Unexpected Life Occurrence #1
July 2009 - A random checkup at the doctors found some abnormalities in a test. After further testing I was told I had cancer, the BIG C, the three words no one wants to hear and I suspect no doctors like to say "YOU HAVE CANCER" But wait I just came in for a normal checkup. I had no symptoms, I felt pretty good for a 48 year old guy. Maybe I was a little out of shape, but cancer no way and a rare form of bladder cancer at that. The doctor must have been wrong. So I go for a second opinion at a large cancer hospital in New York City, and yes ladies and gentlemen it is true a rare form of bladder cancer. Yippee!
October 2009 - Cancer treatments begin. Doctors tell me the standard treatment is three months of chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove the bladder and build a new one (more about that in a minute). So I am figuring chemo is going to be horrible, I am going to loose my hair, I am going to be sick. This just sucks. But it retrospect it wasn't that bad. I did loose my hair and although I felt sick I never got sick. My hair came back, better than it was before, and the chemo did its magic.
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| Me with Chemo Pump |
February 2010 - Bladder surgery. The second part was the surgery to remove my 48 year old bladder and replace it with a 48 year old piece of small intestine that was fashioned into a new "neo-bladder" by husband and wife surgeons at this top notch large cancer center in New York City. Since I was asleep for the entire time only my wife can tell you what went on in detail. Needless to say I awoke with the new bladder and with the cancer removed from my body. It took 5 days in the hospital to recover and then several months at home. I think I was a pretty good patient, but I have to thank my wife because if it were not for her nursing and caring for the post-operative gear that was attached I would have probably given up on the whole thing.
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| Me just before surgery |
Unexpected Life Occurrence #2
I use to believe that when you did a good job, received high praise for your work and was loyal to your employer you were rewarded with a competitive salary and a position within a company. I found out that isn't exactly correct and after 16 years at a large professional services firm I found myself without a job. It didn't help that I was also going through a battle with cancer and that the economy was heading deeper into a very large toilet, but there it was no more work. No more getting up and catching the train and schlepping to my office. No more daily discussions on topics that were sometimes interesting and sometime not. But what impacted me most was not seeing the friends I had made over the past 16 years. I can't say I was (nor am I still) happy about it. I wrongly thought that people cared and companies valued good employees. Stupid me. A valuable lesson learned.
So life goes on. I am still cancer free after almost a year after surgery. The doctors continue to monitor me since I have a rare cancer. I have to say the cancer experience, chemo and surgery, was not so bad, but having cancer goes deeper that the treatment itself and it is something that only a cancer patient and possibility a close caregiver can understand. I am thankful that for whatever reason I decided to go to the doctor and he decided to perform some test, that the cancer was found early and recovery has only left me with a few issues (note, the doctors told me I would not be back to "normal" rather I would be back to "different"). I still find myself rather bitter about the employment issue and maybe someday I will be able to get past it. Once in a while I feel a new pain or that something is different and worry that the cancer is back. I guess that is something that will always be in the back of my head. But for now life goes on and I hope to avoid anymore unexpected life occurrences.
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