Cancer update

I am the cancer kid.  I have been having skin cancers removed since I was about 20.  And that has gradually got more frequent.  I now have that done nearly once a week. That is mostly done by a small local skin clinic and bulk-billed, so costs me nothing.  Nitrogen spraying gets rid of a lot of the bad bits and shave biopsies zap nearly all the rest.  As a frequent visitor I also get very friendly and courteous treatment there.  So having so many procedures does not get me down. I had a cancer underneath my left eyelid frozen last Friday.

I recently had a big operation for a cancer under my left jaw. In getting the tumor out, my left facial nerve was cut, despite the surgeon doing a lot to avoid that.  So there are now areas of numbness on my left face.  I have however had good recovery of function.  I don't have a sagging mouth or a crooked smile and I can eat and drink with no great problems. I do however have an itchy ear that we are working on and my left eye tends to get a bit watery outdoors. A pair of sunglasses helps that however --if I can remember to put them on!

I also have metastasized prostate cancer but it is controlled by an anti-androgenic injection once a month.  And that seems to be working well.  My most recent PSA score was 2.5, which is close to zero.  So my prostate cancer has shrunk, which is the desideratum.  The cost of the injections of "Firmagon" is interesting.  Each injection costs the government $400 but thanks to the PBS, I pay only $40.  So on the financial side, I have a lot to be thankful for.