Hi gang. I was sitting here realizing that my wife and I are, well, boring....so am asking. What have you done different since being diagnosed? I think maybe it's just where i live LOL! This isn't a bucket list request, more like a GREAT WAY to SPEND afternoons/evenings while kicking this thing down the road.
List of fun/interesting things since ... - Advanced Prostate...
List of fun/interesting things since being diagnosed
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Maleko808
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Fishing, hunting and anything outdoors. Chasing whitetails currently these November days. Won't be long and will be icing the walleye and crappie. I built a sugar house this summer and looking forward to the sap flowing this spring to make maple syrup. Great family fun. Doesn't have to be anything new, just keep feeding your passions..... it's fuel for your soul.
in reply to Dayatatime
Maple syrup and walleye, sounds fantastic!! Enjoy!
Thanks Nalakrats! I knew you had some great ideas. I think the full time gardening will be interesting in Northern Utah, but I bet I can get some herbs up for cooking classes.
Thank you for asking this question!
The most radical thing I did within a year of initial Dx was to get out of the corporate rat race that I had been in for 34 years and switch careers to something that gave me the flexibility to take care of myself and my father, and spend more time with my wife and family and friends. I also upped my game with respect to exercise. I am "practicing" for retirement by volunteering in a couple of different areas; this is helping me narrow my focus to things I really enjoy doing. I think spending time doing things that give me pleasure is a great gift of being self-employed in a field that also enables me to help others. And I am fulfilling a promise made to my wife that we would travel more, within the USA and internationally.
in reply to tallguy2
Great job escaping from the rat rat..
Travelling sounds great.
We pulled up our roots and moved to Florida. Got chased out of there by Hurricane Irma and settled nearer our children in N Georgia. It has been interesting but I won’t recommend all the moving as finding good doctors is a pain in the arse.
We are boring, too. We are currently addicted to the game Rummikub that we play often with friends or just the two of us. We just call it the game.
When we get really bored we spend a week in Atlanta and then can’t wait to get back to our boring life in small town GA.
You would win the award for the "most honest" answer, hands down. No competition really 
Cheers, mjbach.
Until recently, we travelled a lot more. We visited our seventh continent—Antarctica—nearly two years ago. Travel has become more difficult, so we’re sticking closer to home these days.
in reply to YostConner
Great that you did so much traveling... Must of seen some wonders. I ve done so little travel compared to your seven but I never forget any foreign destination that I’ve travelled.. The alps , Italy , French food , wow! Memories not in the cards for me either from here on .. Peace Yost✌️
Recovering from chemo means trying to get back to my normal (?) existence. Hitting the gym as much as my medical appointments allow. And getting out to the rifle range to blast innocent targets with my flintlock musket. If you've never shot a flintlock, you have missed one of life's great thrills!
in reply to Stegosaurus37
Hope that you heal up well through this season .. I’d like to shoot that flint lock.. how big a slug is it??
I have a .50 caliber flintlock that I need to dust off!
Dust off your knowledge about shooting flintlocks as well. Make sure your gun isn't loaded. Black powder doesn't degrade and you may have a loaded weapon. I misspoke about my patch; it's actually .05. Damn typo. Shooting flintlocks? Lots of smoke, lots of noise, get your hands filthy dirty - what's not to like?
Flint sharp, powder dry.
I shoot a replica 1777 Charleville, the same thing the French carried when they came to help us in our Revolution. It's 69 calibre and I use a .672 ball (that's .672 inches diameter) with a .005 patch. 70 grains of ffg powder gives me some great groupings at 50 yards. I've tried different loads (Pederasoli has proof tested it to 100 grains) but 70 grains seems to work best. Please!! Do NOT shoot a muzzle loader (or any other firearm) unless you have had competent instruction. And NEVER use modern smokeless powder. You can kill yourself.
If that King George wants to send his redcoats over here again, I'm ready.
last time I shot my .45 Hawken flintlock the bullet somehow collided with a wild boar...he was delicious - LOL!
We’re super boring due solely to my lack
Of energy..I’m putting in a bocci ball court .. in my front yard.. We live in nature away from any town out in the Sonoran desert of Az. Nice this time of year but summers we head to the Rockies. We like camping and biking.
