Chronicles of a 10-Year Survivor
The "Old School" Finger-Check
The "Old School" Finger-Check
It was 2012 or 2013, and I was living in Malibu. I went to the doctor and he tells me, 'Okay, pull your pants down and bend over.' I wasn't happy about it—embarrassed, I guess—but he was an old guy, pushing 70, probably been doing this his whole life.
He sticks his finger up there, then gets a Post-it note and a Bic pen, and draws a tiny circle with a dot. He says, Right there. There’s a hard spot. I think you need a biopsy.
The "Young Gun" Second Opinion
I was talking to my buddy Mickey about it. He said, Dude, just get a second opinion. In fact, go see my doctor, he’s younger. Just walk in and tell him Mickey sent you.
I went to see this oncologist in Santa Monica who looked like he was in his early 20s. He did the exam, wiggled all around, and didn't feel a thing. I even pulled out the Post-it note and showed him exactly where the old doc felt the hardness, but he just said, Dude, I don’t see nothing. I don’t feel nothing. So I left and I forgot about it for three years.
The 12-for-12 Reality Check
Fast forward to December 2017. I’m down in Louisiana working for the waterworks and I finally have insurance. I go in for an exam and the doctor says, Oh my God, that's really hard in there.' He sends me for a biopsy immediately.
They took 12 samples, and every single one—12 out of 12—was positive. That’s when the real fight started. If I had listened to the old guy with the Bic pen instead of the young guy who didn't feel anything, things might have been different. But now I'm a 10-year survivor, and I'm telling you: don't put it off.
THE left BIOPSY DATA
The Left Side (Samples G–L)
The Evidence (By the Numbers):
- Sample I (Left Apex): 100% Tumor Involvement. The cancer had completely taken over the tissue in this area.
- Samples G, H, J, and L: All showed massive tumor volume, ranging from 87% to 94%.
- The Gleason Scores: A mix of 3+4=7 and 4+3=7. This is "Intermediate to High-Grade" territory—meaning the cells were aggressive and growing fast.
The "Nerve Highway" (Perineural Invasion):
The lab identified Perineural Invasion on this side as well. This means the cancer was using my nerve pathways as a route to try and push through the prostate wall (Extraprostatic Extension).The Takeaway:
When you see 100% involvement in a sample, you aren't "monitoring" a situation anymore—you’re in a fight. This data is the reason for the 45-mile daily radiation runs and the 11-pill-a-day life I live now.
THE right BIOPSY DATA
The Right Side (Samples A–F
The "Full House" Results
Just like the left side, the right side was a "Full House"—6 out of 6 samples came back positive for Adenocarcinoma. The data confirms the cancer was widespread across the entire gland.The Evidence (By the Numbers):
- Massive Tumor Volume: Sample D (Right Far Lateral Base) showed cancer taking up 88% of the tissue. All other samples showed significant involvement, with many over 60%.
- The Gleason Scores:
- 4+3=7 (Grade Group 3): Found in the base and mid-gland. Because the "4" is the primary number here, these areas were considered more aggressive.
- 3+4=7 (Grade Group 2): Found in the apex and lateral areas. Still aggressive, but with a slightly higher mix of slower-growing cells.
The "Nerve Highway" (Perineural Invasion):
Just like the left side, Perineural Invasion was identified on the right. The cancer cells were already tracking along the nerves, which signaled a high risk that the cancer was trying to breach the prostate wall.The Takeaway:
When you add the Right Side to the Left, you get a 12-for-12 positive biopsy. There wasn't a single clean spot. This report is the "smoking gun" that proved the old doctor’s Post-it note was 100% accurate.
The Bell Doesn't Mean the Fight is Over
At the end of those nine weeks, they have this tradition where they make you ring a bell. It’s supposed to mean you’re 'cured' or you’ve made it to the finish line. You ring it, the nurses clap, and everyone acts like you’re going back to your old life.
Rnging that bell was just the beginning
All it meant for me was that the machine was off for a minute. But the fight was just getting started. About two months after I rang that bell, the hormone treatment hit me hard and I started growing breasts—I’m talking a B-cup. I couldn’t deal with it. So, I had to go back into that room and get radiated for two more weeks just to knock them down.
That’s the reality they don’t put on the brochures. The radiation keeps working, the side effects keep coming, and the '11-pill-a-day' life becomes your new shadow.
Don't let that bell fool you. It’s a milestone, sure, but it isn't the end of the war. It’s just the moment you move from the front lines to the long, hard work of staying alive. I’m a 10-year survivor not because I rang a bell, but because I kept showing up for the fight every day after.
Why You Can't Afford to Wait
The Close Call
I want to be real with you guys for a second. Looking back at my biopsy data from 2017, I realize now just how close I came to the edge. When that doctor told me it was '12-for-12' positive, he wasn't kidding. I had samples where the cancer had taken over 100% of the tissue. It wasn't just a leak in the system; the hull was about to breach.
The data showed a 54% probability that the cancer was already pushing through the outer wall of my prostate. If I had waited even a few more months—if I hadn't taken that job at the waterworks and gotten insurance when I did—this story would have a very different ending.
The Nerve Highway
My report showed 'Perineural Invasion.' That’s medical speak for the cancer using your nerves as a highway to spread to the rest of your body.
Bone Spread
Once it breaks out of the prostate, it heads straight for your bones—your pelvis and your spine. That’s a kind of pain you don't want to know.
System Failure
The longer you wait, the harder it is for the radiation and the pills to do their job.
I spent a year and a half shoveling tons of gravel and building my property, thinking I was 100% fine. I was lucky. I caught it just as it was about to go off the rails. Don't gamble with your life thinking you're too tough for a checkup. I’m a 10-year survivor because I finally stopped ignoring the data—don't wait until your '12-for-12' becomes a death sentence."