two years ago I was diagnosed with early stage Prostate cancer. I underwent radiotherapy and now on hormone treatment. I was receiving monthly Prostap injections but after consulting my oncologist, I have now been able to reduce the hormone intake to taking 150mg bicaludamide tablet daily. My reason for this was that I have always be a very fit person and into intense sports and I wanted to try and retrieve some Form of sports again. The treatment has had an impact on me physically and mentally ie sweats and fatigue and feeling down at times but as my psa levels had dropped to 0.2 I felt it was time to ask if my treatment could be reduced and hopefully help give me some strength back.
I realise that I am now 64 years old and the physical abilities I had before treatment may never come back but I decided to at least attempt to develop my fitness again through boxing. I have a friend who is a personal trainer and Scottish champion boxer who met with me and discussed the possibilities of doing such a sport. Now people ie family and so called friends tried hard to put me off as they felt I did not have the level of fitness to take up such a sport. Some told me they read that hormone treatment can have an impact on your heart and your bone density. Some people also recognised that I had gained a bit of weight around my midriff and I explained it was due to the treatment. Others felt I should just do general light training such as walking and light weights. But for me this was soul destroying and I had to find a way to make me feel better about myself not only physically but mentally as well.
As most of you may recognise trying to get back your old life previous to cancer diagnosis is not easy and in most cases irretrievable. But I took the advice of an occupational therapist who said I had entered a ‘new norm’ And I was in a period of my life where I could start developing new strategies and take from the old that I enjoyed,assess my levels and build from there.
For the past four months, I have been attending my boxing classes every Tuesday and Thursday for an hour of intense training ( I do have to miss the odd night if I feel unwell). The training is a mix of boxing techniques, pad sparring and circuit training And includes a team of 6-8 others who are boxers and one or two novelists. As part of that training I have built in long walks with my wife three to four times a week for stamina. I sometimes cycle I cannot run due to a knee weaknes.
I have found the boxing the best move I have ever made. I feel invigorated again although I do have to watch my intensity but my trainer keeps an eye on this. It’s not all a bed of roses and there are days when the hormone treatment side effects kick in And I either have to rest or take time off. But I have this training that I look forward to giving me a goal again. Something to achieve.
I am always weary that I might be doing more damage to myself as people keep reminding me of my age and cancer treatments but what else can you do? Give in? I have no choice in the matter. I have cancer, being treated, and I need to have a personal goal in life. If I listened to most iof the advice received I would end up doing nothing.