drat01

Excuse me if I don't agree with this. Very much the PC cancer fighter community would say that a PSA test is the way to go for an indicator of anything untoward. Its an indicator not a definitive, but when so many blokes have little to no symptoms (I was very much one of them as was one of my best mates), the PSA test started the journey where we have now a better idea as to what stage our cancers are at and we receive the correct levels of treatment. A very recent PC conference held with many specialists in this area (last week) said the same.

The mental side of things are beyond anything I've ever faced before and that is why It's important to realise you ain't unique and importantly alone. I hope the treatment you are getting now improves things for you mate and you know now the importance of getting things checked. Top man and thanks for sharing your info

Mate it must have been scary, top man for going to get things checked though.

It was flat, over priced, not to be served to minors, and gave me the shits ......

- I heard 'Rantin' found god and can now be found searching the internet for nubile young ladies to convert ....... . I will tell you one day about the report I got back from the docs re my liver after one of my hols, its now on my permanent NHS record and its brill - I am sure he was pissing himself when he wrote it. Glad you are doing well also mate, and the holiday you went on recently looked unreal

Still on the same phone number mate? mine is the same

Certainly up for a beer any time Pete - the reality is there will probably never be an all clear moment, but as the onco team says its all about control.

Too many holidays, beers and doing stuff Rob ... (By the way I have a good trip to Canada soon including a few days in Vancouver and back to Calgary also - followed by a cruise to Alaska) Mrs S has been nagging me about going to Germany again soon also and has seen some pics of N'berg !! I told her if certain people lived in both not to expect too much

Cheers mate - Certainly will keep fighting. Hope you and yours are good also

Recommendation is 50, but if you have a family history then down to 45 and black men should think about an earlier test also, apparently.

Thx - Yeah went to the game they got promoted in. Hopefully we can draw them in the League cup next year

Thx and great re the test mate. That is exactly what this is all about. People getting tested. Thx for that !

Ha - yeah that was a good day mate. And yes the Tenerife visit is still very much on the cards ... remind me to tell you what happened when I called my "man sausage' the Tardis during a procedure I had to have after some treatments. ... don't say you were expecting that

Hi, Apologies for this and appreciate I haven't posted on here for a while. (still a regular on Twitter and various FB forums - modding etc). Some of you may remember me (said in the style of the Simpsons) as someone who used to post on here a lot until certain things happened, but more water than a Prince Andrew sweat has gone under the bridge and I really hold no grudges or malice etc. I used to (and still do) tell shit jokes, had the direct line to a Villa player (Gaz Cahill) and argue politics with people like Tony. I still talk and see a few off here and that is great. So what is this bollox intro all about? Well, some of you will know that I was diagnosed two years back with what we now know is Stage 4 Prostate Cancer. No symptoms, was just sitting at home saw some of the stuff off Jeff Stelling etc, had a blood test and as they say the rest is history. Treatment has included Chemo, no hair loss other than a bald spot in my beard ! and after that a continual course of hormone treatment (think of it as a permanent chemo - 4 tablets a day for however long it takes - ie for ever). I see my Oncologist every 3 months now (just by phone) and the PSA level continues to come down - currently at 0.25, which considering it was 25 at the start is bloody good going. I typically have 3 questions for the Onco team a) Can I drink Beer? b) Can I go on holiday, c) Can I still buy long life milk !!! The side effects physically are a reduction in body hair (for sale 1 electric razor) and severe fatigue at times. As anyone who follows me on Twitter (IanMSanders) will know, I have numerous holidays, love a beer or 6 and am still a Villa season ticket holder and often go away matches etc (looking forward to Lille soon). Mental stress around Cancer can never be underestimated, its bloody massive. You think about it first thing and that goes through to last thing at night. It's how you fill your day that makes a massive difference. Also, the impact of family and friends is unreal. Anyway, why I am saying all of this is that I am very vocal about my story and one of the first things I realised was a) I was not alone in this fight (I am a cancer fighter NOT a sufferer) and b) I am not unique. Talking about the challenges I am facing is my way of coping and hopefully helping others - I have two mates who have had tests who have also found they have prostate cancer, all because of what I have been talking about. Blokes have typically never been ones to be open about feelings, nor discuss some of their personal health issues and this is very much part of the problem. This is changing but still has a long way to go. So the bottom line (!!!) really is, if you are of a certain age, get to your docs and ask for a PSA test. Its a simple thing and even if the docs say no, insist on it, they cannot refuse. If you are a 'ladyyyyyy' then make sure your men - dads, partners, brothers, uncles etc go and get a test. The earlier it's detected, the better the result will be. If any of you are worried about any of these things, feel free to reach out to me and I can chat or point you at people who can really help. We have online (private) forums of blokes who are all cancer fighters for example and knowing that you can reach out to chat with others is worth its weight in gold. 1 in 8 is the official number for blokes who will get it at some time, in reality according to my Onco nurses is that it's probably 1 in 4 or even 1 in 3. That ain't meant to scare anyone, it's just education to show that if you are aware and keep an eye on things, you can sort it out early enough. Right, that is enough waffle, and again apologies if this ain't a subject people want to read on a football forum, I just thought I would share a few things that I have experienced so far. Cheers Ian (and if any of you do see us down VP etc please say hello - I seriously don't bite - That was Rantin Rob - another name from the past

Hi Dem - I am still here mate. Hope you are doing well. As TonyH says I am fighting Prostate Cancer - Stage4 so its not a good one (Gents go get tested - Ladies get your men tested). Still a season ticket holder at Villa so if anyone sees me down there feel free to say hello. The shit jokes still come out mainly on Twitter (ianMSanders) - anyway have fun all. UTV, live life, enjoy life ....