Daily Archives: June 11, 2015

Aging, Beyond the Boundaries, Faith and Spirituality, Family, Friends, Health, Reimagine. Reconstruct. Reenchant., Third Phase

Surgery July 8

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Beltane                                           Closing Moon

The consultation with the urologist went well. My cancer has some outside the prostate presence, which makes the situation a bit more dire, but still one within the reach of a radical prostatectomy.

Kate and I both feel good about Dr. Eigner, the surgeon/urologist, and his experience. He’s done hundreds of robotic prostatectomies and hundreds of open prostatectomies. Practice is important.

We discussed the options, from hormone treatment to radiation to surgery. The moderately advanced nature of my cancer, my age and general health (good), make me a logical candidate for surgery. Kate and I had decided that already.

On the irrational side, I want that organ out of me. It’s no longer on my side. On the rational side surgery gives me the best chance of negative margins, a procedure in which all the cancer is removed, none showing at the tissue margins.

I feel good this evening, at peace with the choice, confident in the skill of my doctor and the support of family and friends.

Aging, Beyond the Boundaries, Faith and Spirituality, Family, Feelings, Friends, Original Relation, Reimagine. Reconstruct. Reenchant., Third Phase

A Yamantaka Moment

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Beltane                                                        Closing Moon

Yama
Yamantaka

So. Today is June 11th. I feel a small hole in the pit of my stomach. Not often you meet a day when your life is at stake, but this is one of those days for me. This afternoon we’ll find out the stage (severity & aggressiveness) of my cancer. We’ll also decide on a course of treatment.

It’s been an interesting time since the initial news from the biopsy. Once I absorbed that information and read the Schwartz book on Surviving Prostate Cancer, I’ve let the matter go for the most part, at least at a feeling level. There was a bracket around the time between then, late May and now, mid-June. In that bracketed time no new information could be gained and no action could be taken.

Now that bracketed time is over and the next steps, the real choices are just ahead. My confidence level is still high. Kate’s knowledge and support is essential as is encouragement from friends and family. Dr. Eigner is competent and practiced, and, unusually, open to serious questions and probing. I’ve done my research, have a list of questions.

The appointment is at 2:30. More later.

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Beltane                                                                  Closing Moon

Response back from Colorado wildfire central. External fire sprinklers aren’t a good option here. Too many things can go wrong. So that means we’re down to defensible space, good roofing and fate. Well, there are plenty of us. At least whatever the Elk Creek Fire District guy recommends it will be something I can do. Learning how to use a chainsaw and ax, peavy and splitting wedge will come in handy here.

Big rain again yesterday and last night. So far the humidity and the rain feel a lot like Minnesota, though I noticed Andover hit 92 the other day. There the nights are warmer already and the days have begun to heat up, too. We remain cooler and more bearable during the day, cool enough at night.