Cactus-Jack in reply to
Got a bocci ball set & live in AZ. How far from Phoenix?
in reply to Cactus-Jack
Not too far. Picacho exit then into the desert 20 minutes n . Of Tuc. It may be 2hrs , depending which part of Phoenix.,Bocci court rudimentary but joyful .Come down and walk around the Owl Head butttes in our back yard. You’ll fit right into our giant cacti forest. Scott🌵
Cactus-Jack in reply to
Just may take you up on it some day. Right now feel like crap from Provenge and Xtandi. I am about 3 hrs away in NW corner of valley by not far from Lake Pleasant.
in reply to Cactus-Jack
Whenever you feel up to it . We love to show off our desert.. Saw last week a plane dove into pleasant.
Lavender is good stuff.
We found that watching Comedy central at night during our winter months made the time pass. We have our own business and are constantly very busy with that. We try to get away for a weekend within South Africa at least once a month. (We used to travel overseas alot because my husband was a pilot but is retired now). He had a break inbetween two different chemo treatments. We drove straight from the doctor's rooms, to the airport and booked seats to Hong Kong. We had 4 nights away and had a blast. We try to go and eat out but there are only certain things hubby can eat so it restricts us a bit. Now that it's summer here, we try and go out for the day on a Sunday. We have to keep living our lives the best way we can and so must you.
in reply to Ldb01
South Africa, comedy , and living our best.. wonderful..
Hi Maleko808. Diagnosed in Feb 2018 so had to abandon plans for two trips (one to Indonesia and the other to Germany / Canada / Iceland - from Australia where we live) in order to do chemo from April to July.
We were also supposed to go to Zambia in August, but we were able to postpone that until September / October, when we spent 5 weeks touring around, camping in a 4x4 with a rooftop tent, chasing wildlife with my camera. Next week we leave on a 16 day cruise on a small ship going to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu where we'll visit villages, snorkel, and take walks / short hikes. So, as you can see we're still doing what we love to do ..... travel.
In between times at home, we're gardening (big garden, difficult soil to dig) and very much enjoying getting together with our friends and our extended family with grandkids. I've been walking when it's not too hot, but in the past few weeks I've started going to an exercise physiologist 3 times a week instead (in air conditioning - phew!) and it's been good. Cleaning the pool and stopping it from going green in our tropical weather also keeps me entertained, but at least cool. My wife keeps a running list of things that we need to do around the house and I swear the list never gets any shorter .... haha. Finally I take photographs, read books and magazines, do sudoku and crosswords, watch TV and Netflix for downtime enjoyment. Ahhh, I also have to admit that occasionally I've been known to have a cat nap or two in the afternoon, but not often .... honest : )
My advice would be to do as much as you can of what you like and what's good for you. Stay positive, enjoy being alive.
I love Australia! Been there once, keep talking about it. Nothing like taking a dip in the pool by the ocean, hopping a boat to somewhere by Sydney, and just strolling in the evening. Only met 1 person who wasnt fun, and he was a fellow yank.
Sydney, like all the other Aussie capital cities, is special - each in their own way. We however live in the far. far north in Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory - a very sparely populated area - 1/6 of Australia's land mass with only 250 000 people and about that many saltwater crocodiles as well !! At this time of year, The Wet, it's hot and humid - picture 35 degrees C and 70+ % humidity, but beautifully green and tropical. The other half of the year is The Dry with almost the same temperatures - daytime low maybe 28 - 29 degrees C and no rain, so humidity very low. Probably the best time to visit if you don't like the humidity. Minimum nighttime temperature of 18 decrees C and we're putting on sweaters.
So our climate makes doing the outdoor exercise we need to do, something of a challenge at this time of year. Hence swimming (but not in the sea in The Wet because of deadly jellyfish - sounds like a great place to live right? - trust me it's the best), or exercising in an AC gym, cleaning the pool (just for fun), gardening in the rain are all options. But hey, life's good and it's never as cold as Canada or Germany where we are originally from. Cheers
Aw, I can picture it now! In fact I am just now closing my eyes, feeling the cooler evening breeze, the splash of salties fighting over whatever scrap of food landed in their territory, the beads of moisture dripping of my brow. Ok, some of this is in jest but your description of Darwin does sooth the soul. Thank you for this, I am truly grateful. Cheers.
in reply to hansjd
You have a full and rewarding life... I appreciate your drive and positivity.
