THE QATSPY® Quapaw Avid Tailgate Sports & Performance Reporter
By: Charles W. Boatright, President of THE QATSPY®
Sec. Lloyd Austin was MIA in Awareness Opportunity– The Sec. Austin was admitted to the Hospital in December for a radical prostatectomy. That is the total Removal of the Prostate Gland when there is an moderate to aggressive Militancy.
In about the same time frame (Dec of 2023) as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was under going a radical prostatectomy surgery, that I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, as well. My diagnoses was confirmed after a biopsy where the Gleason Scale of the sample was 7, that is borderline. I will be having a radical prostatectomy in the coming months.
Even though I’m 66 years old, in my case, I have a high testosterone level that acts like an accelerator for cancer cell growth. I have made it my mission to let men know to get checked for Prostate Cancer with a simple PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) Test done during their annual exams and a possible biopsy procedure if they have an elevated PSA of 4 or higher.
The Biopsy Procedure for Prostate Cancer
The biopsy is like a colonoscopy procedure done under general anesthesia that takes about 45- minutes with only minor bleeding with temporary blood in the stool, sperm, and when you urinate that will go away within a week or so. I’m wondering if Sec. Lloyd Austin didn’t notified the administration of this procedure, as well, because of the general anesthesia that is required.
They don’t do radical prostatectomy without test results from a biopsy. I received a 8- page test results report from my biopsy where we could make the best medical decision based on that data. It takes a minimum of a month before radical prostatectomy procedure can be performed where the Prostate can heal and recover.
As part of my sportswear and performance business, I do fitness seminars for business and corporations along with my online store carrying sportswear, performance and aviation gear. So making my condition public is part of my fitness business and awareness for my readers. Because your health and fitness is your best fashion statement that you can have and the best investment that you can make.
I Understand the Desire for Privacy
I understand the Sec. Lloyd Austin’s desire for privacy, especially for men who are reluctant to talk about their Prostate health. But when you have a platform as does Sec. Austin has, you need to use that platform for the health of others.
Austin being a former general is all too aware of the importance on maintaining the chain of command and that he is in charged of the welfare of his troops. Sec Lloyd Austin had one of the best platforms to make the case for public awareness of Prostate Cancer being that he is black and he is in his 70’s. The reason that I mentioned Black, is that blacks (have 1 in 6) 33% higher insistence of developing Prostate Cancer than whites (having 1 in 8) chances.
Just a side bar note: There was nine (9) of us men that were scheduled for Prostate biopsies that particular day to be performed, out of those nine (9) of us, seven (7) of us were diagnosed with Prostate cancer!
Early detection is your best defense against Prostate Cancer. Please get your PSA Test done after age 45. Please don’t use the excuse that I’m too healthy and in too good of shape to have Prostate Cancer. At age 66, I’m in great shape, Even the Urologist couldn’t believe that the biopsy came back positive for malignant. From my health and fitness exam done in August of 2023, I had the health of a man in his mid-30’s.
Part of my Sportswear & Performance Business I do is Modeling
I do modeling as part of my sportswear and performance business. My normal exercise routine is for 45- minutes each day, 6-days a week in my gym with intense aerobic-cardio strength training to stay in shape for our photoshoots. I just have very basic exercise equipment. I don’t even take any prescribed medication at age 66; and I only take a multivitamin each day and eat healthily.
This photograph, below, was taken as part of our photoshoot we did on December 21st, of 2023 Safari Cockpit Collection and Aviation Gear.
After the photoshoot, I did an AB Challenge in our hangar for my new book on Diet & Fitness.
The medical field has NO ANSWERS on why or how men develop Prostate Cancer. The only thing they do know is that high testosterone levels can accelerate the abnormal growth of prostate cells that leads to cancer. This is a case where too much of a good thing can be harmful to you. This was my case.
I had an entire list of questions for my Urologist at the follow up office visit and neither my diet nor my exercise was an issue for me developing prostate cancer, or riding the bicycle or riding my INDIAN motorcycle.
Do Yourself a Favor (Guys and Gals) Start a Medical Journal
There was one thing in my medical journal that jumped out at my Urologist/Surgeon. It was an abdominal surgery that I had a decade prior. He was concerned about scar tissue from that surgery when he did his procedure. This one fact among many entries that helped my doctor/surgeon to take precautions when doing the robotic Laparoscopic procedure.
He was still surprised that I wasn’t on any prescribed medication at age 66.