it’s still an option – one I don’t intend to take, but an option nevertheless. Btw, the fact that the MRI came back clear doesn’t mean that there is no cancer there, just that there is no gross malignancy.
I rejected EBRT for several reasons:
No pathology – can’t tell what Stage or Grade you have.
Extent – can’t tell if all of it has been eradicated.
Surgery – If you have EBRT, you can’t subsequently have surgery. Actually you can, but they don’t recommend doing it. Apparently it “bonds” the flesh in the region. Because of this, I reckon EBRT is too risky – you never know when, or for what reason, you’ll need surgery in the nether regions.
Long term side effects – Colon problems, painful and bleeding piles. Apparently the side-effects of radiation creep up on you. In my running experience, anything that creeps up on you is likely to be both chronic, have more side-issues and probably worse than the things that happen suddenly. As a medical advisor put it “The sins of surgery are upfront”.

IMRT
When it appeared that surgery wasn’t possible, I started exploring what options were available for radiation. IMRT was pioneered in the Tyndall centre in Cork, however it isn’t available for patients in Cork. The nearest centre is in Waterford.
IMRT, Intensity Modulated Radiation Treatment, is a more focussed form and can therefore be better targeted, resulting in less damage to surrounding tissue.

Surgery
Laprascopic
[i'll add more here later]

Radical prostatectomy
The thought of this scares the shite out of me. I really don’t want to go there. I’m fit and healthy. Why bring this on me? Maybe I should emigrate to the South Seas and live happily ever after in permanent sunshine. Dream on!
I want this gone. I want to live a full life. My father, mother and elder brother were deprived of this.
For many years I’ve planned my retirement. I had planned retirement for sometime in the next three to four years, and it was to be an active and fulfilling retirement. The idea behind early retirement was to travel and do things while D & I both had our health. Two things have upset these plans; the economic climate has put a big damper on our pension fund and my cancer is the other. Both are outside my control to a large extent.
The market will return. The immediate thing is the cancer, and the pension won’t matter a damn if I don’t get it sorted. I might even be collecting life insurance – and where would we be then?

So the surgery: Why?
It will be gone, gone, gone – I hope. Mr. Q says he will be taking the Prostate and seminal vessicles and may be taking the lymph glands. I’m not clear but I think he’ll only take the Lymph glands if he feels, during the surgery, that they’re affected. I presume that they’re going to do path on biopsies immediately, otherwise how are they going to know? Whatever is taken, I will have the path three weeks later, when I go back to get the catherer out. One of the main benefits of surgery is that the surgeon can see what he’s dealing with and will take more than the gland, if he feels/sees that it is warranted.
Sure, I don’t want to be pissing my pants and I’d rather be having sex until I’m in the box, but if I don’t get this done, I may be in a box in 10 years or so anyway – and I probably won’t be in great shape leading up to my demise.

Incontinence & Erectile Dysfunction
These are very real prospects. Mr. Q made no bones about it “You will be incontinent and impotent.” “Don’t think you’ll be the first to be fully functional.” I know I’ll be both incontinent and impotent – Full Stop! I’m going for nerve-sparing on one side – the other is almost certainly gone – and research shows that nerve-sparing offers the best prospects for both incontinence and E.D.

I’m hoping that my fitness and general health will stand to me and that I’ll recover a relatively degree of bladder control within the convalescence period. I understand that the best I can probably hope for is “female level of bladder control”, i.e. that I will have stress incontinence – a little leakage when I cough, sneeze or laugh. I can live with that – the operative word being live – maybe I’ll feel differently when the op. is over and I’m home with the catherer out.

According to my G.P., Dr. C., a lot of the erectile function hinges on psychological well-being. He says that any problems prior to surgery will be magnified afterwards. Hopefully this is the case. I also understand, from research, that early intervention following surgery, is warranted, particularly in the form of drugs, e.g. Viagra, Cialis and Sildenafil, along with any/all other forms of stimulus.

Sleeping

2008-04-24T01:22:00.001-07:00

Sleeping
Sleeping has been a problem. I have no problem getting off to sleep, once I finally put down the book/paper/turn off the telly. I find overall that I probably sleep as long as before, but it’s not as restful. Shoulders, particularly the left, can be almost unbearably sore. Prior to the MRI, I worried that the pain/discomfort was due to metastesis. At least the MRI was clear and I know it’s just tension. I have to do more for my posture…and relaxation exercises.

