I went to a meeting of the local chapter of the AIChE (American Institute of
Chemical Engineers) the other night. During the social hour before the
meeting, the guys asked me where I had been the last couple of months, and
what I had been up to. I told them about my bout with PCa. One of the group
said that most of the members are in the age range where they are at risk,
and what I was saying was so interesting, maybe I should give the program
next month.

It didn't seem such a good idea at first, since the programs tend to be of a
technical nature, and industry-specific at that. But the more I think about
it, the better it sounds. The working title would be "A Decision Under
Conditions of Risk: An Engineer Deals With a Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer."
The presentation would focus on the process I went through in reaching my
decision, the resources I used, (including this group) the information I
collected, the decision process itself,
and finally (thanks to Steve Kramer, Mike H., and Steve M.) not looking
back. I would emphasize that the process would yield different results
depending on individual circumstances. It's something everyone has to do for
himself.

Anyway, that's my idea. Any suggestions?

Ernie Gudath 64
PSA 4.3 3/03; 5.6 5/03
Biopsy 1 5/14/03 ambiguous
Biopsy 2 9/18/03 T1c Gleason 6 (3+3)
Scans Negative
RRP 12/11/03
Gleason 6, w/slight marginal, other tissues negative