Welcome


Welcome.

When I wrote that banner above, I was just days into this adventure. I'm a pretty analytical guy, and the simple act of writing every day helped me wrap my head around the fact that I had just introduced the word "cancer" into my vocabulary, and it helped me rationalize my treatment options. It also helped keep friends and family informed on my status.

Those daily updates tapered off to weekly updates and eventually to monthly updates (which I continue to do on the 11th of every month, the anniversary date of being told I have cancer).

I've kept this blog going because I remember how helpful it was for me to hear first-hand experiences of other prostate cancer patients. I wanted to return the favor by sharing my own journey in order to educate others and increase prostate cancer awareness.

But I wanted it to be a truthful sharing of details, so you will quickly see that I didn't sugar-coat much of anything. That means that you'll find some pretty graphic descriptions of the male anatomy and biological functions in this blog.

Finally, if you're reading this as a fellow prostate cancer patient, please understand that I am not a medical professional, and you should not construe any of the content of this blog as medical advice. Each case is unique, so please solicit the advice of your own medical team.

I wish you all the best as you go through your own journey.

-- Dan

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Day 13 - Reflection

Today was a good day at work, but having to call the surgeon’s office at lunch put me in a reflective mood.
First, I called the surgeon in Cincinnati that I have the appointment with on December 9th.  They sent me some paperwork to fill out in advance of the office visit, and they also asked me to call to go through my medical history.
For nearly 15 minutes, I’m answering questions about my background and that of my family.  I guess they need to be thorough in advance of a major surgery, but some of the questions seemed completely unrelated to my cancer.
I tried calling the surgeon in Indy again, this time using the correct phone number.  When I got through the endless automated menu, I got a voicemail message telling me that she was out of the office for the rest of the afternoon and to call back tomorrow.  Frustrating.  
I’m beginning to doubt the need to speak to two surgeons and to do my “comparison shopping.”  Will it really make a difference?  I don’t know.  It’s a leap of faith no matter which one I select.  Is it really worth the hassle and additional waiting to try to get in to see another surgeon? 
Ultimately, the prudent side of me will probably go through with talking to both.  It’s just something that I wish was done and the surgery was scheduled.
So those thoughts had a little cloud hovering over me on what otherwise was a great day.

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