The Power of Love

I know my twin brother Walt doesn’t want to discuss his prostate condition much, but I will shout it from the roof top, “His PSA dropped from 240 to 7.4.” Now that is something to shout about!

His chemo is working and he will be trying more new and exciting experimental drugs soon. His doctors are trying to get a grant to pay for all the medications. I guess you could call him a guinea pig, but who cares. Prolonged breathing is a good thing, and everything he is doing will help science someday find a cure for prostate cancer.

I have sent e-mails thanking everyone who prayed and worked for Walt’s recovery. Many people have kept the faith and because of that, he has a fighting chance to live a longer and more meaningful life. I am sure he will crusade for early detection and be a part of the final cure.

Walt has also made the decision not to make our annual motorcycle trip to Durango, Colorado. His doctors have advised him not to go and brother is listening. His body is trying to fight off the cancer and the trip would only aggravate the situation. I am actually much relieved, to say the least. I plan to bring him back pictures of the Colorado high country and a neat T-shirt to boot. If I could, I would bring him back Colorado – but the locals may resist.

For you guys who think you are too tough for prostate exams, think again. You don’t want to go through the alternative. Butch up and get the exam and blood test that can save your life. If you can’t or won’t do it for yourself, do it for a loved one who will have a broken heart watching you succumb to this horrible cancer. Early detection means a long and fruitful life.

I know, something is going to get us in any case – just don’t let it be cancer.

Write on,

Mittster

Open Letters

These letters were not proofed or edited - they are from the heart.

Dearest Mitt,

I got a call from Laura yesterday and she told me about Walt. I called him after we got off the phone. I did not know you had emailed me because I'm such a baby about being on a computer that's not mine. Well, time to get over myself. I may even join Facebook cause people/family are contacting me.

Walt didn't seem to want to talk about it much so we talked about kids and unwanted drama.

I guess I am still in some shock. I don't know what to do except be with him when ever I can. My heart goes out to you Baw. I am stumbling around here trying to think of what to say and not doing to good. I love you Baw. I love you both no matter where our pasts have taken us.

Lord, I really miss Mom right now.

I will be checking my email at least 4 times a week when I'm at work until I can get something else set up so I have more access.

All My Love,

Sis

Sis,

Walt defiantly does not want to talk about his situation...remind you of someone we knew who passed from Melanoma? Right now he is in the present trying to deal with chemo and it's side effects. He is way passed removal or radiation. Walt and I are going to ride to Durango for Labor day. I am hoping the high country of Colorado will lift his spirits and perform magic.

My response has been to write blogs about why men should get a prostate exam once a year. Hell, mine was removed in 2000 and I still get a yearly check up for PSA. I ragged on your brother many times to get his checked, but, alas, he did it his way. He even lied to me and said he had the exam and that everything was OK. I knew he was not getting check ups, but what can you do? It's his life and I can't live it for him.

I have researched his type of cancer over and over and all I can say is that Prostate cancer is not curable. He will be taking a new and powerful drug that Medicare will pay for. The mean extended life span is four months. Can you believe the drug costs $73,000 for three shots? All that for a lousy four months! Walt goes in for another blood test next week to see if his PSA (a specific prostate enzyme)is lower. The optimum level is .04 - mine was 7.5 when it was removed and it took radiation to get it to .01. Walt's was 180 when he finally got it checked. It then rose to 240 in just a few weeks proving he had a very aggressive cancer. All ten biopsies were positive and the race was on to extend his life. We are now hoping his PSA has lowered with chemo treatments.

With all that said so that you know what he is dealing with, it is no wonder he doesn't want to talk about it. At first Walt didn't even want to tell his children. After much discussion, I finally got through to him how wrong that would have been. He called everyone and let them know what is going on...the watered down version. He asked me to contact you, which I did via e-mail. I guess I should have called you, but at the time all I would do is break down crying. I felt I should have done more to make sure he got a checkup. Of course that is nonsense, we both have always been independent and done everything the hard way.

