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Mike & Roy Orbison's Story

Getting a diagnosis

My name is Mike Murdoch born 1957 I live in Thurso, Caithness I moved here from Ayrshire in 1978 to work in Dounreay, got married had 3 Kids, bought a house had to go offshore to pay for it and everything in the garden was rosy until. I was diagnosed with ‘Stage 4 Prostate Cancer ‘whilst I was still working offshore 2023. My main symptoms were trouble peeing hence it was seeing the doctor and get the initial intrusive test ‘DRE’ namely a finger up your bum. The doctor confirmed my prostate was enlarged but not greatly enlarged on which I also gave a blood sample in order to check my PSA Level. This was all in September 2023 and I was going to visit my daughter in Dubai in November. So, the next thing when I was offshore on the rig (Day 1 of a 3 Week Trip) I got a message from home to phone Inverness Urology Department.

I spoke to a doctor who informed me I had a high PSA result and should come in for various tests. I told him that I was going to Dubai when I got of the rig and could I delay it until I came back on which he said ‘I fully suspect you have Prostate Cancer' and the result was that high the cancer may have left the prostate to other organs . I then replied ‘Well if I have to cancel the Dubai Trip for further tests then it bloody well better be cancer’ expecting a laugh but it fell on deaf ears. I then cancelled Dubai and made a date for further tests when I got of the rig. It was a tough trip after that news on day 1 of a 3-week trip. I think I was in a state of shock but like any good Scotsman I kept it to myself. The guy I worked with closest could tell the mood change after the phone call.

This happens a lot offshore with bad phone calls from home. I remember once 33 years ago when, due to bad weather, the accommodation barge I was living on lost all its anchors and went adrift. This was the biggest evacuation in the north sea at the time 200 men with helicopters coming from all directions to airlift us to other neighbouring platforms and barges I was airlifted to another accommodation barge and a day later got a message that my father had died. Offshore is a bad place to get bad news .

I was 66 when I got the news from the Urologist I was working after my retirement age due to the fact I loved my job. I was a Senior High Voltage Authorised Electrical Technician and had decided to work until I was 70 providing my health allowed this. With the news and also knowing the fact that my father had prostate cancer prior to his death I knew then this was the end of my career and this was my last trip offshore. I managed to get through the trip and secretly emptied all my lockers, emptied my desk leaving numerous big bars of chocolate for my workmates I then sadly left the rig for the last time and signed on the sick awaiting further tests.

Suggestions to consider at this stage:

· If prostate cancer is in your family get tested early. You can ask for a PSA Test in Scotland if you are 50 or over.

· When you here bad news like this don’t bottle it up, talk about it for the sake of your mental health.

The next thing how to tell the family. I’ll wait to come of the rig to tell the wife no point when I’ve still got 3 Weeks to go. She was quite upset but I think like me when I put in the Blood Test (PSA) we knew it wasn’t going to be good news. We kept everything between ourselves until we got the MRI & Biopsy results in Inverness. We got the results in Inverness which was even worse namely in the prostate out the prostate to the neck of the bladder one of my ribs and the lymph nodes. I, being the Alpha Male, took the reins and decided how we would tell the kids and passed that task over to the wife. She then headed to the Hotel to tell the kids, and I headed to the first watering hole for a couple of large G&T’s. I have 3 daughters, one being 8 months pregnant at the time, I think I had the easier task.

Mike as Roy Orbison ringing the bell after his last chemotherapy session to cheer everyone and himself up.