My Journey

After returning from the baby appointment this morning, I was surprised to see that we had a package at the management office. I walked the dog to the office and got the package. I don't remember ever ordering a book online. I opened it and pulled out the packing slip. The order came from a member of my parents' ward, Mike Manning. I spent lots of time with him through out my teen years. I am 106 pages into the book and continually fighting the tears. Any person who has had cancer can relate to the feelings that they get when another cancer fighter or survivor shares their story. Even caregivers cannot understand every thought that goes through a patients head. There are many unspoken words that keep people from really understanding the emotional impact of cancer.

After all the members talking about Dr. Einhorn, the pioneer of Testicular Cancer treatment, and Lance Armstrong going to him for treatment, I decided that I would give it a shot to talk to him. I sent him an email explaining what has happened thus far with my treatment. What's next?

There are many places in the book that I can relate to. Lance goes through his head as to what he thought about before and after intial diagnosis.

Some quotes that I like from the book, ones that I can completely understand, some that I have thought of myself:

"I thought I knew what fear was, until I heard the words You have cancer."

Speaking of his mother he says, "She was born without an ounce of self-pity, and by the time she reached my driveway she was strong again."

"I had a faint hope that the doctors would do all their tests and tell me they have been wrong, that my illness wasn't that serious. But those words didn't come."

"It was the first time the subject of sterility had come up, and I was taken aback."

"Hey, Lance, you need a magazine?" One of his friends joking about sperm banking.

"This isn't the way it was supposed to happen. Conceiving a child was supposed to be wreathed in hope, not this sad, solitary, desperate procedure."

"I'm determined to fight this disease and I will win."

The greatest thing for any person going through cancer is their family. If you have your family and you are a fighter, you can overcome any cancer. Never let up.