The News

[Rescue]

I was supposed to get The News on Tuesday but the receptionist mucked up my appointment - hard to see a doctor at Westmead on the day he has his clinic at Wahroonga. So Thursday became the new day! We were already aware that things were not good my urologist had passed me further up the food chain as he had no experience in dealing with where my cancer was heading. But the cancer was still just a red mark, all be it ugly. not too different from where we'd started 18 months ago and there were ways to deal with it. But then all the choices became one - this is what is going to happen. I remembered how I felt when my wife had her breast cancer scare. I remember being told that no man could possibly understand what it was like to be confronted with loosing a breast, well I must agree but when your faced with loosing your penis just because of an ugly red mark then it becomes too real. Timing is everything, just as I started to feel sorry for myself I read a post online from Sally, my Facebook buddy Sally Obermeder and at the risk of getting a slap from my wife she's looking bloody hot! She beat Cancer, lots of people do so its time to start fighting not feeling sorry for myself. Things are going to be different but not radically so, there are some things I won't be able to do, but without treatment I'd be doing nothing pretty damn soon... So that's the first 24 hours taken care of, my wife is still very emotional but that's also due to the stage of life she's at and that's something I admit I'll never understand but I plan on cramming as much into the next 50 years at the past 50 just with a few less exotic illnesses hopefully.

[Jules2]

Hi Alan I have just finished reading Jim Styne's book and found it an amazing book to read. Very emotional of course and should be sold with a box of tissues. He had such an amazing attitude throughout his ordeal and unfortunately, as you most probably know he didn't make it. He talked a lot of "hope" and that is what we have to hang onto and I truely believe that. There most likely will be times when hope gets a little buried but we need to dig deep then and bring it back out to the fore again. 24 years ago I was diagnosed with amelanotic melanoma in the lymph glands, unknown primary. It was not a great diagnosis to get, except that it is an unpredictable cancer. I was told to go and live my life like I had a month to live - guess I got the "X" amount of years instead. Julie

[ABCPS]

You said 'there were ways to deal with it". As well, "there are ways to deal with it", and "there will be ways to deal with it". Overcome the bad things and drink deep of the good things, which will always be there!

[SILLY]

Julie your length of survival after that prognosis is amazing AND it's still on-going .

[Jules2]

Silly Yes it is ongoing from that cancer. Just had to get another one to start off the clock again ... never mind, lets hope this one is as kind to me as the last. :) Julie

[SILLY]

Wishing you the best . Online I have come across a lot of couples who both have /had cancer . Even though it gives each more understanding ,each handles the situation so differently ,I think .

[Jules2]

Thanks Silly!! Everyone handles it slightly differently. 🙂 least that is the conclusion that I have come to. I am handling it differently this time around as opposed to my first one. My first one I just about marched around with a placard saying "I WILL BE POSITIVE". 2nd time I reckon that is a load of crock to try and be like that ALL the time. Much too much of a burden. So now I visit the dark places and get back up to positivity. Works for me this time.