It’s my birthday today. Happy birthday me 🙂

I decided what better way than this to talk about what’s been happening, since the last post.

I have these three areas of prostate cancer trying their very best to derail the show, but bugger you – I am still here, fit and healthy and you are not going to win!

I have been to this hospital pharmacy before and its not like others on the high street. There are two queues, one for handing the prescription in and the other for collection. The queue for handing the prescription in at least 60 feet from the door you enter in. As you enter you can only see a couple of people in the queue so you think this is great – this will only take a few minutes. However, as you approach you realise that the queue is right at the junction of another corridor. It’s when you get to this point that you realise that the queue is snaking its long way down said corridor.

Reactions to this realisation range from the silent swear under the breath, to the not so silent, the turn around or the great British gasp. Chivalry is the first casualty of this queue. You could hobble, wheel, or crawl yourself around the corner to the queue and no-one will bat an eyelid or offer to let them in. One elderly couple that innocently asked the pharmacy assistant a question and were then subsequently served got an earful from the rest of the queue. Me. Well, I wasn’t even bothered. I was in no hurry to collect this box of mischief that was going to turn me into Paula.

It took about 20 minutes and then I was in the collection queue and a further 15 minutes after that I was rocking out the door. The pills were meant to soften me up (not the consultant’s words but the meaning wasn’t far off) for a couple of weeks before I had an implant that will last for 3 months.

Tuesday. I got home and the pills sat in my pocket. When do you decide to change sex? Stay in that pocket and shush. Hmm I was going to enjoy a few more days of being me before the ‘change’.

Wednesday. The pills had been promoted to the kitchen table, but I hadn’t opened the bag. Later that day I took them out of the bag and saw first-hand the list of possible side effects. YES, I AM GOING TO TAKE THEM! I also got a call about filming over the weekend, I would be away Friday and Saturday night.

Thursday. The shoot was confirmed. I couldn’t possible start taking the pills until after the shoot. They were expecting Peter not Paula. I was absolutely gutted that I couldn’t start the medication. I had to sooth my disappointment with a bowl of contraband ice cream.

Friday. Smiled at the pills and repositioned them on the table. Not hiding them – hardly likely to forget them.

Cue the digression music.

I have done a couple of talks. Nothing like the frequency of old but I really loved the opportunities that I got. I wasn’t chased, no one attempted to slobber me, and I didn’t get into any ‘friendly’ arguments. What I have done, quite a few times, is talked to men that must make a decision on their treatment via Prostate Cancer UK. If they have been given a choice of treatment, they can talk to two guys that has had one of the treatment options or if they haven’t been given a choice, they can talk to one guy that has had the same procedure. They are closely matched on race and age.

These talks have been fantastic, but I must keep that balancing act where I tell them what I did and why but don’t sway them one way or the other. I always leave the door open for any of these guys to call me back if they want to talk further.

Back to the countdown.

Sunday. I completed the video shoot and stared at the box when I got back. I successfully forgot about it while I was busy shooting but there was no escaping it now. I was going to have one more day as Peter. Yes, that was the right choice I would start tomorrow.

Monday. A tense day to say the least. There was no chance of being distracted at work, much to my disappointment. I came home and knew it was going to happen. Then I did it, 10pm I took the first one and went to sleep shortly afterwards.

At 3.15am I awoke.

As if I had been running, I could feel and hear my heartbeat racing away. I bolted straight upright and froze. This was it, at 3.15am. This was when I turned into Paula.

But I didn’t and I didn’t any subsequent night either. It’s been nearly 6 weeks and so far, I have not had any of the side effects that I was so worried about.

Now that’s a birthday present.