April 2008 - Running moves back up a gear!

2008-04-24T01:21:00.001-07:00

April 6th 2008
I ran the UCC 10k in 43:14, approx. 2min slower than last year and over 7 minutes behind my best for the course (reality check - it was set nearly 20 years ago). It was a windy day but I found the going tough. I held back a little until roughly the three mile mark and then started working. Two people passed me between there and the finish but I managed to “take” 25 others, the last four miles getting progressively faster.

The main problem from me when running these days is relaxing. At times the tension across the shoulders is massive and I’m in knots. I really have to concentrate on staying as relaxed as possible. When I manage to do that I can go a bit faster. Now, when negative thoughts come into my mind during races, I start saying to myself “You can beat cancer!” “How do you expect to beat cancer if you walk?”

Tuesday 8th April
Did a track session, including 4x400m. Felt very sluggish during the session. All four were in the range 93-98, a bit wide for my liking and it felt like hard going. I was doing eight repeats and feeling strong, early in December. Later on I felt good. There’s nothing like a good blast of endorphins to give you the “feel good” factor. Of course, Liverpool’s 4-2 win over Arsenal helped too!

March 2008

2008-04-24T01:20:00.001-07:00

Sunday March 16th 2008
The Prostate forum on www.cancerforums.net has a thread about new research indicating that Cajun pepper (Capriscum) causes prostate cancer to kill itself. This news is too late for me, but I’m going to try it anyway. Some people seem to be taking huge doses. I’m just going to stick with two capsules a day. Hopefully it will have an effect and, maybe, keep the cancer in check – at least until I have the op.

Ballycotton 10, March 9th 2008

2008-04-24T01:19:00.001-07:00

Post to be added

Second Biopsy - January 2008

2008-04-24T01:17:00.000-07:00

Jan 23rd 2008
Biopsy in the Bons. Went in early enough. Three others in the ward. This time none of the three others are Prostate related. This time I brought my MP3 player in with me when I was getting the enema done. I learnt from the last time! The ‘jax’ is a very boring place when you’re trying not to crap, while you’re really busting to go. The window is even frosted, so you can’t look out. Even if you could, there is a blank wall just a few metres away.

February 6th 2008
We got the results today. Three positive cores found. One was 3+4 (45%) and the others were 3+3 (35% and 15%). Strangely, it was a relief to find something. Now we know what I’m dealing with. I took the rest of the day off.

Autumn/winter 2007

2008-04-24T01:16:00.000-07:00

November 2007
I have an appointment with Mr. L, Urologist, scheduled for Jan 4th, so I’ve scheduled a G.P. visit for Dec 6th, to ensure that the blood results are back in time. My last PSA was 6.3 and I’m hoping for a drop.

Dec 5th 2007
Munster Masters Cross-Country in Tralee. Had a very good race and finished as our third man, of five. Took scalps of several peers in the process.

Dec 6th 2007
PSA bloods taken. Tried to have free-PSA done, but CUH doesn’t do it.

December 10th 2007
PSA results are back; 9.4!! Shit! I’m in trouble. L is going to call for another biopsy. Given that I had a clear biopsy last June, I reckon either I have an infection or racing immediately before having the PSA done is pushing the levels up.

December 2008
Did a huge amount of research on the Net, looking for info on PSA relating to Masters athletes in any sport. There is some stuff relating to cyclists, along with several studies on marathon runners. The trouble with the marathon runner studies is that they make no distinction between serious athletes and “fun runners”. I can’t tell from the reports if a high degree of fitness is relevant in any way.

Jan 4th, 2008
Saw Mr. L. No DRE carried out. He’s very concerned with the month-on-month increase in PSA. He wants to schedule another biopsy. This is arranged for Jan 23rd.

Proactivity

2008-04-16T06:16:00.000-07:00

Prostate cancer is reputedly to be slow growing…….NORMALLY!
From initial PSA check in April 2006 until diagnosis with what now appears to be either T2a or T3a cancer – we’ll find out which when the post RP pathology is available, just 21 months passed. That’s not slow growing!

My advice to anyone with a short doubling time is to “take the bull by the horns” and run with it. YOU need to get on top of this as fast as possible. Nobody, except yourself, is going to push this for you.

