After my ‘Radiation Cystitis’ blog I received several notes (two of them published at the end of that blog) from other guys who had the same thing. They were supportive of me and hoped for a cure to their own cystitis. I too hope they are cured, and then they can tell me how they did it. Life goes on and none of us with radiation cystitis are in imminent danger of disaster--but blood clots can cause blockages that need to be treated. Guys who are at risk should watch for blood and clots and if they appear, get in to see a doctor ASAP.
On a sad and humbling note--one that tends to put things in
perspective for me--three good friends have had much more serious medical
realities than me in these past few weeks. A cousin I grew up with and
continued to visit regularly died after a very long struggle with breast
cancer. Another close friend was surprised to find out she has Stage 4 melanoma.
And another life-long friend had an event called Transient Global Amnesia. A big
chunk of his memory is gone, but doctors think it will return over time.
Growing old is an adventure and a never-ending series of
challenges‑‑as it should be. Whatever I might be complaining about this week
pales in comparison to what some of my friends, and probably your friends, are
living with. Many conditions of old age are treatable, some are curable, and
others can be managed with pain killers, blood thinners, and dietary changes. I
even feel a little comfort when my doctor admits that, “There’s nothing medical
science can do to help you, so suck it up!” He tends to use more medically
correct language, but the message is the same. So I’m resolving to suck it up
with a glass or two of good red wine. Life is pretty good--even when I’m
grumbling about it.
axman
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