We love Australia too...been there 4 times (Queensland, NSW, SA, and Tasmania) but not to the NT. It's on the list for our 2020 trip.
You may well have seen more of OZ than some locals : ). You'll enjoy it here, especially in the Dry ( May - August) if you like the outdoors (crocs, fishing, Kakadu, Uluru, King's Canyon, dazzling night skies), history (bombing of Darwin, NT Museum), culture (night markets, day markets - 52 nationalities here) and pretty much we're all friendly : ). Hope you make it !
Thanks to your post we are planning two weeks in the NT in 2020! We saw crocs and those jellies in the Cairns area and the Whitsunday Islands of Queensland...they are not for me. The rest can be quite good I think. I love the history...the Battle of the Coral Sea was the first time our two countries came together against a common enemy and its been mostly good ever since. We may also try the train from Adelaide to Perth (NOT when it 45 degrees C) so we can stop half-way and really see "the outback." Although the NT seems to have plenty of its own.
As they say here, 'Good on ya, mate!' Yes definitely lots of outback up this way. Some beautiful crocodile free swimming too. Check out Litchfield Park, Gunlom Falls, Mataranka Hot Springs, and lots more. Hey, maybe I need to get a job with NT tourism ... lol.
Burnett1948.We did that trip in 2017. We enjoyed staying a week inAlice Springs and seeing everything. A week in Darwin was good too. Recommend you get the biggest room on the train.
I have worked all over the world. I have taken my wife with me to Brazil, Chile, and Argentina as well as Dubai and Africa. We live in the beautiful Colorado Mountains. We ski, play golf and fish here a little and do cookouts with friends in the mountains. When we get restless, we travel. Heading to Mexico next week to fish in the ocean, play on the beach and play a little golf. Hard to leave now as the skiing is good early. I work out regularly and just try to ignore any physical problems.
Yep, we got a good dump of snow this past week, more coming. Maybe we will just go up and sit in lodge!
in reply to SUPERHEAT12
Pray for snow and OLe’ catch many fish..
Gardening and photography and reading, plus I reduced stress in a major way by firing my last three freelance editorial clients so I could spend more time woodworking and Woodturning. Very relaxing and always interesting. Plus I joined a woodworker club for the fellowship, and intend to start attending lectures at our local college... that is after we get back from our Mexico beach vacation. Makes me wonder how I ever found time to hold a job!
Woodwork is therapeutic. We still hoping to a Mexico/Carribean cruise in December. Dr gave us time between the next two chemos to enjoy Christmas and New Year. We love Mexico
in reply to Johnkelsey
Awesome
Inbetween my dads radiation treatments & hormone shots (he’s 72 yrs old), he really got back into walking. He started walking in the mornings. Then he would see various races/marathons in his area & sign up as a walker. My younger sister joined him for one of them. Now he’s got several pairs of fancy walking shoes, some outdoor attire, and a super cool walking stick. There’s been days that he feels tired, but he keeps plugging along. I think walking (especially in nature) is therapeutic. Good luck on acquiring a fun hobby, just try something simple!
in reply to Heidabelle
Walking in nature works for us as well. Simple is better.
I retired at 65 and 3 months later was diagnosed with stage IV prostate cancer. Not exactly my idea of the ideal retirement. However, its amazing how I've been able to fill the time doing things that are non-stressful and fun,,,,I had a hobby already going. I've played musicial instruments since my early teen years and a decade or so ago I bought the equipment for a 24 track recording studio that's in my house.....I already had 2 electric guitars, 1 acoustic guitar, a synthesizer, and electric piano and bass guitar...as a result I've been able to spend hours more recoding than when I was working....I've always been a homebody type so this works for me. However, exercise is essential so that's done daily for about 45 minutes to an hour. Also started taking drawing lessons which has been fun and I'm a history buff so I'm reading every istory book I can for the rest of my life and then occasionally going on a Netflix binge and improving my piano guitar skills with free lessons on youtube….also learning to cook healthier meals and studying that has been fun....its amazing how fast the time goes in a day. Also do regular yoga and a daily guided meditation to keep the stress at a minimum.....so I guess just find something you love to do and go deeper into it as if it were the most fun job you've ever had.....!! :))) Just ideas if anyone is so inclined....Good luck on your hobby search......
