Our Story:

G. was very athletic, jogging, cycling 7000K a year, ate all the right foods, stayed out of the sun, didn’t drink, didn’t smoke …His Mom had just passed away and she was 102! We figured G. had really good genes.

G.got blood in his urine in January. We went to Emergency, but there was a 7 hour wait, so went to the Family Doctor, but she couldn’t take him that afternoon, so we saw another Doctor at the Clinic. He gave us a vial to do a urine test and we went home.  We dropped it off at the Lab the next morning.  It was the weekend.  I kept asking G. if he was okay or maybe we should go back to Emergency.  He said he thought he was feeling better…After the weekend, we got the Lab results and they said everything was okay.  The Doctor mentioned getting an Ultrasound, but G. said he was okay.

He wasn’t okay.                                                                                                                                                                                 

This was early January.  He started to get really tired in Feb, and March he couldn’t eat anything.  Finally early April we went back to Emergency.  They admitted him.  They said he had Prostate Cancer and it had metastasized into his bones.                                                                                                                                             

We were shocked.  We were in denial.  This can’t be happening.  I would see G. at the hospital and sit by his bed, and pray.  I would go outside in the hall and cry.  I would cry driving home from the hospital. 

I kept telling G., that we’re going through Hell, and to keep going.  I told him we’ll beat this.  I told him we’ll get through this. 

After 10 days they released him.  He had to get an In/Out catheter for 2 months, but then he seemed to be able to handle that part on his own.  This was good news.

He started cycling.  But, after just 20K, he would come home and be overwhelmingly exhausted.  He kept complaining about diarrhea.  We’d see the Urologist, and he thought maybe it was the hormone medicine.  We thought maybe it was his diet.  We’d go back to see the Urologist and ask why is he so extremely fatigued.  The Urologist thought it was the hormone drugs.

Four months after being released from the hospital, we went back to Emergency.  The diarrhea was non-stop and he couldn’t eat anything.  Emergency sent us home after a 9 hour wait and said they couldn’t find anything wrong.  That week, things just got worse, if that’s even possible.  I talked G. into going back to Emergency a week later.  They admitted him right away.  He was so dehydrated and so sick.  He was finally diagnosed with C. Diff infection which they believe he got back in April!

Finally, one problem solved.  Almost 2 months later, now, G. is cycling 30 Kilometers and although a bit tired, still has energy to do other things and doesn’t come home and collapse and lie down the rest of the day.

We are hopeful he will get better and better.  We are staying positive.  We take each day and enjoy every single moment we can.  We get support from our friends.  We joined the Mayo Clinic blog and hear about new treatments and new drugs.  We will get through this. 

We haven’t been to a Prostaid meeting yet, as G. as been too sick or tired.  We are looking forward  to going this month.

If we had known that the drugs shouldn’t cause this kind of diarrhea or this extreme fatigue, that would have helped us. 

If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t.  Get it checked out.  If a doctor isn’t willing to check it out, see another doctor until you get answers.

I wish someone would have told us this. 

I wish the strength to everyone who has to fight this and to just keep pushing through and keep going.

G.’s wife.