Rediscovering life and manhood after prostate cancer
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the end of 2019 and feared losing my manhood and my life. I was lucky to have my prostate surgically removed before the cancer spread more widely. The most minimal roadmap for recovery was provided. I want to expand the roadmap and the conversation about recovering life and manhood after prostate cancer.
Step by step, this is to share my story as it unfolded over the last 15 months. My aim is to mark some points on the rather uncharted landscape, so you can build your own roadmap. It is a direct and personal account of my body, head, heart and soul journey as well as the inner and outer resources that helped me along the way. I am also grateful to my wife and other cancer survivors for sharing their stories on these pages.
The goal: rebuild health, expand identity as a man.
Before and after surgery: two short videos
Get the lowdown in 3 minutes: click above for 2 short, revealing videos
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Journeys of recovery from prostate cancer
Below are the thumbnails of the most recent posts – click on each for the full story. For chronological order, please visit diagnosis, treatment and recovery pages. More here every week. I invite you to subscribe (see above and sidebar on the right/below) so you don’t miss a thing.
Guest post: The road to dry nights after prostate surgery
By Dr Rhys Leeming Without a doubt, of all the medical interventions I have had, my prostatectomy has left the deepest scars. Thrown instantly into erectile dysfunction and bladder incontinence, my world was thrown into a deep turmoil. This is [...]
Partner experience after prostate cancer surgery
Prostate cancer impacts couples: here are the early weeks of my partner experience after prostate cancer surgery. By Colleen Dawson The harsh reality of cancer The reality of my husband's cancer hit me only at the post-op check with the surgeon. [...]
Day 98: The importance of energy flow
4 June 2020: Tracking and managing the flow of my energy feels crucial to my healing. There are many ways to make meaning of "energy." In this post I will look at where different forms of energy come from, get boosted, [...]
Day 88: Yoga for the penis | penile rehabilitation, part 1
25 May 2020: At last I am able to take practical action on penile rehabilitation. Medically, it directly addresses the biggest danger to long term erectile function arising from my prostate cancer surgery. Penile rehabilitation exercises also promise to help with [...]
Drug free treatment of erectile dysfunction – a business and personal story
Here is a backgrounder on the drug free treatment of erectile dysfunction. The story starts in the 1990s and goes back more than 100 years earlier. It is also a very modern story of business and technology innovation to solve an [...]
Day 74: Resources supporting recovery from ED
11 May 2020: I need more resources to support recovery from erectile dysfunction (ED) after my prostate cancer treatment. My surgeon told me "use it or lose it" but I don't know how to find this erection to use! I've been [...]
Impact of Erectile Dysfunction: into the wasteland
The impact of erectile dysfunction (ED) is like throwing a man and his partner into a wasteland after a wildfire swept through. It is easier to for me to talk about erectile dysfunction than most, because I can trace my physical [...]
Day 58: Physicality and manhood after cancer
25 April 2020: My energy is pouring into all-round physicality after cancer treatment. It is helping me rediscover my manhood. I still feel sore and a kind of emptiness where my prostate used to be, but the rest of my [...]
Day 43: Talking about erectile dysfunction
10 April 2020: It is very awkward talking about erectile dysfunction (ED). Hardly anybody does - except in derisive jokes. Yet it is extremely common after any form of prostate cancer treatment. Some level of ED affects about half of all [...]
Taking stock two months after prostatectomy
27 April 2020: Taking stock after prostatectomy: it's been two months and I have so much to be grateful for. First of all I am grateful for my life! Also, I am grateful for undetectable cancer levels and only very mild [...]
Day 41: Possible recurrence of cancer – testing PSA
8 April 2020: An anxious day waiting for my PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test results. To get an accurate reading one has to wait six weeks after surgery. I've learned that PSA is very reliable for measuring prostate cancer recurrence [...]
Incontinence: confusion and lucky escape
29 March 2020: Bladder control after radical prostatectomy is difficult and confusing - and I am lucky mine is relatively good. Being away from the city reduces fear of being "caught short" by urine leaks. It gives me time to understand [...]
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