That is some Sci-Fi right there

So, I've been looking into various treatments for my 'touch of cancer'.

I have to be honest . . . none of them look particularly pleasant. Who knew Prostate Cancer would be this ookie?

Yes, I said ookie. Deal with it.

There are two main methods of treatment: One is surgery - either robotic or the old-fashioned way by hand. And either 'open' surgery (ugh) or laproscopic. The other is some form of radiation.

Both have their pluses and minuses. The plus for the surgery is they cut the cancer out. The minus is, well, they cut. Take the entire prostate. Snip snip. Ouch ouch.

With radiation there is no cutting, but there potentially be 8 to 9 weeks of daily treatment.

Although surgeons and radiologists will disagree, both have serious side effects. The main being impotence and incontinence. Which, I think you'll agree, is just a barrel o' laughs. Of course there are many, many other potential side effects, but let's stick with the big two for now.

Now surgeons will tell you that you should cut first because if that doesn't work they can always try radiation. But if you go with radiation, they can't do surgery later.

I read somewhere - and I can't say where because I've been reading a lot - that the best way to describe the situation is this:

Imagine the prostate as a piece of cheese between two slices of bread.

With surgery, you lift up the top piece of bread, remove the cheese, and replace the bread.

With radiation, you put the sandwich in a microwave for 30 seconds. Now try to lift the bread and extract the cheese.

Well excuse me, but neither scenario exudes confidence in me. And my damn prostate is not a piece of cheese! At least I don't think it is. To be honest I've never looked.

The cure rate is about the same for each method.

One new advancement in surgery is the 'robotic surgeon'. Which I'm all for, because as any one of my friends can tell you, I've been planning for domination by our Robotic Overlords for quite some time now. All hail Klatu369!!

There are various robotic systems, but a popular brand is the Da Vinci Surgical System. (No hubris there, eh?)

Now you tell me that isn't some Sci-Fi shit right there. Six blades. I've had nightmares about similar beasts. I also may have commanded something along those lines in a video game.

So that's where I am. Weighing the pros and cons. I've also started looking at Proton Beam Therapy. Which would be cool, because . . . well Protons! Pew! Pew! Pew! Launch that torpedo straight at my prostate Captain, full shields and all ahead full!

More on that later.