The "C" Word Has Entered Our Lives at the GHR&C

Our aloof Rhodesian Ridgeback, Walter, died of a hemorrhaging mass earlier this year. Now, Cubby, the three legged wonder dog has some similar issues with his spleen. He's not eating much these days, some days not at all, and he is likely to have an event where internal bleeding will weaken him totally. Surgical removal of the spleen is an option but may only buy him so much time as "seeding" of the cancer cells may have already occurred. Not a cheerful prognosis.

In between Walter and Cubby's issues,  I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The bottom line is that I am going to have it removed - Radical Prostatectomy - on Monday June 25. I'll spare everyone with all the details surrounding how I came to that decision but it was not taken lightly.

What is so surreal is that here I am writing about major surgery and I am feeling so healthy. I just finished a week of heavy lifting building a patio in Florida. I had a few sessions of fantastic body surfing just to cool off. Alison and I had a great run up the hill behind the cabin for a good cardio workout yesterday and I'm going to be racing around here for the next two days moving some downed trees from the trails and mowing everything I possibly can.

My goal is to be out of the hospital in two days not three. I'm the first surgery in the morning so that should help. We've decided to leave my cell phone at home since I'm going to be pretty out of it while there. I've been practicing counting to ten so I can tell the nurses the level of pain I'm experiencing so they can give me the juice!

Alison will post an update here after surgery.  We don't get cellphone coverage at the cabin so I can be reached, hopefully on Wednesday, at 360-599-2587.

Till we meet again in some form or another,
Christopher