There you have it, Sis.... There is nothing more I can say. The whole thing is left up to medical science and personal belief systems about God. I read everything I could about Dennis Hopper's death from Prostate cancer and came to the conclusion that Walt surely is going to leave us. I plan to call him everyday and be with him when I can. I just started two construction jobs in Sedona and the contractor is from Hawaii. My weeks are full because he depends on me totally. Last weekend I drove to Quartzsite to service our motor home and water trees, then straight to Walt's house for a visit, then back home to start Monday's new job. 800 miles later I felt like a Mac truck ran me down. God, getting old sucks!!

I hope all is well in your corner of the world....

Love,

Mittster (Baw)

$93,000 Extended Warrantee

Yes, that’s what it costs for adding a mean average of four months to the life of a man with stage four prostate cancer. The drug is Provenge and the company that sells it is Dendreon. According to my research, Dendreon has over a billion dollars invested in R & D for this drug. Maybe true, maybe not – the good news is that the treatment is approved by Medicare, and according to the attached link, Medicare picks up the total tab.

The treatment (unlike chemotherapy) has few, if any, side effects and may pave the way for a future cure of the cancer that is terminal the minute symptoms appear. This is a chilling statement – but true nonetheless. Only early detection bestows continued life. I am one of the fortunate ones; my prostate was removed before any symptoms could raise their ugly heads. My twin brother is not so lucky, and now he is fighting for his life.

It seems so unfair that we all work our butts off during our adulthood to beat the high cost of living, and then we must also work our butts off to beat the high cost of dying. But, no one ever said that life is fair, and all you have to do is look around planet Earth to know that it certainly isn’t.

Being a huge science buff, I have been fortunate enough to witness fantastic leaps in our human technologies. Being scientific and spiritual has enabled me to reconcile our existence when sometimes the concept of God is challenged by the horrible things that go on around us on a daily basis. I believe in technology, and in fact so much so, that I am sure it means human kind will continue to survive the monumental problems our planet faces in the future. I also know that prostate cancer will be cured someday by our technology. I can only pray that it comes soon enough to cure my brother. I know deep down in my heart that it won’t, but faith can move mountains.

So here I am yet again, guys, pleading and begging for you go to the doctor and get the blood test that can save your life. It may be too late for by bro, but it’s not too late for you. Get off your ass, put your macho bullshit in the closet, and get a blood test! There are people out there who love and depend on you. You don’t want this cancer and your loved ones don’t want to experience your death from a disease that can be treated when detected early.

I am saying,

Mittster

My Very Best Twin Friend

My identical twin, Walter, was diagnosed Wednesday, June 8, 2011, with prostate cancer after ten biopsies in ten different locations turned up positive. It was also discovered that his prostate gland was twice its normal size and there appeared to be lesions on the outside casing, which probably means that the cancer had spread to other parts of his body. He is now being scheduled for tests to determine the extent of the cancer. These tests will tell his doctor whether or not he can be operated on to remove the prostate gland.

I love him dearly and he knows that this blog may be instrumental in saving someone else the hardships he now faces. We both understand the consequences of cancer. We lost our stepfather to melanoma in 1980 and our mother to pancreatic cancer in 1996. It is a horrible and ghastly way to end a life, and the sad part is that most cancers can be cured with early detection.

The story of Walt and me concerning prostate cancer starts in the year 2000. During a yearly physical it was discovered that my prostate was enlarged and my PSA (an enzyme count that becomes elevated and can indicate cancer of the prostate gland) was 7.5, while .01 was considered normal for a man of my age. I was referred to a specialist and the decision was made to remove the gland. A year after the surgery my PSA started to elevate again and I was subjected to radiation treatments for six weeks. The PSA level dropped to .01 and has stayed there ever since.

