Celebrating Life in Scotland

Today wasn’t as brilliant as yesterday so, thankfully, long walks were not in the cards.  The southern route around the island, the 323 I think, was so dramatic yesterday with it’s tight squeezes and twisting hairpin turns, was worth another go.  Yesterday I told our female driver that if anyone suggested that women were not up to the task of driving a bus, they should ride that route with her.  Her skill, patience and nerve were unmatched.  So I headed to Brodick to take the only central, cross island  road returning  on the southerly road with a stop off at the pub in the Kinloch Hotel.  But first I dropped off some redundant clothing at the Arran Cancer Charity shop.

My first trip to Scotland was in 2003, as told in earlier blogs.  I then returned every other year thereafter.  Until 2013 when my doctor told me I’d have to skip that year’s trip and focus on fighting my recently discovered prostate cancer.  I began 2014 with two resolutions.  One was to beat this thing and the other was to explore my feminine side.  The hormone shot I got on New Year’s Eve 2013 began both processes. So for my male readers let me tell you a tale of success.

The shot was followed by daily oral doses of hormones for 6 months or so followed by another shot April Fool’s day. Then radiation therapy was added.  9 exactly placed beams of radiation daily for the next 45 weekdays.  Unfortunately the side effects of these treatments were very similar to the issues with fibromyalgia.  Elevated pain sensitivity, IBS & fatigue.  I was so wiped out for all of 2014 that I ended up doing very little else but reading.  My 95 books were probably equal to all I’ve read before that.

If anyone tells you that once treatment is finished you’ll be your old self again, don’t believe them. Nearly a year on I am still feeling & experiencing negative effects, but the hair from the collar down (never lost head or beard hair) has returned and other, less noticeable side effects are diminishing every day.  So much so that I am able to do this trip. Slogging my heavy duffle up two flights of stairs would have been impossible 6 months ago.  Walking 10+ miles in a day likewise. Sure, I’m exhausted each evening and some nights the pain is too great to allow sleep, but it is as some rock band once sang, “it’s getting better all the time”

So guys.  If the doctor says your PSA level is high, follow up.  Get the biopsy and discuss and choose your plan of treatment and maybe you too can one day head to the Highlands the long way.  The choice is yours.  Get better even though the pathway to health is daunting or die.  Really, it’s that simple.