‘I could very well still have cancer’
Man awaiting MRI to see if cancer has spread says appointment is not until January 2026
Mount Pearl resident Neil Batstone says that in 2022 he was getting his life back on track.
“I went through a tough separation in 2019 that caused me to have a lot of anxiety,” said Batstone.
“But during 2022, I started getting things under control. I was doing good, I was happy, and I was having a life for myself.”
However, in August 2023, things took a turn, he said.
DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER
“The nurse practitioner that I see started doing blood tests on me because of my age. I am 60,” said Batstone.
The tests revealed that he had an enlarged prostate, and because of how high his PSA levels were, he was sent to see a urologist, he said.
The urologist decided it was best to remove his prostate and that October, Batstone had surgery.
The biopsy results showed 25 per cent of his prostate
IN NEED OF MRI
“I was shocked because I had never had any major health problems before and I wasn’t showing any type of symptoms,” said Batstone.
Since the removal of his prostate, he said, his PSA levels had been good and he is considered cancer-free, but his cancer-free status needs to be confirmed by an MRI.
“They know there is no cancer in my prostate but they don’t know if the cancer spread elsewhere. That’s why I need an MRI.”
Batstone’s appointment isn’t until Jan. 12, 2026.
MOVING BACKWARD
“When I got the paper last week, I said, ‘No, this can’t be right,’ so I called to find out and I never got through to anyone. So, I went online and saw I wasn’t the only one going through this,” said Batstone.
Even though his cancer was caught early, Batstone doesn’t feel secure because, “I could very well still have cancer.”
Because of this uncertainty, his anxiety has heightened again, he said, and the toll this has taken on him in just a few months has affected his mental health drastically and has even affected his relationships.
Batstone said he feels as if he is moving backward.
‘A LOT CAN HAPPEN’
“A few years ago, I was in such rough shape and I feel as if I am right back there again. It isn’t fair,” he said.
Batstone said in two years a lot could happen and his outcome could worsen, but what’s worse than that is the fact he has to sit with this for two more years.
“I try not to think about it, but you’ve got to think about it. You can’t stop your mind from thinking about this. For me, this is a do-or-die situation,” said Batstone.
“I wonder how bad it will be in two years if I do have cancer, how much more difficult will it be to deal with.”
‘I AM SO SCARED’
Batstone added that while he was able to avoid radiation and chemotherapy last time, given the wait he is unsure if avoiding it again will be an option.
“I am so scared, I don’t know what to do,” he said.
Batstone’s fear for his health and future is so severe that he is having nightmares, he said.
“I woke up the other night gasping for air. I was having a panic attack,” said Batstone.
“This is the only thing on my mind. It’s so hard, I can’t stay asleep for more than a few hours, and then I am just lying there, thinking.”
OUT OF CHARACTER
Because of the effect this has had on his mind, Batstone said, it has been causing him to act out of character. He added he is becoming more easily frustrated.
“I am acting completely different. I have said and done things that I normally wouldn’t say to the ones I love,” he said.
“It left me heartbroken over how terrible I have been.”
Batstone said there have been no alternatives mentioned to him about what he could do in the meantime. When it comes to coping, he said he is unsure what he will do.
IN NEED OF SUPPORT
Batstone added he is returning to his nurse practitioner to request counselling, because the burden has been too much.
“People are dying because of these wait times, and it poisons me,” he said.
“It’s so upsetting to know that someone could have lived longer if they got the care they needed when they needed it.”
Batstone said that when it comes to his situation and how the province has handled wait times, he is more than disappointed.
“This is cancer, and in my eyes cancer is a big deal. It brings death,” said Batstone.
“And if death is an outcome, then that should be taken care of in any way possible. If they have to send me somewhere to get it done, then they should.”