Interview 22- Prostate cancer

Age at interview: 74

Age at diagnosis: 72

Brief Outline:

Diagnosed with prostate cancer 1998, watchful waiting.

Background:

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He chose active surveillance for his prostate cancer rather than a prostatectomy because he was 'terrified' of being left with impotence or incontinence.

 I was very upset in London when the biopsy was done because the consultant said 'I operate on you right away.' Now I had read up things meanwhile and I was terrified of either incontinence or well lack of sex.

 

I saw this consultant who had done this biopsy, under whose direction it was done, in fact he had directed himself and he was insistent that he would operate on me and I was really upset. He said 'I've done 400 of these and only 10% go wrong,' [laughs] and I said 'Yes but I don't want to be 1 of the 10%.'

 

My wife kept pestering me in a very nice way that I should think about it and my children, well they live in different countries apart from one in London, one in Scotland and the others are phoning me up every month and saying 'How is it going dad?' even 2 years later and it's very sweet but I don't really appreciate that very much. 

Immediately after having a biopsy to see if he had prostate cancer the consultant said he would operate on him 'right away'. He needed time to think about what the consequences of it could be.

 I was very upset in London when the biopsy was done because the consultant said 'I operate on you right away.' Now I had read up things meanwhile and I was terrified of either incontinence or well lack of sex.

 

I saw this consultant who had done this biopsy, under whose direction it was done, in fact he had directed himself and he was insistent that he would operate on me and I was really upset. He said 'I've done 400 of these and only 10% go wrong,' [laughs] and I said 'Yes but I, I don't want to be 1 of the 10%.'

 

My wife kept pestering me in a very nice way that I should think about it and my children, well they live in different countries apart from one in London, one in Scotland and the others are phoning me up every month and saying 'How is it going dad?' even 2 years later and it's very sweet but I don't really appreciate that very much.