Advanced Prostate Cancer

Laboring Day

Advanced Prostate Cancer, David Emerson, disc golf -

If there remains any doubt as to how well I have recovered, I have played disc golf each of the last three mornings. On top of that I just mowed the lawn in addition to a number of things around the house yesterday. I would say things have returned to some sense of normalcy.

The week ahead however is bound to be chaotic, at best. Last October the company I work for announced they were selling out to a much smaller competitor. After all the legal and governmental wrangling, the merger was approved on July 1st. Many of the other departments have announced who was leading, staying and going. Many, many very experienced, professional
and sincerely wonderful people have lost their jobs.
Rumor has it that this week my department is going to finally announce our reorganization. My gut tells me I have about a 50/50 chance of being offered a position. I have been through this before, as I’m sure many of you have. It’s a horrible experience and in this economy I am sure it’s going to be even more stressful.
Regardless of what happens to me, there are a number of people I work with that are sure to be impacted. What this will do to them mentally and their family financially will in some cases be devastating. For others it will become a breath of fresh air, a new start. For the former, I send a silent prayer your way and hope that God grants you the strength required to get through this ordeal.

Slap!! That’s the sound of reality smacking me in the face!

Advanced Prostate Cancer, David Emerson, PCa -

I’ll try not to bore you with too many details, but this requires a little background…

Last Saturday, August 22nd, I played disc golf as usual. No big deal.
Sunday, I went to Emporia, KS to play in a disc golf tournament. On the way to Emporia
my right thigh/hip started to hurt a little bit. The best way to describe this is it that it is reminiscent of the original pain from five years ago.
I brushed it off to the 90 minutes in the car, but knew deep down it must have been more. I popped a couple Advil and really thought nothing more of it. Just as the second round started, I took a few more Advil and that I thought was the end of it.
Monday I got up to catch a plane to Orlando for work. I worked out, maybe too hard, and headed for the airport. Again, three hours of sitting and my leg wasn’t feeling real good by the time I arrived in Florida, popped a few more Advil. I was able to catch a decent night sleep but Tuesday was 9 more hours of sitting in a meeting room. Not so good , my leg was reminding me who is in charge, more Advil.
This continued off and on all week, Advil about every 12 hours, but sleeping was not an issue. I took the weekend off from disc golf, which as you regulars know, was possibly the most painful part of my week!
The good news is it has now been over 48 hours since my last dose of Advil. The pain isn’t gone 100% but I am feeling way better than I was on Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
I have felt this way at different times over the last four years but it has been a while. I had forgotten the paranoia, the dread, the deep feelings of doubt. You start to question the past decisions, the lack of future choices, the what if’s, the what’s next, etc.
I’m feeling better, much better now. We had an FLHW Board meeting tonight and just being able to sit with my close friends and sharing in conversation with them always helps.
Just a little speed bump? I guess we’ll find out in two weeks when we meet with the doc!

What a weekend

Advanced Prostate Cancer, David Emerson, disc golf, Dynamic Discs Open, Emporia KS, Lake Perry, PCa -

Here’s what you do when you have cancer – you try to ignore it. Maybe not ignore, perhpas it’s better if I say go on without it as best you can.

Friday, I left work a little early and joined a friend on his sailboat at Lake Perry. Lake Perry is about an hour from here, between Lawrence and Topeka, KS. It was a bit windy when we arrived but we were out on the lake by 6:30 PM and were able to sail for two hours.
It was unbelievably relaxing and Jim, I’m ready to go back when you are!!
Yesterday, I played disc golf with a smaller crowd since some of the guys were out playing in a tournament. It was good to see Mark back out with us. He’s first and foremost a ball golfer but I think he’s slowly but surely getting the bug, plus his back is feeling better. Regarding my game, I just couldn’t catch Rich, falling one shot short.
Last night we had family over for dinner on the patio and then enjoyed a fire in the fire pit. We really enjoyed the evening. The weather remains unseasonably cool…it’s hard to believe it’s August in Kansas City.
Today we drove to Emporia, KS and played in a disc golf tournament. I joined Pete, Steve and Steve. I played better in the morning than the afternoon and finished in a tie with Pete for 6th place. Yet another Steve played lights out this afternoon to move from 6th to 2nd place. Sometimes it’s really fun to watch another guy you are playing with tear it up. He’s also one of those very quiet, humble guys – great job Steve H.!!
So not real exciting to read, but I hope you found it to be worth sharing. I just wanted to share with you the fact that I’m not slowing down!

How low can you go?

Advanced Prostate Cancer, Cardinals, David Emerson, disc golf, PCa -

I’ll take a few points, just the beginning of a trend!

This morning I’m off to the doctor for my monthly shot and blood tests.
As always, it’s a crap shoot but my body is telling me things are going well on this new medication. At times, I find it somewhat amazing how in tune I am with every little tweak, ache, pain, etc. that I experience. It comes from four and a half years of constant worry, constant obsession. Right now I am feeling good vibes!

