My follow up with Doug and Wolf

April 20, 2012

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Meet the Experts

April 20, 2012

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Prostate Cancer: It’s Not Just for Men!

March 26, 2012

For most of us men (as evidenced in the fact that more than half of us over 40 years of age do not get prostate screenings), prostate cancer is something we don’t want to think about or address.  There are many reasons for this…

• Many of us (either consciously or not) push back the anxiety of hearing the dreaded words (“you have cancer”).  We may have accepted the myth that the “C word” is a death knoll, and be unaware that medical advancements have created many pathways to wellness, including some with only minimal or no side effects.  For nearly all adults, at some point in life (early or late) disease management becomes the safest bet to a long and productive life.
• We may feel that we are somehow to blame…..that our disease is a payback from poor lifestyle choices, and not know that some diseases cannot be prevented.  Many myths plague us in this area, from being too sexually active to being impotent, from too doing too much bike riding to not getting enough exercise……and so on!
• Many of us had role models (fathers, athletes, movie stars) seemed to impart that  our feelings were to kept private, especially any that would cast doubt on our manhood.  Just like “real men don’t cry,” we often follow an unwritten rule that we keep our chin up, and keep our feelings and fears to ourselves.  We often hear men proclaim that “when my time is up, it’s up…..I don’t want to know about it!”

For me, all I can say is that I’m not going solo, and that I have embraced the fact that PROSTATE CANCER IS NOT JUST FOR MEN!

When I called my wife, Sue to tell her I had just received the results of my prostate biopsy, she let me know immediately that “we’re in this thing together.”  She had accompanied me to get my biopsy, she was at my side when we met with my urologist to consider our options, she co-owned our decision to get the beam radiation (Calypso Method) treatment, she was there when the beacons were implanted that would guide the radiation beams, and she is driving me to each of the forty-five treatments I’m in the process of receiving.

In a radio interview last week, Sue and I spoke candidly about the critical role that spouses and partners play in helping men not only face their disease with courage, but also in playing a vital role in the treatment and healing process.  Indeed, our loved ones can help transform us from a sense of dire straits to ultimate success.   Since my own announcement of having prostate cancer, many men have opened up to me about their experiences.  Some were surrounded by a circle of support, while others faced it alone.

So if prostate cancer is not just for men, how do we get them to open up their hearts and lives so that others can join hands in the fight?  Who’s in our lives that we really listen to….who  we know will make a difference if we only let them?

Click to listen to the Men’s Health Segment

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Prostate Cancer: A woman’s point of view

March 21, 2012

This week’s show will highlight the dynamics that develop after a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer (PC). Wayne Tormala was recently diagnosed and is currently under going radiation therapy. His wife Sue was intimately involved in the process from day one. They will share their journey of what procedure to utilize, what medical institution to engage etc. And how to successfully combat (PC).  Ms. Autumn Barber is the wife of the late Tempe Police Detective Tim Barber. Tim was diagnosed with stage 4 (PC) at the ripe old age of 40. Tim lost his battle to prostate cancer in August of 2011. Autumn delivered two twins shortly after Tim passed. She has a powerhouse story.     

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I have prostate cancer!

February 14, 2012

Greetings…
My name is Wayne Tormala, and I have recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

For over 20 years I have had a prostate exam, including a digital rectal exam and PSA (blood test), as part of my annual health check.  Year after year, I learned that my test results were “in the normal range”.   I will admit that I was lulled into thinking that “prostate cancer won’t happen to me!”  

I want to talk personally about my diagnosis, how my wife and I chose a course of treatment among the many options that are now available, and how I’m dealing with it physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  Most importantly, I want to tell you about our plans here at KTAR for seizing this opportunity to promote prostate cancer awareness. 

Indeed, there is confusion surrounding the testing and treatment of prostate cancer.  Over the next few months, we want to use this blog space to encourage men, their friends, their families, and their co-workers to learn more about prostate cancer, to bring their own personal thoughts and feelings to the forefront, and to make informed decisions regarding their own prostate health. 

(more…)

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