A great question and I have seen great answers.
I have to learn to live again and with the pressure of how much time.
The diagnosis forced me to quit my job (professional basketball coach), the place where I lived for work and my Hobby (sports).
Trying to start new roads that had never plated me. For me the most difficult thing is to deal with the thought. At this time more sadness than physical problems.
The truth is that my profession has many trips, training and professional obligations. They did not allow me to know another hobby that to do sport.
At this moment, I can not run for my mets, I walk as much as I can and it helps me think clearly. I have discovered how to relax mentally.
I have computer skills and I am creating a website. I like to give classes and lectures, thinking what I can do with this.
Looking at some photography course.
"Learning to dance under the storm"
Hi I walk with my dog meet friends for a coffee, go to lots of sporting events and go away as much as possible. I have a date day with my wife every Thursday and we have lunch out and a meander around.
We take classes and attend lectures. If you don't have a university or anthing like this nearby, there's tons online. Learning new things keeps the mind active and sharp, too!
Great answer. Reading a lot certainly helps pass time very enjoyably. Combine that with travelling and one just doesn't know how fast time has flown.
I take my wife to Costcos.
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Tuesday 11/27/2018 5:09 PM EST
I must tell this one:
A travelling salesman is lost driving through the Ozarks stops at a small log cabin to ask for directions. An old gizzer sitting and rocking on the porch gives him directions. So the salesman asks the old gizzer "what do you do for entertainment in the town? The old gizzer replies "we hunt and we fxxx" Salesman asks "what do you hunt?" The old gizzer replies "something to fxxx".
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Tuesday 11/27/2018 5:18 PM EST
Sign out side veterinarian office "I have a horse I call Mayo and sometimes Mayo neighs". Ya, lame as all get out but I cracked up for about an hour.
Jez, where do I start?? I go for an hour walk every morning and a 20 minutes dog walk in the afternoon most days. Visit the movie theatre couple times a month, try to go to a brewery once a week, go out to eat with the wife twice a week, grandkids sporting events, couple trips to SoCal to see my daughters, 4 concerts this year and 1 already lined up for next, read many books a year, meditate, doctor's appointments - my favorite : ]. I don't have a bucket list because I try to live life. It does no good to fear the beast. If possible get out there and enjoy life . . . . . before you can't. Peace and love to all.
Maleko808 in reply to
I went to do a 30 minute dog walk. He got off leash and I ended up doing a 5k walk run.
Dang gang! I thought I'd get a couple if answers but you have filled up a notebook of things to do. We will be going to London end of March (if Brexit gets figured out....hate to get there and then cant get home) then Hawaii end of April. After that we'll head to Oregon and Washington and a couple trips to Disneyland. In the meantime we've decided to hit the local thrift store on Thursdays and take in dinner. Plus have been going on more walks, although it's cold in N. UT! My real obstacle is I have this job, which is paying the mortgage and funding the trips. If you all have sure fire lottery numbers give a brother a hand. I'll share the winnings!
So we here don’t do much through the winter months with having to work to pay the mortgage but what has got us through this is our aim to continue Gold mining on our claims in the Yukon. Yep, preparation for the 6 month season (May-September) starts in September every year. Hubby concocts and physically builds wash plants, trommels and gold recovery systems. Also before knowing how bad his mets were he played old timer “A” top league hockey. Other summertime adventures include bath tub racing (mini speedboats) with travels to Vancouver Island, the Okanagan and Bremerton, WA.
Keeping all the future plans gives him more gumption to aim at something rather than sit and count the good days and bad.
Would like to do one trip to Finland to meet our granddaughter so fingers crossed 🤞
Sheri (wife, caregiver, cheerleader)
Since posting this there have been a wealth of information, and I've met some very special people, only via posts of course. But I want to express my gratitude to each of you. Our paths have crossed by purpose. Thank you for giving me the bit more to push ahead.
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