Of course, I was concerned about my twin brother’s health after going through what was, at the time, a rather nasty surgery for me. I would call and beg him to get a physical and blood test. During visits to Tucson I would spend much of the time explaining why it was important for him to get a blood test and rectal exam. He would always promise that he would and during that ten-year period, he even assured me several times that he had had the physical and that everything was normal. It wasn’t until a month ago that I discovered he had not and was now having problems urinating, which leads us to the phone call I received from him yesterday. Now we are way past “should of, could of or would have” rhetoric…. To be continued

It is now June 17 and Walt goes in for a full bone scan and some kind of other test today because his MRI last Monday showed some spots on his lungs. I called him this morning and wished him well. I am a little miffed he didn’t call me yesterday about the lung thing when he found out, but now is not the time to hit him with additional crap. He is dealing with enough…. I do find it interesting that he still seems a little in denial. I know though that we all handle tragedy in our lives differently. Because he is my identical twin though, I can say with some certainty that I know how he feels because I feel it too. He wishes he had listened to his bro, but he also knows it is too late to cry over spilt milk.

I also know that he is apprehensive about the hospital pumping his blood vessels with radioactive gunk for the bone scan and another look at the lung spots. We laughed about the radioactive cocktail killing him instead of the cancer. It really wasn’t funny, but laughing seemed to help. He knows the worst is yet to come, but every time we talk he reiterates the fact that he will be going on a Harley run with me this September to Colorado. Oh, how I wish it will be true…. I made reservations for a three-night stay in Durango, Colorado, for the Labor Day holiday after hanging up with my brother. I made sure a copy of the confirmation was e-mailed to him also. Never discount the power of positive thinking…. To be continued

It is now Father’s Day, Sunday, June 19, 2011. I have been in contact secretly with our friend Nancy Bradley in California. She graduated with us from Escondido High School in California a million years ago. While Walt and I migrated out of California, Nancy ended up in northern California to become a bestselling author and a world renowned physic healer. I thought it appropriate to ask for her help in Walt’s time of need. She was, as always, ready to do whatever she could to help my brother and her friend. Here is my e-mail to Nancy and her amazing reply to my request:

Dearest Nancy,

I have a special request to ask of you. First of all, what I am about to tell you must remain confidential between you and I for the time being. Walt has acute Prostate cancer. After ten different biopsy of his prostate, all ten were cancerous. To make matters worse, he also has lesions that usually mean the cancer has spread outside the prostate case.

Tomorrow, Monday, he has a MRI and Friday he will have total bone scan to find out if and where the cancer has spread. If by chance the cancer is located only in the prostate, it will be removed post-haste. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body...well, that's a different issue.

I would like you to pray and work your magic for a healing. Walt knows only too well that instead of listening to his brother after my bout ten years ago, that he has waited way too long and that the prognosis is dismal. I know that there is great power in prayer and the more people who are praying for him, the better chance he can and will have to beat the odds. I will keep you posted concerning the tests, but in the meanwhile, he could use your healing powers and positive thoughts.

I knew before our class reunion in May that it was very important he make the journey to Escondido with me. I also knew that you and Larry might not have the chance to see him again, but I was unable to say anything to anyone about the symptoms he was having at the time. While at the reunion, he was able to bury old animosities and feuds. He now understands that life is not static and that people do indeed change. How he handles this situation is a road only he can travel, but having people like you and Larry praying for him is so very important.

I am sure by the end of next week he and I will know the extent of the problem. I also pray for the best, but fear the worst. He hasn't told his children or anyone else about this yet, which is as it should be. You know because you should, and he needs your behind the scenes help.

Thank you, dear lady....

Love,

Mitt


Hi Mitt,

Funny how minds meet, I just came to the computer to write to you to see if you were doing okay with the fires that are around you, and to offer my home to you your wife and your pets if you need to get out fast. That offer stands.

I will do my healing right away on Walt, but more so, I will also network his name out to over a million of my Truth In Healing practitioners across the world, simply by his FIRST name, which is all they need to do their job. He will be none the wiser. He is in my Prayer Box as we speak.

I lost my brother Bill to cancer a few years ago. It is not easy; he was a brilliant attorney and then very respected judge. Had he lived he would have been the judge on the Casey Dugard case.

If Walt has a bad prognosis, Larry and I will hopefully fly in and say hello. But, we are going for good news. Okay, this is going to be short, but I am networking out for everyone right now.

Love, N.

EXTREME ALERT!

