Laurence T. Gayao MD, FAAFP, FBCEM
On my last day of radiation therapy at the UT Southwestern Medical Center Radiation Therapy complex, I arrived twenty minutes early, reflecting on the journey that had brought me there. After registering, I was directed to the men’s dressing room, a familiar routine by now. Like every session before, I changed into a hospital gown, leaving only my underwear and shorts beneath, preparing for my final treatment.
The dressing room, usually filled with four or five patients quietly watching television in stoic silence, felt different that day. Only one other patient sat there. Breaking the usual quiet, I greeted him, “How are you?” “Fine, thank you,” he replied warmly, then gestured to an empty seat beside him, “You might get a better view of the TV from here.”
“Thanks, I’m good,” I smiled, choosing instead to engage in conversation rather than distraction.
Curious, I asked, “What brings you here?”
“Prostate cancer,” he said, his tone calm.
I shared that I was there for thyroid cancer metastasis, my third round of radiation in seven years. “It’s ironic,” I added, “I’ve gone through all these treatments without ever feeling symptoms.”
He nodded in understanding. “I was the same. No symptoms. I was just in for a routine annual check-up when they found my PSA levels were elevated.”
Understanding PSA and Early Detection
PSA, or Prostate-Specific Antigen, is an enzyme found in a man’s blood, produced exclusively by prostate cells. While low levels are normal, an abnormal rise can signal prostate cancer, as cancerous cells begin to multiply uncontrollably. In his case, the elevated PSA led to a referral to a urologist, followed by a needle biopsy after imaging revealed a suspicious lesion. The biopsy confirmed cancer, but thankfully, a PET scan showed no signs of the disease spreading. He was now undergoing focused radiation therapy — a testament to how far medical technology has come.
Finding Gratitude Amidst Challenges
I told him, “You’re fortunate. Decades ago, early-stage prostate cancer might have gone undetected until it was too late. Now, with advanced screening and targeted treatments, you don’t even need invasive surgery or hospitalization. Radiation therapy has come a long way.”
His eyes reflected a mixture of hope and gratitude as I continued, “I’ve been living with cancer for over 18 years. I’ve seen incredible advancements — treatments that once seemed impossible are now saving lives every day. I thank God for these miracles. He is good.” I pointed upward, feeling a wave of peace wash over me.
He looked at me and asked, “Are you a pastor?”
I chuckled, “No, just a retired physician who loves sharing positivity and hope.”
His smile widened. “I’m a retired respiratory therapist. I worked with patients like us every day, but being on this side of it…it’s different. I used to work at a hospital in McKinney, Texas.”
“I know that hospital!” I exclaimed. “I covered a few ER shifts there about thirty years ago. Small world.”
We talked more, sharing our journeys and newfound perspectives, but before long, the radiation technician called my name. It was time for my final treatment.
The Power of Connection and Hope
As I left the dressing room, I felt a deep sense of gratitude — not just for the end of my treatment, but for the unexpected connection I had made that day. In that sterile, quiet room, filled with uncertainty and fear, we had found hope and strength in each other’s stories.
Cancer may bring us to places we never thought we’d be, but it also introduces us to the resilience within us and the kindness in others. Every day is a gift, and with each advancement in medical science, there’s more hope than ever for those fighting this battle.
To anyone walking a similar path — never lose hope. Miracles happen every day, sometimes in the form of a kind conversation with a stranger, a groundbreaking medical discovery, or simply the strength you find within yourself to keep going.
“We are not defined by our illnesses but by how we rise above them.”
