Happy Thanksgiving!

Mom said she was going to be really busy on Thanksgiving. So she is posting this for me now!
Happy Thanksgiving early! Love Petey

Winter fun!

Snowboarding

Family Caregiver Month

November marks the start of National Family Caregivers Month, a month designed to recognize and honor caregivers across the country. We're thankful everyday for the caregivers dedicated to helping the men in their lives during their prostate cancer fight. Linda Hoetger is one of those people.

"[My wife Linda and I have] gone through this now for five plus years, and I couldn’t have done it without her. She inspires me and I inspire her, we’ve been a team for almost 32 years. We do it together." Hear Linda's story: The Hoetger's

Ashland, Ohio 2016

North College Hill, Ohio 2016

Petey!!

Petey did not pay attention that there was a game going on when he stormed the field for pictures!

Movember 2016

Yesterday morning IEaston is doing Movember. In 2013 I had the first Certificate written for Movember here in Ohio. So I  requestrd 5 copies from Governor Kasich's office. I received them when the mail was delivered today. I am blessed in so many ways!

Petey showing support!

He loves his State Representative! Just one simple Tweet and the rest is history.

Maple Heights, Ohio 2016

Our Journey

A couple of weeks ago my husband had an appointment at the Cancer Care Clinic at Wright-Patterson AFB. Last year in August the Doctor stopped the Hormone Therapy that he had been doing for 6 years. The doctor said he was confident that the prostate cancer in the lymph nodes was gone. And suggested to stop the Hormone treatments. Easy for him to say right! Well we took his advice with much hesitation and stopped the treatment. And advised if the PSA starts to rise he will resume treatment.

Every three months my husbands has the PSA test! There is much controversy with this test but until there is some thing else this is all we have. Waiting for the results is also hard as there is so much anxiety until the results are in.

One year later the doctor reports that the PSA is still Undetectable and see no reason to return for a check up for another year. Continue the PSA tests and if it starts to rise come back and they will resume treatment.

Though my husband shows No Evidence of Disease (NOD) we still continue in fight to raise awareness. We are the parents of four sons, and grandparents of two grandsons. my husband is grandfather of three grandsons our two and grandson from a previous marriage. In the time that we started our Journey we have met so many families who are battling prostate cancer as well. Many we share the Anniversary of their Survivorsary and morn the passing of their loved ones with them.
  

Coming Soon

It is truly a bless to know that the support is growing for raising awareness for prostate cancer. 

Maple Heights, Ohio

North College Hill, Ohio

Ironton, Ohio 2016

Coshocton, Ohio 2016

Senator Bacon

Today I had a meeting with Senator Bacon. He thanked me for all my hard work on such an important issue of prostate cancer.

Harrison, Ohio 2016

ZERO Run/Walk Cincinnati, Ohio

Ken Griffey Sr. was at the Run/Walk in Cincinnati today. Ken is an 11 year Survivor of Prostate Cancer. While talking with Survivors today I met one who has been on his Journey for 26 years! We need to have more men speak up and tell their Journey!

Flag over Capitol Hill!

 I received the Flag today from September 28, 2016. For our 33rd Wedding Anniversary and To Honor those fighting and lost their lives from Prostate Cancer. I requested a Flag from Congresswoman Beatty to be flown over Capitol Hill. Thank you to ZERO The End of Prostate Cancer, Matt Marks, and the Capitol Hill Officer for taking the picture of the Flag waving in the wind! Thank you Congresswoman Beatty also for requesting it for us!

I have met and lost so many friends from Prostate Cancer it is hard to hear that one of our fiends has passed for this horrible disease. Or to find out that one of our friends has Joined the Club that No Man wants to join. This is my way of letting you know that You are not ALONE In your fight. (((Prostate Cancer Community)))

Bratenahl, Ohio 2016

Wife/Caregiver

This is my story through Caregiver perspective

The Work Continues

Prostate Cancer Awareness month might be over but for the Prostate Cancer Community the work continues. Currently there still is not enough done or said about prostate cancer. We do not have the full support of the Media. There needs to be more Survivor, Caregiver, and family stories shared. I share my Journey with prostate cancer as a caregiver at different events. 

  

On June 19, 2009, my husband was 56 years old and diagnosed with an aggressive from of prostate cancer. He is also the first generation diagnosed in his family with two younger brothers with no known history of the disease. It was hard enough hearing that my husband has prostate cancer and I never want to hear those words in our Golden years of life. The moment when I heard those words, it felt like I hit a brick wall full force. After realizing, that this was not a nightmare or a horrible dream, and that there was no waking up from it. The shock was starting raise its ugly head as well. There were so many questions running through my head that to this day I still have no answers! The doctor explained all the options for treatment. Seven years ago, today he chose to have a prostatectomy. We were hoping for good news that the cancer had not escaped the prostate. Unfortunately that was not the news that I heard from the surgeon. It has escaped the prostate to the lymph nodes. We knew the risks of the surgery, but he chose life over death. Since his surgery, he has a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test every three months. During this waiting period, it is so stressful for both of us. The results return that it is still undetectable and a sigh of relief for now. Until there is another test, available this is all we have and I will continue to advocate for the PSA. Other critical facts with this disease we are the parents of four sons, grandparents of two grandsons, my husband has a grandson from a previous marriage. One of our grandsons has prostate cancer on both sides of the family and is Bi-racial. 1in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Therefore, as you can see with all these men in my life these are more reasons to why I will continue to fight to raise awareness I never want our sons to have to utter those devastating words to their wives or children

My husband is a Veteran and there is a high possibility that the prostate cancer is Agent Orange related. He applied to the Agent Orange Board and informed that since he never stepped Boots in Vietnam he does not qualify for compensation. He was a firefighter in the Air Force in the early 70’s. While he stationed in England, the fire station received a call that there was a Semi on fire filled with barrels. This is where my husband may been exposed to Agent Orange and was what the cause for action. He attended the interview with the Board and this is where it all went wrong. The interviewer asked if he stepped boots in Vietnam. No boots on the ground. It is impossible to have come in contact since you were never in Vietnam. Then he proceeded to inform the interviewer of the fire. This response was priceless! What color were the barrels? Were they orange? No, they were Black! Well since they were not orange, how do you know it was Agent Orange? Well they do not call the fire department out before the fire to see what color the barrels are. Final outcome Denied!! Later while doing research to find out more I found a website that there was Agent Orange on bases that it was stored on and stationed at during his career. Therefore, this also leads me to believe that it is possible he encountered Agent Orange. I have the list of bases that it was stored at and will fight to help my husband and others who never stepped boots on the ground in Vietnam. I know that if he ends up qualifying for compensation it will help with the medical treatments, medications, and incontinent supplies that he is taking/using to help with the side effects from the prostate cancer. The way that I look at it we can deal with the ED and incontinence as it is better than the other outcome of this horrible disease. DEATH! I do not want to be a Widow at 53, we still have our Golden Years ahead of us.

    

Enon, Ohio 2016

Garfield Heights, Ohio 2016

Twitter

Check out @zerocancerrun's Tweet: https://twitter.com/zerocancerrun/status/785482530023616513?s=09

Urbancrest, Ohio 2016