You will need to get as much information as possible about your (possible) condition. Remember “Knowledge is power!” …and “Time is Life!”

Armed with knowledge, you should have tests as frequently as possible, I would suggest 3 monthly, and have a DRE every time you visit the Urologist – if he doesn’t do it, then ask! Other tests are also possible, like the PCA-3 test. You need to catch this as early as possible. Waiting for the medical bods to consult each other is like waiting for the plumber to call…You’ll be there a while!!! They will dictate reports to each other, wait on results of tests etc. Every step of the way, there will be a delay of a day or two, at best, and this is all robbing you of time.

You can shave a day or more off every ‘leg’, if you pick up the phone and get a push on everything.

Get all contact info for every person/hospital/clinic you attend; name(s), phone no(s), fax no(s) and email address(es). If one test centre can’t do things quick enough, go to another.
For example, I was asked to go for an MRI and, instead of waiting for Mr. Q to dictate a letter to Mr. L., who in turn would dictate one to me, asking me to contact his clinic to arrange the MRI. I rang around all the local hospitals/clinics doing MRI, and also those in the two nearest cities, asking for the earliest possible MRI. For all in Cork, except one, there was a 3 week waiting list and a 5 day wait in one of the other cities. I got a slot within 3 days, made a tentative appointment, pending referral from my G.P. or Urologist, then both the G.P. and Urologist and had both fax through a referral letter. In doing this I probably saved myself at least a week, if not more.

Insurance
If you are reading this and have no have critical illness insurance or Life Insurance, then think long and hard before deciding against taking out cover.

Critical Illness normally only covers a relatively small number of illnesses, and even then there are restrictions on what is covered. The chances are that you will never develop one of these illnesses, so paying for CI cover will be a complete waste.

If on the other hand, you do develop one and you have NOT got cover, then, I’m sorry, but you are uninsurable. You will NOT get CI insurance after the event. Neither will you be quoted for Life Insurance. The horse has bolted!

Third PSA Check and First Biopsy

2008-04-16T03:14:00.000-07:00

April 2007
April came round and I scheduled the PSA check ahead of the Urologist appointment. Of course, it had to be fitted round my busy work, running and racing schedule. A week or so later I got a message from the Doc, saying that the “PSA is 6.8, whatever that means”. Not a good sign.

I saw Mr. L. and he recommended a biopsy. I didn’t have a DRE this time, and didn’t ask for it either. The biopsy was scheduled for Tuesday June 4th, the day after the Cork City Marathon, where I was running one of the relay legs.

June 3rd
Cork City Marathon. I was Deputy Race Marshall but thankfully the Marshall was fit and able to cover the event, so I went off and took photos of all the Eagles I came across and also some around the mile mark and again around the two mile and three mile stages – these were all within 200m of each other.

With that done, off I went to my relay handover point; Victoria Road. I was to run the fourth stage, 6 miles, to Leesdale on the Model Farm Road. Probably started out too strongly but felt good. Nobody passed me, relay or marathon runner, until Ballyphehane Church. I’d been battling with someone from the South Link, having made up about 300m very, very quickly. Coming across Ballyphehane, I found the going heavy and thought “I measured this! This is the hardest leg! How the fuck did I end up doing this leg!!” Shortly after this the guy I was battling passed me and by Hartland’s Avenue had gained about 5m on me. I kept repeating the mantra “You can beat cancer!” in my mind. Going down Glasheen Road, towards the 18M mark, I had the upper hand but was mindful of the impending hill coming up onto Wilton Road. That was a tough hill and ‘yer man’ caught me just before the top and powered down Wilton Road, gaining about 15m in a short space of time. I thought he had me buried but, after we turned on to Model Farm Road, he seemed to tread water. He must have thought that he was only going to the turn…but we had another 1.5 miles to go, with about ¾ of that uphill – and the weather was scorching – about 22oC! I poured it on, maintaining my mantra and, very quickly, I felt him drop away, though he made a good early effort to stay with me – heard his laboured breathing. I thought the handover would never come – the handover straight seemed endless and I couldn’t pick out Paul until, it seemed, the end stages of the changeover ‘chute’. I looked back but, unfortunately, couldn’t pick out the guy I’d been battling. The 6.5 mile leg took me 36:15 and I was happy with that. The team, Golden Eagles, ended up in 14th place, in 2:48:xx. Not bad for a group with an average age of 48!

