About Me

I’m just a regular guy who loves to travel but, in November 2010, started an unexpected journey into the world of prostate cancer—something none of us would care to do.

A Midwesterner by birth (Chicago area), I was able to travel around the world while serving as an officer in the United States Navy for twelve years.  Visits to places like Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and even a free trip to the Persian Gulf for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm were all part of the package.  After the Navy, work and vacations took me to parts of Europe. Here at home, I’ve driven through all 50 states and 8 Canadian provinces.

In 1993, my chosen career path in the Navy was being impacted by the end of the Cold War, and I opted to take a buy-out package and returned to the Midwest.  After returning to school and earning my graduate degree, I landed in southeastern Indiana at a company that manufactures hospital beds.  Little did I know that I’d be lying in one of our beds a few years later.

As a gay man living deep in the closet while in the Navy, and with the closet door barely cracked open in rural Indiana, I found myself going through life solo most of the time.  When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I was on my own.  There would be no significant other to be there for support, or to be equally impacted by the diagnosis.  That’s why some of my posts talk at length about making preparations prior to the surgery—I knew that I had to be relatively self-sufficient as quickly as I could shortly after the surgery.

I come from a small family, and there was little history of prostate cancer.  My paternal grandfather was diagnosed with it when he was in his 80’s, and my father died at age 69 and he had never had any issues with PSA.  So my being diagnosed at the age of 52 during an overdue physical exam was a complete surprise.

Having first-hand knowledge from other prostate cancer patients was invaluable to me, and my intent behind this blog is now to help increase awareness, educate others, and to allow newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients to have an insight into one man’s journey through the diagnosis and life after treatment.

Dan

When I’m not blogging about cancer, I am blogging about my real travels or about the wonders of my adopted home of San Diego, California or playing with my photography. Click on the images below to learn more:

10 thoughts on “About Me”

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  4. Clark Fishback

    I just found your blog, not in the top 50, but in the top 10 and thought I would take a read. Woo hoo, you a lot of interesting stuff that I am going to read through. I took your salvage radiation survey because that is where I found myself 5 years after RP and, I will admit, that I now thing about it more than I used to. Probably like most people who have had SR and Hormone therapy I mostly just wonder if it will come back yet again. So blogs like this are a good place to start to see how folks are doing and what they also think.

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  5. Manuel Salas

    Dan,

    It is amazing that you share this with us and I wish you the best in the journey.

    Had RP Nov 2018 Gleason 7 (4+3) both nerves spared no invasion. I was 49

    First PSA came at 0.02 and then made the mistake of going to a different lab (different country) just this week for my second one… have a 0.12.

    I won’t be able to repeat in the original lab for 2 weeks. My doctor seems relaxed and mentioned ranges among assays. I am not sure why but I am not concerned!

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    1. Hi Manuel,

      Thanks for your comment and kind words. I’m glad to hear that you’ll be able to get retested at your original lab. There are enough variables to deal with, and throwing different labs into the equation doesn’t help.

      All the best,

      Dan

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  7. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, Dan. Generous people like you have inspired me to go public with my cancer journey as well in the hope that it might help someone. All the best to you in travels and life.

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    1. Hi Frank,

      Sorry for the delayed response. It’s been a busy week with a little travel and catching up.

      I’m glad my story was of use to you, and I can understand how the decision to share or not is a very personal one. Initially, I started this because I wasn’t on social media and used this to inform my family (who were physically distant from me), but then it morphed and grew into whatever it is today.

      I wish you all the best!

      Dan

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