Almost 8 months after my radical prostatectomy, 11 months after my diabetic diagnosis, 22 kg lighter, gout flare-ups, and almost 16 months after my early retirement, I am still grasping the reality of it all and how my initial plans for retirement somewhat got all dashed post-diagnosis. From here the ongoing rebuilding of myself including a strict diet that sometimes make no sense continues…amid the challenges.
In a nutshell; my diet of whatever I can eat as a diabetic is prohibited for a (prostate) cancer survivor; whatever food is ideal for the cancer survivor can be an ordeal for a person with gout issues and I already have suffered 3 debilitating inflammations with that. The first major flare-up started just 10 days after my radical prostatectomy. I found myself in a circuitous cycle so vicious from my restricted diet that the 6 to 7 months after the operation had left me so exhausted both physically and mentally. The internet also wasn’t helping much either due to the polarity of different views that didn’t leave me much with hope, regardless of them being from MDs, PhDs, or any other Ds.
The 3 dieticians of whom I have spoken to and explained my issues never called back. They totally went MIA on me.
I am now left on my own defences. Probably by instinct, common sense and mindfulness on how the body feels will be the guiding factor. Life is not just the quantity of years we have but also the quality and there is not much point to it at the absence of the latter.
Despite everything that has happened, I am not without gratitude for this second shot at life.
Briensaw's Blog 
