On Wednesday the WordPress Software that runs this site told me I had just received my 500th ‘like’ on this blog. Thanks to all you who have liked my writing. I will admit that sometimes, I even like what I write…
The stats page tells me I’ve written 160 posts and have received 372 comments (I’ve also received 12,454 spam comments but let’s not count those). Okay, I’ll admit that half the comments are likely me responding to one of you. Now, by blog-world standards, that is nothing – not even a blip in the blog-sphere but it’s more than I thought I’d do when I started writing this thing.
I have been planing a special 200th blog post for my readers. However, seeing that I only post once a week it will be sometime mid-September, 2014 before that appears. Guess it will have to be some of my best work.
On Friday, our electrician installed the new circuit breaker panel for the house. Stage one of the electrical upgrade is completed. Now instead of a wimpy 80 amp service we can now push the electrical bill to new heights with the new 200 amp service. Now all we have to do is to have every light, outlet, switch, and fan in the house completely rewired to be able to use it.
Speaking of numbers, it was on Tuesday that I got the best number I’ve received in – well possibly my whole life. My PSA came in at 0.6 which means that the radiation treatments that I finished 21 months ago have worked and my prostate cancer is on the run. I won’t use the word remission yet and I am years away from daring to use the “C” word (cured) but the general direction is towards lower and lower PSA numbers indicating that what cancer there was is going away.
At some point the doctors tell me I’ll reach, what is called, “Nadir,” or the lowest PSA I’ll get to. This normally happens between one and two years after treatment. If regular testing shows that I stay around that number, the cancer is gone or at least in remission. I’ll need more treatments if the number ever rises.
I’ve been thinking all weekend about what I was going to write today and had this great long thing in mind that I was going to write about on PSA – how it’s used, what it measures and why that one number is so important to me. But now, sitting here at the keyboard, that lecture doesn’t seem important. I now feel a sense of freedom that I haven’t had before – the number is down and while it’s down there is life.
and that is all that is important today, life.
Till next week,
Andrew
Andrew's View of the Week 
Andrew, I am so happy for you. Ever since you resounded to my blog about my own cancer I have been concerned for you. Now that I’ve written my book about the experience I feel good about sharing the experience and helping others.
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So many people don’t really know what it’s like to have to deal with cancer. I am always glad to see people sharing what it’s really like to have to deal with this “C” word. Glad you wrote your book.
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Hello Andrew—I’m Ron in Winston-Salem NC. Congratulations on the recent great news! I found your blog a few weeks ago and want you to know what a blessing it has been. I am 63 and have not yet had to fight the battle you guys are fighting but I will now be helping a family member (age 59) with his.
Happy Thanksgiving Andrew—–and may God bless you and your entire family!
Ron (Grampa)
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Thanks for reading. It’s great you’re supporting someone going thought this. It’s because of the support I got from my wife, family and friends that I’ve been able to get this far.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving.
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Andrew, great news about your PSA. Sounds like you’re on your way to beating this! Everyday, I pray for you and all our brothers and their families that’s fighting this battle.
Again, I enjoy your blog and a few weeks ago, I started mine (used Scotts site). I’ve only gotten one or two paragraphs thus far!! I have a lot to write, just not sure how to go about it or the directions. I’m 63 and have a lot to share.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
Dave in Bartlett, TN (Grandpa)
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Dave – glad you hear you’ve started writing. With writing, it’s best just to start. Don’t worry about getting ‘right’ just get it down. That’s the neat thing about a blog – whatever order it comes out as is great.
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Dave, How is your blog going? I TOO WANT TO STAR A BLOG, HOW DO I DO IT? DAN
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Congrats on the PSA, sounds like you have very good chance at having beaten the cancer!
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Thanks – despite my initial fears, it’s starting to look like I might.
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I really enjoy reading your blogs, Congrats on the continuing ow PSA. When you get time ,could you explain an easy way I could start my own blog? is it like registering a website? Thanks, God bless , Dan In Hemet, Ca. aka Wings of Eagles on HWell
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The very short answer is, create an account on wordpress.com, select a name for your blog, register it and start writing. There help resources and tutorials on the site to help you get started. I recommend wordpress but there are other blog sites too.
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