That's a slight exaggeration, Colophony.  For instance, this is the first
post I am responding to today.  I was responding to a post earlier with some
really funny stuff, but I figure I've pissed off Heather enough this month.

I'm not one for long posts, but at your request....

My grandfather died in surgery after collapsing with sever pain in his back.
When they opened him up, they found a cancerous mass wrapped around his
spinal column.  His heart gave out and that's all that is on the death
certificate.

My father was diagnosed at 42 with PCa.  He was about 50½ years old when he
died in 1982.

My first disconcerting PSA (based on the old > 4.0 standard) was 16.0 on
October 17, 2000.  It was 3 weeks past my 46th birthday.  I had my biopsy on
November 1, 2000.  I was told I had not choice but surgery on November 3.  I
went on a cruise on December 6 for my 25th Wedding Anniversary.  We arrived
home on the 13th and my surgery was on the 15th.

I had a complication (illiitis) and was in the hospital 8 days, 6 of which
without food, water, or even ice chips.  I came home on the 23rd and we
celebrated Christmas at my house on Christmas Eve.  On Christmas day, I took
cookies into work.  On January 3, I had the catheter removed.  As with all
of us, that was a happy day.

My post op biopsy came back with negative margins, no lymph node
involvement, but with seminal vesicle involvement.

I was back to work on February 26, 2001 (1 day short of 6 weeks).

I think in March I had my first post-op PSA.  It was < 1.0.  It stayed that
way until December 2001 when it was 0.27.  Then it was 0.37 in March 2002.
FAILURE!

I started with EBRT on May 5, 2002 (after my PSA climbed to 0.75) and my
last on July 3.  It was during this time that I came to grips with the
certainty that I was going to die from prostate cancer (or bus or jealous
husband).

My first post RAT PSA was 0.34 in August 2002.  Then it was down to 0.22 in
October.  And down again to 0.15 in December.  But, back up to 0.21 in April
and 0.32 July 18.  FAILURE!

Interestingly, I had my first unassisted, usable erection on May 12, 2002.

I started Lupron July 2002 and my PSA wavered for 2½ years under 0.10.  But,
February 20, 2006, it was up to 0.132.  Then by June 19 it was 0.145.
Expected failure, but failure nonetheless.

I added Casodex July 17, 2006 and have been undetectable (< 0.050) ever
since.

I married young (21), so I have over 30 years in.  I have worked since I was
9 and joined my current employer when I was 17, so I have 35 years in as of
2 days ago.  I still work 40 hours a week and intend to continue until March
1, 2009 +/- 2 weeks.  I have three children, all of which married, bought
houses and had babies (in that order) and none of which have taken a drug of
abuse or have broken any law greater than speeding.  One is a fire fighter,
one a stay-at-home mom and helping her husband in his bakery business, and
one a customer service rep for a graphic designer.  I have five grandkids,
all of which are vying for my affection and are, coincidentally, better than
anyone else's grandkids.

The long and short of it, Colophony, is the bastard is giving me the best
he's got.  Eventually, without a cure, he's going to have the distinction of
putting my mortal body into the ground.  But, for all intents and purposes,
I am currently kicking his a.s and still enjoying my life.

Non Illegitimi Carborundum