Young's One Liners

[Guest guest]

I guess most of you may not have heard of Young.

He was a wonderful man. Diagnosed with a PSA that was over 1,000 ng/ml –

he never found out just how much over – he fought but ultimately lost the

battle with prostate cancer. His legacy is a site - PHOENIX 5 - that is still worth visiting

despite the fact that some links no longer work.

I have been tidying up some old files because my hard drive was getting full

and sluggish and came across a piece where we were trying to get some punchy

one-liners that we as patients could say to a support group. These are

’s contributions and I think they are well worth bearing in mind

for all of us, even if they aren't all one-liners :- ). My favourite is #9.

1. A cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence.

2. Given the horror stories that we grew up with, fear of cancer is natural.

But the more you fear it, the more it will control you.

3. Know your enemy. Get educated. But also know that it won't be easy. It will

be confusing, overwhelming and depressing. That is the nature of cancer and

thus the very educational process as you regain control.

4. Know that 9 out of 10 times, you have time to learn. Don't panic. You may

make a decision (or let another make it for you) from which there is no return.

Let the fear settle and your senses return.

Reread #1.

5. If you don't know how to use the Net, learn it and use it.

6. Find people who are more interested in helping you to learn than teaching

you what they think you need to know. Pay heed first to those who will help you

to learn, e..g, how to do an Internet Web search.

7. Disregard statistics. They lie.

8. Disregard the advice that you should have a positive attitude because that

is like saying you need to have a million dollars. Yes, a positive attitude is

essential but that is advice without telling you how to do it. Gain control and

your attitude will follow.

9. Know you will start in fear and confusion and know that every person with

cancer goes through it. You are not the first. Therefore find those who went

through it and learn from them what they did. But remember that your journey is

yours.

10. Either start doing or keep doing something in your life that really

interests you and that you can take pride in, whether it be religion, gardening

or your kids/grandkids. Find it and do it.

11. Come to the cold, hard realization that medicine no more knows what causes

cancer or how to cure it than they know what is the best house, diet,

profession and companion for you. Each person and life is different. That is

why YOUR education and YOUR choice in YOUR life is best. Make your doctor

explain until you understand and if it doesn't like it, get a new one. It is

YOUR body, YOUR treatment and YOUR future. It won't be easy but learn to take

back control of it.

12. Cancer is going to test you as you've never been tested. If you accept the

challenge, you will learn more, appreciate more and be able to do and savour

more than you ever imagined.

13. Never give up or give in. It wins only by making you give up, telling you

surrender. Don't surrender. Never give up.

14. There will come a time when you are not living in fear or anxiety about it.

Now put some time into helping others get through it too. It may be the best

immune-booster of them all.

All the best

Terry Herbert

I have no medical qualifications but I was diagnosed

in ‘96: and have learned a bit since then.

My sites are at www.yananow.net and www.prostatecancerwatchfulwaiting.co.za

Dr

“Snuffy” Myers : " As a physician, I am painfully aware that most of the decisions

we make with regard to prostate cancer are made with inadequate data "