Prostate cancer begins like this ...

You know that feeling of impending doom that comes when the sun is shining the most brightly? Well I didn't have that at all. Not a jot. My whole thing was a doctor visit to check out some irregular heartbeat which vanished straight after he put me on a 24-hour ECG and told me I would live for ever.

If it had stopped there then I'd be none the wiser and none of this would be happening ... yet. But, no. What occurred was that he said, bright and perky like, "I think we'll just take some blood tests, though. Just as a precaution." Yup - no problem. I have visions of perhaps there being thyroid issues, blood sugar levels, who knows what ... "Oh, and I'll tick the PSA one while we're at it - man of your age ... etc, etc."

Fine. I'm cool with that. The pretty little oriental trainee doctor sitting in with him smiled reassuringly so, well, all must be OK, huh? Off I went and had the tests and a few days later there was a call to visit the doctor for the result. Different doc this time - German guy. Very nice he was. "So, your tests results are back and all is fine ... " Oh good. "... except your PSA is slightly elevated. It's 4.9 and it should be 3 or below."

A distant sound of thunder. Must be my ears.

"I just want to check your prostate." Oh, good-ee. "If you don't mind slipping onto the bed with your trousers and knickers down and your legs up to your chest ..." Nothing I like better. "Just relax ..."

You know whenever medics say that, it's going to be uncomfortable at best or fooking painful at worst. This was in the uncomfortable department and he broddled about for a while until he snapped off the gloves and said, "OK, you can get dressed now." Wiping the slime off my bum, I got back into my trousers and sat, stickily, in the chair, awaiting his verdict.

"Your prostate is slightly enlarged, but quite smooth - nothing to worry about, I'm sure. A larger prostate tends to give a higher PSA reading so all could be normal, but ..."

Oh-oh. Here it comes.

"I'd just like to make sure. If you don't mind, I'm going to refer you to the Urology department on a fast track. You'll get a letter and it will say 'cancer' on it - but that doesn't mean anything. I'm fairly sure you're OK, but I want to be certain."

OK. This guy was the first in a list of people who just started out to save my life.

UPDATE - 8/1/17
The same doctor just phoned me to apologise for the delay in providing a medical certificate for insurance purposes. He saved my life! I continue to thank him ...