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SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015
Us TOO Flor ence
My Prostate Cancer Journey — Part 1
et me start by saying that
prostate cancer runs in
my family with my
grandfather, father and a first
cousin all diagnosed with
prostate cancer. Because of
this I have been vigilant with
my health care. In spite of that,
my cancer wasn’t caught as
soon as it should have been.
I encourage everyone who
reads this to be proactive in
their health care. Do not pro-
crastinate because early detec-
tion is the key to recovery.
Education about prostate
health is readily available right
here in Florence. Attend one of
the two Us TOO Florence
Prostate Cancer Education and
Support Chapter meetings held
monthly. Call Bob Horney at
541-997-6626 for information.
My journey started In
L
B Y T OM W ILSON
CANCER SURVIVOR
Following is part of a series
of true personal stories about
men’s experience with prostate
cancer. These men tell their sto-
ries with the hope that they will
help someone else traveling the
same road.
California with a colonoscopy
in June 2004. The doctor noted
a nodule on my prostate and
recommended that I see a urol-
ogist.
On my visit with the urolo-
gist in November 2004, my
PSA was 2.8. On my next visit
in April 2005, my PSA was
3.96 and, in May 2005, I had
my first biopsy — which was
negative. I had three PSA tests
in the next 12 months, each
higher than the last.
In November 2006, I had my
second biopsy, which was also
negative. From March 2007 to
August 2009, I had six PSA
tests ranging from a low of 3.9
to a high of 6.0.
Since I was exhibiting some
of the classic symptoms of
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
(BPH), my general practitioner
started me on Avodart.
In December 2009, my wife
and I moved to Florence and I
was no longer under a urolo-
gist’s care. In July 2010, my
PSA was 2.5 and my GP here in
Florence didn’t feel that was
high. I had no idea that Avodart
would lower my PSA results by
half and that 2.5 was actually
5.0.
I had read many of the
prostate cancer journeys in the
Siuslaw News and thought
many times that I should attend
one of the local Us TOO
Florence meetings. If I had, I
would have found out that my
PSA should be doubled while
taking Avodart and would have
had the benefit of talking to Dr.
Bryan Mehlhaff, a urologist
from Oregon Urology Institute
(OUI) who attends the meet-
ings. I am certain that my can-
cer would have been caught
sooner and treatment would
have begun years sooner had I
not procrastinated in attending
these meetings.
I had the same GP from 2009
to 2013 with the following PSA
numbers: July 2011, 2.8; July
2012, 2.7; and July 2013, 3.9.
All of these numbers should
have been doubled. In July
2014, I was assigned a new pri-
mary care physician. My PSA
for that visit was 5.1 with a sus-
picious digital rectal exam. He
was the first to tell me that my
5.1 PSA was actually a 10.2.
He referred me to the Oregon
Urology Institute and on Sept.
4, 2014, I met with Dr. Walker
from OUI. He recommended a
biopsy and, on Sept. 24, 2014, I
had my third biopsy; this one
was positive.
The cancer was on both sides
of my prostate. Nine of the 12
samples were positive, with
seven having a Gleason Score
of 3+4 and two were 4+3.
On Oct. 6, 2014, I had a CT
and a bone scan. The tests indi-
cated that the cancer was prob-
ably not outside the prostate,
but weren’t conclusive.
On Oct. 14, 2014, I attended
my first Us TOO Florence
meeting. This was a very posi-
tive experience for me and my
wife, Karen.
We heard prostate cancer
journeys from men and their
wives who had experienced
them, and the support from the
group and Dr. Mehlhaff was
outstanding.
My journey will continue
next month.
CROW
A new retrospective exhibit
by Florence artist Gene Olson
is on display at Gallery One at
the Florence Events Center,
715 Quince St., during
January.
This show explores the
Olson’s transition from mainly
maritime subject matter to his
new field of interest, the
human being as an integral part
of nature.
The subject matter transition
also initiated a total change
from acrylic paints to water-
based oil paint, allowing Olson
to mix color more thoroughly
and to create softer edges.
Olson also has attempted,
over this period of time, to
incorporate stronger dark and
light spaces and the use of a
larger range of colors in each
space.
The approach to the human
subject is to explore softer rela-
This and other paintings by Gene Olson are on display at
the FEC gallery during January. (courtesy photo)
tionships between and in
spaces and less delineation of
the form.
Olson is a graduate of
Portland State University’s art
and education programs, with
advanced degrees in each area.
He has taught art in high
school, at the university level,
and served as a cultural direc-
tor for the city of Concord,
Calif.
from 1B
Heard said, “I keep saying
it’s like a nest. Like a home
away from home. We want to
make it truly a place where
the kids feel safe. If you go on
the website and look at our
mission statement, one of the
things that CROW strives to
do is provide safe educational
opportunities for kids in the
arts.”
Fleming agreed.
“I’d like to see us have
after-school programs all
through the year like we do
with camp. If we had a build-
ing, we could have a place the
kids could even walk to,” she
said.
Hundreds of students attend
CROW’s summer camp pro-
gram.
More than 1,000 students
attend CROW’s outreach per-
formances at Florence Events
Center. Each show, like the
upcoming “Once Upon a
Mattress,” includes around 50
students, with some of those
offstage and most of them act-
ing.
“CROW impacts a lot of
kids in different ways,” said
Heard.
That is along with the near-
ly 100 adult and community
volunteers who help CROW.
“So all under one roof
would be an amazing thing for
CROW right now,” Heard
said. “It’s been a challenge.
And we’re happy. And we’re
happily going forward because
we’re excited that we have
these challenges. How cool
that we have the success and
the track record that we have!
It’s based on the fact that it’s
Florence. And this is a great
community.”
Included with the upcoming
“Share Your Heart” fundraiser,
CROW also will need items
for the silent auction and vol-
unteers to seek donations from
local businesses.
To find out more about
CROW’s project, attend the
informational meeting on Jan.
17 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the
Bromley Room or contact
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COURTESY PHOTOS
CROW currently holds theater camps each year during
the summer for local youth at the Florence Playhouse.
Melanie Heard at 541-999-
8641. To learn more about
CROW, visit the website
www.crowkids.com.
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Olson retrospective featured at FEC