Back in early 2019 I was at one of my companies National Meetings. A friend of mine who I’ll call Dave caught me at the end of one of the breaks and said he had been looking for me and he had to talk to me next chance we get. I told him ok and we’d catch up at lunch
Well lunch came and finally we found each other. Dave said I have to say thank you.
Thank you for what?
He told me…You probably saved my life.
I grinned; how did I do that?
Dave told me that he had read a Facebook post of mine about prostate cancer and I had a line in there that hit home with him.
What line was that? I asked.
Dave replied…If you’re over 50 and you know your FICO score but don’t know your PSA number then your priorities are all screwed up.
I remember writing that. I threw it in at the end of post I wrote about what I was going through.
Dave told me it struck a nerve with him. In fact, he did know his FICO score but didn’t know his PSA. That gimmicky little line caused him to go to the doctor for a physical that had been overdue for years.
Sure enough his PSA came back high. Alarmingly high. The next step was a biopsy that unfortunately was positive for cancer. Dave had surgery and the cancer was removed, his surgery was successful.
Dave had no symptoms, no indication that anything was wrong. This was a silent storm in his case.
He told me…Had you not written that post, I may not be here because I had no idea I had cancer. Keep doing what you’re doing, keep talking about it. In my case you made a difference, you saved my life.
Welcome to my Podcast. My name is Chuck Schmidt and I have prostate cancer. You’ll notice I didn’t say had prostate cancer, although all my numbers are very positive at the moment.
Once you’re told you have cancer everything changes. The blood test you go in for every six months cause nervousness, stress and angst. I know that feeling, because I’m going through it with you.
My father had prostate cancer but it didn’t appear until he was well into his 70’s. Me? Mine reared it’s ugly head in my 50’s.
I’m not alone just look at some who died in their 50’s
- Bill Bixby, 59 (actor)
- Frank Zappa, 52 (rock star)
- Johnny Ramone, 55 (rock star)
- Dan Fogelburg, 56
What about those who have died later in life from Prostate Cancer….
- Dennis Hopper
- Gary Cooper
- Winston Churchill
- Roger Moore
- Telly Savales
- Ty Cobb
- Jerry Orbach
- Johnny Red Kerr
How about those fighting it now
- Ben Stiller
- Colin Powell
- Robert De Niro
- Joe Torre and his story really affected me.
Because I have a big mouth and mens health is important to me I’m going to tell my story that actually began in my late 40’s and how I got to where I am today.
Thanks for coming along for the ride.
Remember if your over 50 and you know your FICO score and not your PSA number your priorities are screwed up! Get yourself to a doctor and get tested!
Thanks for listening.
Prostate Cancer Sucks 