Friends, Family, Encouragement & Concern

My many years of working in law enforcement and corrections revealed that the holiday season is a difficult time for many, not just those behind bars.

These are just a few thought to consider:

Contact someone you know who is struggling –
We often don't know what to say or do when someone is in crisis. A simple greeting or a card/letter may bring someone the comfort they need for that moment.

Take action -
Run some errands, bring a meal, help with their children, write down special memories, or give them a special gift.

Remain consistent -
The people who initially show concern decreases over time. Continuing contact, especially during holidays and special occasions helps bring folks the encouragement,  faith and hope they so often need during these times.

The open ear approach -
Many who try to help fall into the trap of only giving advice, or correcting the person’s thoughts and feelings. Be a listener and allow them to safely express their worries, frustration, anger, fear, sadness, etc. This helps them to feel secure and relaxed in your presence.

Be honest -
Many times those who are suffering, as well as their close family, become hyper-sensitive, so to speak. Be honest, they can ‘read’ you like a book. Seeing you twitch and squirm, though you feel as though you are hiding your awkwardness, telegraphs the fact that you don’t know what to do or say. Just be honest and remember … you only need to be there, you don’t need to say or do anything. The person is only seeking a few moments ‘away from it all’ to relax and be their old selves.

The best thing a friend said to me many years ago was simply, “Sometimes life just sucks!” He was honest, concerned, and above all, real.

Subtle Seeds

Ever think about the little things we allow ourselves to think, feel, allow, or do?



This is not the hopeful/mythical "Positive Thinking" sort of thing I am refering to, but related more to a habit/life-view choice.

We can change the habits we wish to change, as well as our personal views concerning a specific topic by considering alternatives and, sometimes, with the help of others.

Put ourselves in another pair of shoes, so to speak ... examine and research ALL options, not just some ... make life an exciting explorative adventure and treasure each day as unique.

Sow a thought,
Reap an action.

Sow an action,
Reap a lifestyle.

Sow a lifestyle,
Reap a destiny.


"Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. 
You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. 
Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure." -Psalm 39:4-5

Milk & Prostate Cancer

DOES MILK CAUSE PROSTATE CANCER?


Click above: This study shows that men who take in more than six glasses of vitamin D fortified milk per week have lower levels of vitamin D than those who take in fewer than two glasses.


(Oslo, Norway, Tuesday, 20 December 2011):
Drinking too much milk can cause prostate cancer.


There is new evidence reported demonstrating the relationship with Norwegians having the world's highest mortality rate from prostate cancer; each year losing seven times as many to the affliction than in vehicle accidents.

37 of 42 research studies on prostate cancer demonstrated a direct correlation between cancer and milk products; too much calcium being the apparent the cause.

Note: Norway does not add vitamin D to its dairy products as the US does and Norwegian consume a lot of milk products.

Norwegian web highlight of newspaper article from the newspaper VG.:
Å drikke for mye melk kan gi prostatakreft ...

Fading Shadows

Fading Shadows











            Fading shadows we wish to last,
            Days of skipping, laughing gone;
            Life's vainglories ever past.


            Pensive prisons sublime our past,
            Focal pains of dark days wrong;
            Fading shadows we wish to last.


            Keepsake boxes from memories past,
            Temporal joys now distant long;
            Life's vainglories ever past.


            Heartless times - Self's sorrows cast,
            Etched deep in mind like painful song;
            Fading shadows we wish to last.


            Thoughts from the dust of days blown past,
            We grasp for with hearts which time made strong;
            Life's vainglories ever past.


            In darkened stance our pangs hold fast,
            Binding us to selfish wrongs -
            Fading shadows we wish to last;
            Life's vainglories ever past.

Diagnosis

One already has a sort of feeling before the all-telling visit back to their doctor after what may have been a series of biopsies. Maybe you started clearing out boxes in storage, going through keepsakes to hand out to your children to ensure they get them, or you have taken those long surrealistic zombie-like walks you can't quite remember details about.

Being under observation for elevated PSA levels (prostate-specific antigen) since 2004 (or 2005) and having had 2 biopsies already, prepared me somewhat for the biopsy results of the "Third Time's a Charm" visit to my new urologist. I asked, he stated the results, onward we went ...

First, I will have some shots that he said will castrate me for a short time, not permanently - he meant they will cause impotence (I am in a english-as-a-second-language speaking country). No big deal ... no pun intended.

Second, will come the bone scan to determine if metastasis has occurred. so, now it's time for more of that underlying stress one attempts feebly to ignore while waiting for the appointment, tests and results to take place. Hopefully, nothing is in the bones - if tumors grow in the bones they eventually burst/break. I'm only suspicious due to the biopsies and the possibility of cells entering the blood stream these last 3 times over 6+ years. The joys of life! Or, is this the joys of death? Oh, well, maybe someone can write a cookbook or something.

Third, an MRI of the area(s) in question will occur. The doctor asked once more, he had previously questioned me about this, if I had metal in my body or was claustrophobic. I just watched Myth Busters demonstrate that a small RFID implant did not explode during an MRI, but I do not have one anyway, or metal, so I am safe. I have already experienced MRIs in the past and the only problem is listening to that bang, bang, bang chatter going on as the machine performs its function.

Fourth, will be the radiation treatments. The doctor said x-rays, but I figured out what he meant. It was understandable because in this country they use the name of the discoverer (Röntgen i.e. Röntgen ray) rather than a pseudo-science fiction sounding "X-Ray" title.

Enough for my December 19, 2011 visit for now.  Anyone in for skydiving lessons? Or, better yet ... the flying wing suit!

Like my late father used to say, "Cheer up, things could be better!"

Prostate Cancer

   Prostate cancer, the Big C, Going the way of all the earth, and all of the other references one hears relating to cancer still don’t define its effects on life, thought, direction, etc.
   19 December 2011 was the official date of my report related to my third biopsy, which all began back in 2005 with an elevated PSA level in a blood test that the best doctor I have ever had, Torgny Syrstad, gave me as a new patient of his.
        (My PSA levels in '05 were c. 4.5, then 6.5-7 until summer 2010 they reached 8.0. 1 year later it was c. 14 - and the 3rd biopsy was done.)

1 man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.
Only 1 in 34 will die of it.
c. 1.8 million men in the United States are survivors of prostate cancer.

Every 2.25 minutes a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Every 16.5 minutes a man dies from the disease.


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Prostate Cancer, Cancer, The Big C, PSA, PSA levels, Prostate Specific Antigen, DRE, Digital rectal examination, prostatakreft, prostata, kreft, Norge, Norway, Biopsy, Biopsies, Seminoprotein, kallikrein-3, KLK3, prostate gland, psa, cancer, men, protease, prostatectomy, cancer surgery, radiation treatment, MRI, bone scan,  CT scan, X-ray, Untrasound, Bill Bixby, Frank Zappa, Jerry Orbach, prostate adenocarcinoma, surgery, radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, proton therapy, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, cryosurgery, high intensity focused ultrasound, Dexamethasone ZERO, chemotherapy, Prostate Cancer Foundation, Ketokonizol, Lupron, Nilandron, Atrasentan, Zometa, Abiraterone XL 184, HIFU.