- 10 24 26 (Washout Day 2)
Talked with my best friend
It’s the first time my best friend and I have been able to talk since his surgery, which has been almost 6 weeks now.
Long story, but he’s been at his sisters recouping and we weren’t able to chat for a while due to that area having spotty internet. We tried last weekend but had connectivity issues. Any way he is doing very well, BUT they didn’t tell him ahead of his surgery that his odds of surviving the surgery wasn’t very good at all.
Obviously you don’t want to tell a patient that their odds of surviving the surgery is super slim just before surgery because that just might be what causes the surgery to be a failure. But he survived the odds and so far is doing well. Prostate removal is no joke and it has long lasting and in some cases permanent results. You are dealing with many nerves and blood vessels in that region, if you get my drift.
Bottom line, he’s not out of the woods, although he is recovering incredibly well. Still had to go back to work already. That one always gets me. But it is our world.
He needs to have blood tests done every 3 months to make sure the cancer doesn’t return and also to make sure that there isn’t an infection out of nowhere (for about 3 months). So after about a year the odds of the cancer coming back is very slim.
Apparently even if it did now, they can go back in with laser and the odds of it getting removed is very high. It was very good to hear his voice again and very good to hear how much of a positive mood he is in and how grateful he is for everything including our friendship.
Not going to lie, I was actually worried. I’m not an idiot and even though I didn’t know the complete details, I’m not a Doctor, I still knew enough that I completely knew his odds were on the thinner side, so to speak. I wasn’t going to say anything. I’m very honest, but sometimes you don’t need to be completely honest.
Even a 1% chance is still a chance. Sometimes you have let someone have that without them knowing how small the odds are. They have a chance. Let them have it. Let them carry it. Those are often called “miracles”. Come to find out, his surviving was more of a miracle even I figured.
12 surgeons flew in from not just other parts of Australia, but also from other Countries and there were over 1500 surgeons that were watching the surgery via satelite. He had very advanced cancer and not a single one of these specialists operated on someone with that advanced cancer. That tells you something.
It was so good to hear my best friends voice again.