Some days are stones-1
THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2011, 2pm:
A diamond day: Oli and I in Brittany in 2008 on our honeymoon.
Not a good day. I am in the doctor’s surgery with my French/Australian husband, Olivier, who has been treated for prostatitis, an infection of the prostate gland. It has not responded to antibiotic treatment since before Christmas and here we are to find out why. There is some beating around the bush about the need for a biopsy and an explanation of what that will entail.
“Exactly what are we searching for?’’ I ask.
“Well, I will be honest with you,’’ says the doctor. “We are now looking for a cancer.’’
“The last two blood tests have revealed an escalating blood reading – from a PSA of 65 to 70 – and it seems it is not an infection as it has not responded to medication targeted to that area. So we need to look further.’’
I feel like clutching my heart it is pounding so strongly and I sneak a look at my husband, who is intently searching the face of the doctor. (PSA is Prostate Specific Antigen.)
“Is it likely to be cancer?’’ asks Oli.
“We don’t know what we will find, but we need to explore the prostate,’’ the doctor replies
He picks up a piece of paper and draws a diagram, explaining local anaesthetics will be applied before needle biopsies are taken from sections of the enlarged prostate.
“The first time available is Friday next week (January 28) because I will be in Whyalla for the first half of the week,’’ he says.
“The biopsy result usually takes two days. You will have the results on the Monday… about 10 days time.’’
A heavy silence pervades while he gathers printed forms for Oli to sign.
Suddenly, the focus is on finding cancer in my husband’s prostate!
Surely I am sweating. I think Oli would be embarrassed if I reach out to touch his hand lying so nonchalantly on his knee. Yet, I touch him and draw my hand away again, so he knows he is not alone. Olivier is given a parcel of signed forms and tablets to be taken in eight days’ time before the procedure and afterwards.
Then we are ushered out of the rooms to face this health dilemma together.
For some reason John Denver’s song “Some Days are Diamonds, Some Days are Stones’’ flashes to mind. How could we know that there would be other days of stone ahead.
my journal | nadine 21/02/2011
2 Comments to “Some days are stones-1”
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By Marie Jonsson-Harrison, 23/02/2011 @ 11:23 pm
I just had to write to you and say that we love you both and think of you
and wish you only diamond days from here on.
I thought also I would add some wise words by F. Scott Fitzgerald (writer)
“Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat”
Hugs and Kisses
Marie and Bryan xxxxxxx
By ole, 24/02/2011 @ 2:10 pm
We will look for the diamond days, especially in Melbourne with the family.