I ate an Golden Habanero raw about 4 years ago and had to visit a doctor because my stomach would not digest food properly for an entire week. Felt like needles every time I ingested something (anything, including water!). Fun! but I would not recommend that for weak stomachs for sure! It even hurts to this day, when I dump too much Salsa Diabla on my extra spicy Laredo chicken at the local Mexican restaurant. I think 24 habs in a week would definitely be a tall order for me. But hell, I am germinating some habaneros right now. If I get some before winter comes, maybe I'll see how much I can ingest in a week. Maybe this is a golden opportunity to create some kind of Habanero Ice Cream for that "not so bad ring of fire" effect.

You got that right that the FDA cannot be trusted! Look at all the products that drug companies have turned out that proved to be very harmful, including thalodomide, and how healthy can it be to inject botulism into your lips, but the "experts" all pronounced these drugs and treatments as "safe", they also recommended formula for babies over breast milk, and then there are the hormones and antibiotics that dairy cows are given, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. For years the researchers out on the fringes talked about free radicals and it sounded like somebody's fantasy, but, lo and behold, even the medical profession has had to acknowledge that it's been proven. It's a revolving door in D.C. anyway, from the AMA to corporations to the gov't. I didn't know that lycopene had been looked at for preventing prostate cancer- I've only heard of it in relation to colon cancer and that runs in my family, so I'm glad I like tomatoes! I do think it's really hard to get products that are truly natural or organic- there's so much pollution- the air, the land, the water. Sorry if I dinned your ears! It's been proved too many times- you can't trust the gov't! Brandy

My hubby got diagnosed with Prostate cancer this spring. We went to a specialist and he advised against getting radiation, because of his age (60). With radiation, there's a 30% chance of the cancer coming back, and that's too high for our comfort. What surprised us, is once you have radiation, removal isn't possible. So we got that puppy yanked out. It was done via robotic surgery. The robot is a DaVinci, and is affectionately known as Leo :-) He was sent home the next morning and had a catheter for about 7 days. Without the robotic surgery (6 little pinholes) the hospital stay would have been longer, as well as the catheter.

Hi jas, I note that in my earlier story I hadn't mentioned that my PSA test as ordered by my general practitioner was something like 18.6 (and I think that I heard 18.7 once: but that seems rather like a distinction with very little actual difference). I don't remember how long it had been since my earlier test, or what the number(s) may have been, earlier. They hadn't troubled him, apparently. That test result got him to get a referral to a urologist ... and I don't know what interval was involved, but it wasn't long. I wasn't worried, so the doc must have allayed whatever fears I may have had (and you may know from prior experience that I'm not a big-time worrier). Had my doc had substantial concern about the situation, from what I've heard about our system, it is very likely that I'd have had an appointment with little delay. Remember, please, that my urologist said that 80% of guys over 80 have it... but die WITH it, not OF it. Which, while it may be one doc's opinion, should not be taken lightly, I figure. During my almost two months of every weekday radiation through January and February I had some (bright red) blood in urine a few times. It got my son somewhat fussed ... but therapists said it was not unusual and the sight of a little blood doesn't bother me substantially. In mid-August, at my six-month check-up, the PSA was 0.5 ... so the cancer doc says that I'm in remission ...and when he's happy: I'm happy! You may note the change in his terminology: when he was recommending the radiation, the term that he used was "cure" ...and now it's "remission". After a number of six-month check-ups ... would maybe a half dozen? remissions may add up to a (more or less) cure? Or would it require 10, after the full 5 years? I guess I'll wait to worry about that later ... if I'm still around to worry. Good wishes to you two, as you deal with your current issue over this. ole joyfuelled