It is the night before surgery - Robotic Assisted Prostatectomy - the current trend for early 'treatment' of Prostate cancer for 'younger men'. It's brings hope, hype, and a chance to be cured.....depending on your 'stats'. It's a big ticket robot that is driving hospitals, medical people, and consumers with a mind somewhat of its own. Well, that's a hint of the hype and politics, but this journal is about the journey of a 54 year old man, who rides a bicycle, and is now heading down an unknown bumpy road trying to get ahead of the cancer that was unveiled just 7 long weeks ago - January 25, 2008. That was the day the "C" word came alive in our family.
Tomorrow we will arrive at the "Surgical Lounge" on the 4th floor of Henry Ford Hospital at 7:30 AM for a 9:30 'procedure'. We are comfortably situated in Guest housing behind the hospital after a 4 hour trek across the state. I am aware that today is Palm Sunday, as we saw people walking around the hospital campus waving palm fronds. It took me a minute to make the connection because we have been focused on tomorrow, not Easter. Tomorrow is the 17th - St. Patrick's Day! Yes, our surgery has landed on the day of 'the luck of the Irish' and green O.R. garb.
As we sit in this bland, yet comfortable apartment, watching television with our college freshman, loading relaxing tunes onto my beloved's iPod, I think I might just try to capture some of this whole thing in writing. I like words. It is challenging to try to get the right ones, or to string together a few that say just what you think or feel. Perhaps, its pure indulgence, or an outlet that leads to greater insights, or maybe its just an exercise in expression. I hope there may be a few nuggets of helpful information about prostate cancer that jump out for others who are traveling the same road.
This perspective if from the heart-gut-soul-brain of the spouse of the man who got a new bicycle and learned about cancer a week later. Now, the plan is to get ahead and back on the road......way ahead of the cancer.
*Now skip back to January, if you want to read from the start of this journey. I hate having to read backwords....
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