After the Prom Is Over: Giovanni's Diagnosis

 

 

Quality of Life ~ difficult to define and, at the very least, an elusive phrase. It comes to mind when diagnosed with a terminal disease. It is often used when someone is near the end of the journey.

 I think about it everyday, although I am not sure how long my diagnosis with an aggressive form of prostate cancer will keep me here. I am on a mission to keep at least this end game on a qualitative level.

The current go-to treatment is periodic Lupron injections. It is no day at the beach.  These links will give you an indication of what it’s like.

 

http://www.pcf.org/site/c.leJRIROrEpH/b.5822787/k.87EE/Advanced_Disease.htm

 

http://www.pcf.org/site/c.leJRIROrEpH/b.5836631/k.3CD9/Side_Effects_of_Hormone_Therapy.htm

 

My oncologist is fond of saying that men diagnosed with prostrate cancer tend to die of something else. I think he may not have had an anti-androgen experience. I am not quite sure what he means. Do we all get hit by buses while experiencing a crying jag? My guess is some of the side effects get to my brethren.

 As I write this I am experiencing my second (or is it, my third?) hot flash of the day.

Very ironic that it is the suppression of androgen and testosterone which leads me to the end of the road. It can be said that hormones have been at the heart of the motivating factors in my life’s journey. I was aware of my homosexual feelings at the tender age of 4. Thank you, Guy Madison: http://www.guymadison.com/images/396_DarkGuy202.jpg

 

My unfortunate incarceration in the arms of Holy Mother Church was a hormonal suppression which didn’t work because the Franciscan Order was not in the habit of dosing Lupron to the brothers. It was combined with the post-adolescent desperation for love which finally ended at the age of 55 or so.

I celebrated my senior prom in 2010 at The Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street when I turned 62. It is now After the Prom when I am safely ensconced in Philadelphia where I was born.

 

Living with incurable prostate cancer hasn’t suppressed the incurable teenager within me--Sometimes not so within. I can now look back on the hormonal adventures which I experienced in many places on two continents. If somewhat lacking in quality, it was a very quantitative life.  There are still a couple of things I want to do~ Now! On to the quality …



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