June 4th, 2007
Biopsy today. Not too bothered about this. I’m in good health. As P. says, “You’re running too well to be ill!” I reckon that this won’t show anything and then we’ll have to go looking for other causes of the elevated PSA.
I didn’t find the biopsy too bad. Dr. C did the biopsy and I got little or no info from him. During the insertion of the probe, I reckoned that he didn’t use any/enough lubricant. It felt rough. For the next 6 to 8 weeks, I still had soreness in the anal area. Preparation H and Daktarin (not both at the same time) helped. The discomfort wasn’t there all the time, though. Some time later, my G.P., Dr. C, suggested that the discomfort might have been due to micro-piles. Maybe so, but I reckon that the other Dr. C was too rough and probably didn’t use enough lubricant.

June 2007
I had a long wait for the biopsy results. Mr. L is on holidays for three weeks, so I won’t see him until he gets back. My appointment is for July 27th, however some pleading/grovelling got me in on July 4th. July 4th is a good day for us. I proposed on July 4th 1975 – I call it Dependence Day (it’s Independence Day in the U.S.A.). In hindsight, I wouldn’t advise waiting so long between the biopsy and getting the results. I found the wait very, very stressful!

July 4th, 2007
D & I went for my 10:00am appointment. I was up to high doh! Mr. L. ushered us in, making small talk on the way. Once we were seated, he started speaking about something – I don’t recall what, when I blurted out “What are we dealing with?” D said later that she was amused at my reaction. He told us that “there is no evidence of cancer.” This was a huge relief. We saw the pathology report and there was no indication of cancer whatsoever found. He said I was statistically “well outside the norm”, so I asked what the standard deviations were. He said more than three. I was hugely relieved. No cancer! D had always maintained that my metabolism is “not normal”: My resting pulse is normally in the region 46-48 and when I strolling around, will hit around 58-60, while my blood pressure is consistently 110/70. So she wasn’t a bit surprised that I was clear. At the end of the consultation, Mr. L. advised another PSA in 6 months.

Afterwards, I again started thinking “Doubling Time!” There had to be an explanation for doubling time, “odd metabolism” or not. In hindsight, I think we missed something crucial at this stage. I think that another DRE should have been carried out, irrespective of TRUS biopsy and its findings. I would also do another PSA check after 3 months. If either or both of these had been carried out, then we could have gained a possibly crucial 3 to 6 months advantage on the disease. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

I’m just an Engineer, not an Urologist, but, in my job, I regularly find problems that I have to extrapolate on and ask the question “Where else are we likely to have this?” and “How can we detect it sooner?” If we’d adopted this type of thinking here, I would have certainly looked for intermediate examinations/tests.

Urologist Referral

2008-04-16T03:11:00.000-07:00

January 2007
I saw Mr. L and he carried out a DRE, finding nothing unusual. He discussed the scenarios and options with me but suggested that my PSA readings “should return to normal” at the next test. Whilst the illnesses around the time of the previous tests shouldn’t affect the PSA result, he felt that my level of fitness and activities might have a bearing on the matter. I was to have another blood test in May, 6 months after the previous one.

Second PSA Check

2008-04-16T03:10:00.000-07:00

November 2006
I developed small blisters on the upper chest and back. At first I thought I had an allergy of some sort but at D’s instigation, I went to the doctor. I had the blisters for about 4 days at that stage. The Doc immediately diagnosed Shingles but expressed surprise that I wasn’t “tired, fatigued or in pain”
She put me on antibiotics; €192 for seven capsules. P.M said “at that price, you should be winning the races!”

About two weeks later the Doc left a message on the answering machine giving me the PSA result; 4.9ng/L, asking me to ring him. When I got hold of him, he recommended that I see an Urologist and gave me a list of three people. The first was away for two to three months and, as I generally don’t wait on my health, I immediately tried the second, Mr. L. and made an appointment for early January.

First PSA Check

2008-04-16T03:08:00.000-07:00

April 2006
I had my first ever PSA check done. I’d had a race the day before. I had also had a low grade chest infection for quite a while, probably since late February. It was because of this that I went to the Doc. He put me on antibiotics. PSA result came back about 10 days later; 4.3ng/L. This is marginally above the ‘normal’ range for men in their 50’s, but he said we’d check again in 6 to 12 months.