Dear TRUTH IN HEALING PRACTITIONERS:

My dear high school friend Walt W. has advanced prostate cancer. Of 10 biopsy locations tested, ALL ten were cancerous. He is going in for an MRI Friday and a total bone scan to see if and where the cancer has spread. PLEASE help me in sending TRUTH IN HEALING and put this dear friend in your Prayer Box for recovery and good results! He is very dear to me. I do so appreciate all you do and the magic that we all do with great truth energy from the universe.

Thanks so much to you all,

Love, Nancy


What can I say? Nancy Bradley is the best friend anyone could ever have…. To be continued


June 24, 2011, has dawned like any other day, but today is different. Walt has had his entire list of tests completed and indeed the aggressive prostate cancer will not be denied. He is schedule to start hormone treatments next Thursday. We laughed because his doctor told him he will grow breasts after the treatment. At our age, they were starting to grow anyway! After that he will be subjected to a week of intense radiation treatments. He will not have the cancerous gland removed because it just doesn’t matter in the scheme of things now. Why spend a hundred thousand bucks to remove something that treatments are going to shrink to the size of a walnut anyway?

The prognosis is basically as follows: if he does nothing, he can expect to live two years – give or take a few months. If he has the treatments, his life may be extended greatly, providing the spots on his lungs and hip bones are not cancerous or that the cancer hasn’t spread to other vital areas. For the most part it’s a guessing game, but Walt plans to live life to its fullest while he can. I am sure we will make our motorcycle ride to Colorado in September and I swore on our twinship not to make fun of his three- wheeled scooter from Italy. “For God’s sake, brother, you got the cancer and you are worried about what people will think about your sissy motor scooter?” Crap, I already broke my pledge not to tease him!

I am looking forward to spending quality time with Walt. We go back a long way and share a multitude of identical twinship experiences, some so bizarre as to defy logic. Simultaneous dreams, sleep-walking together, waking up with each other’s clothes on, just to name a few. We have worked side-by-side in construction framing houses faster than any other crew because we did not need to talk about what we were doing – we would think about it and then work together to make it happen.

For the men out there who think going to a doctor is sissy stuff, listen up! Dying of cancer will kick your ass until you pray for death. I am reminded of a scene from “The Shootist,” John Wayne’s last movie before he died of lung cancer from smoking. James Stewart played the doctor and explained to Wayne’s gunfighter character (who had cancer) that he would not wish this death on anyone, not even his worst enemy!

For God’s sake, men of the world, put away your macho bullshit and get the physical. The life you save will be your own….

Write on,

Mittster

In a Nutshell

No pun intended guys, but your prostate is encased in a shell-like casing and once cancer gets outside of it, it’s all over but the crying. As we speak, I know someone who is suffering big time because they didn’t get a blood test and physical when they should have.

If you are over forty-five and have not had a blood test to see what your PSA (an enzyme that if elevated can indicate prostate cancer) level is, then you are playing Russian roulette. Why, you might ask? Because most men will develop prostate cancer later in their lifetime and it can and will kill you in an ugly way, that’s why!

I know, it is a slow growing cancer and we will probably die of something else first. That reasoning is pure, unadulterated bull poop. Yes, it is slow growing – at first. Once it gets out of the case, it can and will become an aggressive monster attacking lungs and bones. This is when you will wish the pretty nurse had taken those blood tests when you were younger.

I have a brother-in-law who lives in Louisiana (you know who you are), and I know he hasn’t had the test. For God’s sake, brother, you are over fifty. Don’t wait until it’s too late and your family has to watch you die a horrible death. It is not fair to them, but most of all, it is not fair to you. Fishing really gets good when you are older and healthy enough to catch the big ones

For all you mothers, wives, girlfriends, sons and daughters who know your loved ones have not taken the blood test, beat up on them long and hard. Accept no excuses, and whip on your man until he bleeds. Get him to a doctor by hook or by crook! I know you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Remember the carrot and the stick cartoons?

Well, get a fishing pole and tie a Budweiser to the string. Then lead him to the doctor…it will really work if you tie a six-pack and a centerfold to the string!

I’m just saying,

Mittster