In 2002, I was found to have prostate cancer. I had an operation that removed my prostate. During the operation, it was discovered that some of the cancerous cells were in my seminal vessels. That meant that some of those little devils could have escaped into other parts of my body, to happily invade and disrupt whatever was going on there. To forestall such events, a capsule was injected beneath my skin. It exuded a chemical that tricked my body into thinking that my testosterone level was normal but really it was very low. That low level deprives that sort of cancerous cells of an essential for their growth.
A friend had exactly the same procedure done within days of mine. About a month afterwards, his wife sidled up to Lynn at lunch and asked, “Does your husband seem a lot nicer now?” Both women had noticed that lower testosterone levels mean smoother, quieter tempers in their men. They were gentler and easier to talk to.
My doctor has had to remind me that I have been different chemically for seven years now. Basically, I don’t seem that different to me. However, my breasts are larger, I gain weight more easily and I have more trouble losing it. I always chalk up changes to aging but I guess my calmer, more rational self is my feminine side being more in charge.
Next week, the current subcutaneous capsule will be removed but a new one will not be installed immediately. The doc says that about a third of male bodies adjust to the low level permanently, removing the need for the $8000 capsule (down from $12000 originally) and the annual trip to the doctor. When the capsule is removed this time, careful watch will be kept to see if my testosterone level starts to rise. We’ll see.