Prelude

2008-04-16T03:04:00.000-07:00

PSA doubling time is significant. I have a very short doubling time; 15 months. I don’t know where this cancer came from. I’ve always looked after my health. I don’t (very rarely) drink. I don’t smoke and I’ve never taken illicit drugs. I rarely get sick – 19 days off work sick in a 33 year working life. I run – nowadays it’s 30 to 40 miles a week. It used to be over 100, and I’ve been running for 24 years. As a friend and colleague P says; “The health benefits of running by far outweigh those of not running.”

So where did this come from? Well the relationship between stress and illness is well documented. I have my own beliefs. The body reacts to stress and hormone levels in the body are heightened. A prolonged period of extreme stress is not good. 1999 was a noteworthy year for me;

Firstly, our son suddenly developed a mystery illness that was nipped in the bud and short lived
Then I fell at work and broke every rib in my back, just 1½” to the left of my spine. I’m lucky I can walk, let alone run – Thank God!
At the end of October, my elder brother, Pat, died unexpectedly.
During all this, my employment was at risk – the company lumbered on for another 3 years before finally going into liquidation.
The year following Pat’s death was a very traumatic time. I was one of his executors and that created major difficulties.

Following these events, I went through a prolonged period of very high stress – I reckon I was up at about 450 points on one of these life events stress charts. Anything over 150 points is regarded as high and warranting medical supervision. As a cousin said at the time, “uncontrolled stress will eventually affect your health. It will come out somehow”.

How does this fit in with my prostate cancer? Well doubling time is used to predict how one’s PSA is likely to develop. I used the doubling time to work backwards to ‘normal’ levels. Starting at current levels, I reckon that I would have been around normal, general population levels….in 1999!
Of course this is all conjecture and assumption. But it fits the ‘evidence’.

I believe that there is a strong likelihood that this period in my life was the starting point in the initiation and growth of my Prostate cancer.

Background

2008-03-11T00:56:00.000-07:00

I've been running since July 1984. My original intention was just to keep my weight in check - over a period of 4 or 5 years, it had been gradually creeping up, from my "normal 10 stone 4 pounds to nearly 13 stone.

I started out with the cheapest of the cheap tennis shoes and used to run about a mile in roughly 7:15 and I thought anyone running a marathon was an absolute lunatic.

I entered my first race, a 10k, in October 1984: 46:44 and three weeks later ran 45:21. That Christmas I ran my first of, so far, 25 consecutive Goal miles. That one was 6:21 and remains my slowest.

Early in Spring 1985 my brother-in-law asked me if I would run for a charity in a local Marathon. He had been planning to run it with three friends, however the three friends had all dropped out, injured. I said "OK!" and off I went and increased my training to 15 miles a week. I did actually do one week where I did a 13 mile run and brought my mileage for that week up to 18. Stop laughing as you read this!!

Marathon day arrived and Joe & I set off, running together all the way to 18 miles, until I stopped for water. After that I walked and jogged, to the finish. I went through 20 in 2:48 but it took me 4:10:03 to finish. I reckoned I was beaten by the event - not distance or time.

And so I'd caught the marathon bug, and with it a real love of running. Six months later I ran my first of 15 Dublin City Marathons, on 56 miles a week, in 3:11:17.

Since then running has been a major part of my life and has helped me through many of life's crises. It has also help me maintain a high level of fitness and health........until now.

Beginnings.....

2008-03-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

Where do I start?

I suppose with myself and how this came about.

I have prostate cancer.

I'm a 54 (nearly 55) year old runner. Been running for 24 years and never been ill in my life. Never hospitalised and rarely sick. Prostate cancer has raised it's ugly head and previous records are worth nought.

Over the next few posts, I'll outline the journey to date and I'll try to follow that with what I'm doing about it and why. Interspersed, I'll post bits and pieces about my running and my hoped for comeback after Radical prostatectomy - scheduled for May 22nd, 2008.

Why have a blog about Prostate Cancer and running?

2008-03-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

Well, when a routine PSA prostate check in May 2006 showed a slightly high reading of 4.3 for a 52 year-old, and a subsequent test 6 months later showed a rise to 4.9, I started checking things out and found little or nothing on the Net relating to runners or running.

I was convinced that vigourous competitive running influenced the PSA reading, in a fashion similar to cycling but found little to back the hypothesis up. Googling found little relating to running after Prostate surgery.