By the time you read this, I, and almost 40 others from our Club, will be on the road to Conclave in Deadwood, SD.
That’s quite a turnout and in fact may be the largest participation of any Club in the country! To say I am proud of our members and their enthusiasm for all things Healey is an understatement. Be sure to read all about Conclave in next month’s edition, and you can follow our exploits on Mike Scroggie’s blog at https://thescrogblog.wordpress.com/.
On another topic, please see the Ulyer in this edition about the Great British Swap Meet to be held on October 5. While this has largely been a Jaguar-centric event in the past, we’re making a real effort this time to broaden the range of buyers and sellers to include Healey, Triumph, MG, etc. So, throw some of your unneeded stuff (parts, books, memorabilia, etc.) in the boot and come on over. You will probably go home with more than you came with, but that’s what a Swap Meet is all about.
As an added attraction, we plan to have Quinn the Eskimo doing paint chip repair and a 'ding and dent' magician removing your body blemishes all morning. Get there early for the good stuff! Now, please let me digress from all things automotive to give you a little personal information. I will be MIA for the next couple of months as I am temporarily relocating to San Diego for some medical treatment. I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. We caught it early and my prognosis is excellent. I know many of you guys have gone through this and I am happy to report that the treatment is much more humane today than in the past. Surgery is no longer the only option, and I have chosen to undergo Proton Radiation Therapy. This process is non-invasive, has no side effects, during or after and has a cure rate equal to or better than surgery. We are blessed to have not one, but two, Proton Cancer Treatment Centers in SoCal, out of only sixteen in the country.
But it’s not about my treatment, it’s about how fortunate I am to have gotten on this thing before it got serious. For that I have to thank my family doctor who has been insisting on a PSA test as part of my annual physical exam for more than ten years. The PSA test is the early warning system for prostate cancer, and it is much more effective if you have a record on your levels going back several years.
Further, the test, while inexpensive, is generally not included in the normal blood work panel, your doctor must ask for it.
So, my message is, get your PSA tested annually! And be sure your sons, sons-in-law, and nephews do too. Frankly, I think it is never too early to start testing but would urge all men to insist on it by age 45.
While I am not yet “cured”, I have a high degree of conUidence that I will be, and if that comes to pass, I have my GP and the PSA test to thank!