F*@K Cancer, Grab Life! In 2017, as we prepared our trip to visit Clive’s family in Europe, we got news from the Doctor that Clive had aggressive prostate cancer. When we received the information, I remember hugging Clive and letting him know that whatever happens, we are in this together! I didn’t want to believe the Doctor, and my mind immediately went down a dirt road. I had to snap myself out of it and say he’s going to be okay. The Dr. informed us he will need to get a bone scan and CT scan to ensure Cancer has not spread to other areas in his body. The scary thing about Cancer is that even though you may feel healthy, full of energy, and overall terrific, you can have something so horrible as Cancer festering in your body. I took this news particularly hard, as any significant other would. I’m usually very good at communicating how I feel, but I buried the pain I felt and tried to be supportive and strong. Luckily the Cancer did not spread to his bones or lymph nodes, and we were able to schedule a new treatment in the US called HIFU. HIFU stands for High Intensity Focused Ultra-sound and Clive was familiar with this treatment because his father had the procedure in France roughly 18 years ago. The procedure went very well for Clive, and he recovered in no time. We had to wait a year to determine whether or not the surgery was a success. In the meantime, we continued to get blood work done and monitored his PSA levels. He changed his lifestyle drastically by eating a Paleo diet, consulting with an Herbalist, and juicing several times a day.
In the meantime, Clive’s Tiki Bar and Hotel business sold, and he decided to buy a Catamaran and embark on a lifelong dream of exploring the world by boat. Instead of continuing to dance with hesitation, Clive used his diagnosis as an excuse to live the life he always wanted. We went down to Fort Lauderdale and then Miami to look at different boats. He decided on the Fountaine Pajot Helia 44. Is this really happening? “Yes, now we have a year to prepare!”
In the Fall of 2018, Clive had a follow-up biopsy to determine how successful the HIFU treatment was. We quickly found out the HIFU treatment eradicated the Cancer in the area that was treated. Unfortunately, the other side of the Prostate progressed, and Clive’s number jumped from a 6 to an 8 on the Gleason scale. Oh no, here we go again! Soon we found ourselves back in the Doctor’s office getting another bone scan and CT Scan. Did the Cancer spread? What does this mean for the plans we’ve made? Hundred of questions went through my head, and then I felt numb. In the week spent waiting for the results, I felt like a walking/talking zombie, not quite sure what was going on.
I found myself working out at the park with tears rolling down my face. Actually, I found myself crying in the car, in the shower, on the phone with family, and so on. To this day, I still can’t fully verbalize how it has affected me. Maybe vocalizing how I feel is something that happens over time once I can fully process it. All I know is that life will go on regardless of the news! We waited by the phone like a teenage girl waiting for a call, just sitting and staring at the phone. We finally received word from the Dr. that the Cancer did not spread to other areas in his body. Thank you, Lord! Clive went ahead and scheduled another HIFU treatment for the end of November with hopes it will eradicate the Cancer once and for all.
When Clive was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, it shook up our world! We quickly realized there’s no better time to live our lives than in the present moment. Things happen in life that are out of our control. We can’t prepare ourselves for some of the many tragic events that occur, but we can choose how we react to them. “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.” Wayne W. Dyer. Unfortunately, most of the time, we dwell on our life’s negative aspects when we should focus on being grateful for what we do have. We all have one life to live, and I choose to be happy! You don’t have to go to the extreme of selling your home, leaving your job, getting rid of your belongings, and leaving everything familiar to you behind. It can be something as simple as exploring the area you live instead of binge-watching a TV show or just connecting with someone new. Cancer has undoubtedly changed my life, and it quickly becomes the #1 cause of death in the United States. If you get one thing from this, please go get checked or tested, especially if you haven’t quite been feeling yourself. Who knows, you may save a life!