My Talk to A Support Group and What They Taught Me
This entry was posted on 4/12/2007 10:29 PM and is filed under Recovery, Support.
Tonight I spoke at a prostate cancer support group. For confidentiality reasons I won’t disclose the exact location. My wife, Marry Anne and friend, Don Barco, went with me. I talked about breakdowns I have seen in our medical system and about my ultrasound (HIFU) treatment in Japan.
More importantly, we met some brave and inspiring men. On the way there I was feeling a little sorry for myself due to the reversal I describe in the next post. I soon realized how fortunate I am in comparison to so many others who have been on this journey.
These men had seen it all. Several had lived through multiple recurrences and multiple interventions. Many have had years of their lives turned upside down.
Perhaps most heart wrenching of all were the men who had lost their wives or partners directly or indirectly because of their cancer. These are the men are taking this journey alone, without a partner. Why? For some, there is fear that no women would want a man who can’t “perform” or a man whose future may be uncertain.
Yet these men are there. These are men who have been there time and again when others have needed them. I told them that I was writing a book to help others with cancer get through the decision making process. When asked if they would help by being interviewed, these are the men who signed up without hesitation.
Someday soon, you will hopefully get a chance to read some of their stories.
