7th August 2012 - If you have ever been potholing or wondered about a coffin that is too small for you …. Meet the MRI machine!

7th August came and I now know that I do not like confined spaces. The scan lasted about 40 mins in total, about 30 mins in the machine - I nearly panicked. By the way, I took my own music in for them to play for me over the headphones. I took the Bee Gees Album of hits. "New York Mining Disaster" wasn't the best tune to be in a confined space suffering an anxiety attack!.

I was so glad to get out of that machine.

Post the MRI I spoke with Bupa, checked the NICE recommendations and now know all about Active Surveillance. I have read Ralph H. Blum and Mark Scholz, MD's brilliant book, Invasion of the Prostrate Snatchers. Ralph refused to have his prostate removed and went on surveillance for years – but I don’t think I could have done what he did. Also the various treatments he had to slow down his cancer. Not my cup of tea. Also, Ralph was older than me when diagnosed.

August I read the third edition, of Dr Patrick Walsh's , Guide to Surviving Prostrate Cancer.
This is almost a bible for prostate cancer suffers and I would recommend this book to everyone as it has all the treatments inside, in easy reading format and technical. Use it like a reference book. Its an important book as this chap was the leading surgeon who invented the new procedures that stopped men dying on the operating table