I spent Saturday and Sunday in St. Louis with my brothers. I introduced my nephews to disc golf and really hope they catch the bug. I watched a little golf with my dad and then took in the Cardinals game with my brothers. It was a great game and what a beautiful stadium! It wouldn’t be a trip without providing the family with a little tech support! Two printer, scanner, faxes in and working, one with wireless support! Note to the industry, Plug and Play is a joke!

It’s a rainy Monday, is this God’s way of telling me he is washing away the PCa cells? Perhaps. One way or another, I’ll know in about three hours.

Finally, school starts on Wednesday. Brad will be in seventh grade…I’m in shock! Where is the time going?

Prayers

Advanced Prostate Cancer, David Emerson, PCa, prayers, prostate cancer -

I’m not sure if I have, or even should share the following? I figure, what the heck.

As we sat in Mass on Sunday and prayed, I stopped to think what I really was asking God for when I pray.
I don’t ask for a cure to this disease, should I? Would that be selfish?
Mostly, I pray for time. I pray for good test results. I pray for happiness.

Next Monday is huge. Monday we will find out if re-starting Keto has helped. If not, we move on, but the options are not very encouraging.

The good news is that I feel great and would guess it is working, but we’ve been disappointed before, so I try not to get to excited. As Mary has put it, we are cautiously optimistic.

So I conclude with this:
God, give me strength
Allow me happiness in he midst of turmoil,
Provide me more time,
And the sense to know how to use it properly
In Jesus name,
Amen

My mind was elsewhere

Advanced Prostate Cancer, David Emerson, PCa, the Big C -

Today we played a casual round of disc golf, Pete, Steve, Joe, Steve and myself. We all played rather terribly but the weather was ideal and the camaraderie top notch as we relived this past weeks events.

My thoughts were elsewhere as I could not help let my mind wander to the upcoming week. My friend Dan has his monthly follow up, please send a few prayers his way, Another friend John has a birthday tomorrow, Happy Birthday John!! Melissa turned the big 30 today, congratulations youngster!
Most importantly tomorrow is our 18th wedding anniversary and that weighed heavily on my mind.

I had already acquired a card and gifts for my lovely bride but I could not help wonder ‘how many more?” I pray for 20 and I hope for 25. Somewhat sobering to read, my apologies, but that’s where I was at and where my mind shifts to from time to time. I don’t dwell on it too long either as I continue to try to focus on what’s right and what’s good with my current condition. I am not sure there are many 46 year old men that could play 153 holes of disc golf in seven days, much less do it with advanced Prostate cancer. Seriously, I even cam home and mowed the grass!

I’m sharing this not in the hope of receiving accolades but because that is what this blog is all about, this is how I’m dealing with it, leading and living a “normal” life to the best of my ability. I hope and pray that there are others who find it and read it and are inspired to fight on!

Dan, my thoughts and prayers are with you tomorrow. John and Melissa, peace be with you both. Mary, well I’ll have much more to say about this tomorrow!

The final tally

Advanced Prostate Cancer, David Emerson, Disc Golf World Championships -

Today I finished this years World Disc Golf Championships, what a week it was.

I won’t go on and on with round by round coverage but instead will share the personal goals I had established before play began.

1) Shoot a total score of 360 or better. This was a bit of a stretch and meant that I had to average 60. Turns out I missed by little averaging 62.5 for a total of 375.

2) I wanted to shoot at least one round ‘rated’ 900 or above. A round rating is determined using your score versus all the other players in you division based on some highly complicated formula even I don’t understand fully. I consider this one a success because both yesterday morning and this afternoons rounds were over 900; 911 and 912, respectively.

3) I was trying to shoot par at the woods or ‘Down Under’ course but shot a 4 over 58. This included some terrible putting on my part. I missed 6 putts between 15 and 25 feet.

4) Finally, and most importantly I wanted to have fun and meet some new people – this was not much of goal to set because if I wasn’t having fun, what was the point of playing? Today I played with a most gracious man from Japan and a retired Army veteran from north east Kansas. During the week I played with guys from Tulsa, Austin, west Texas, Seattle, St Joseph Mo and South Dakota. In addition I met many, many other local and visiting players that were just great guys.

Enough for tonight next year the event is somewhere in OH and I have a tee time in the morning!

Welcome to my World(s)

Advanced Prostate Cancer, David Emerson, Disc Golf World Championships, Ketokonizol -

Quick health update: I can feel the Keto working, seriously. Up until Tuesday I was experiencing pain where my thigh meets my right hip. While playing disc golf this last weekend I experienced mild pain when planting my front foot, a move that is very important to long drives. Anyway I started Keto Monday night I haven’t touched the Advil since! I even went out a practiced my drives last night with the bro-in-law. The result was absolutely no pain and some rather encouraging drives!
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I’m starting to get a little excited about the Disc Golf World Championships.
Here’s a story from our local Fox affiliate and several links if you want to follow along next week: