Go sailing. Now!!!

[ssullivan]

Best of luck with the surgery, Charlie. A lot of people go through this procedure and come out just fine. I'm sure you will too.

Just keep confident, and everything will go well.

[Southern Star]

You WILL beat it Charlie (and have already gone a long way towards doing so). As I am sure you are aware, there is now a substantial body of cllinical evidence which confirms that the prognosis for people diagnosed with virtually all types of cancer is significantly better in cases where the patient maintains a positive attidude.

And Kanani, the 'upside' in telling your wife is that you are both in it together. I once spared my (then) 84 year old mother from news of heart surgery that I was facing and, when she subsequently heard about it, she was devastated. Thereafter she refused to trust me concerning anything I might say about my, or Sheila's well-being.

Of more immediate importance, when you get your biopsy back and want to celebrate (and believe me, with good news you will) it will be akward, to say the least. Any woman I have ever been with would not think my sparing them the news as a gallant gesture, but rather as an effort to treat them as child. I don't know her, obviously, but I would be surprised if: a), she didn't eventually find out; and b), if she wasn't hurt by your failure to share this with her.

Finally, I suppose there is also something to be said about your own state of mind. The good times are better and the bad are easier to handle when you have a partner to share them with. It is decidedly NOT a sign of weakness to have concerns or worries, nor is it to share them with the woman you love. Afterall, just because we love to sail to 'the islands', doesn't mean that we want to become one.

Brad

[Kanani]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

You WILL beat it Charlie (and have already gone a long way towards doing so). As I am sure you are aware, there is now a substantial body of cllinical evidence which confirms that the prognosis for people diagnosed with virtually all types of cancer is significantly better in cases where the patient maintains a positive attidude.

And Kanani, the 'upside' in telling your wife is that you are both in it together. I once spared my (then) 84 year old mother from news of heart surgery that I was facing and, when she subsequently heard about it, she was devastated. Thereafter she refused to trust me concerning anything I might say about my, or Sheila's well-being.

Of more immediate importance, when you get your biopsy back and want to celebrate (and believe me, with good news you will) it will be akward, to say the least. Any woman I have ever been with would not think my sparing them the news as a gallant gesture, but rather as an effort to treat them as child. I don't know her, obviously, but I would be surprised if: a), she didn't eventually find out; and b), if she wasn't hurt by your failure to share this with her.

Finally, I suppose there is also something to be said about your own state of mind. The good times are better and the bad are easier to handle when you have a partner to share them with. It is decidedly NOT a sign of weakness to have concerns or worries, nor is it to share them with the woman you love. Afterall, just because we love to sail to 'the islands', doesn't mean that we want to become one.

Brad

Thanks Brad....I appreciate and value your opinion and I understand what you are saying. However, I just don't see the value in having my wife worrying about nothing for 3 weeks. It would certainly upset her more than it does me. I'm not the sort of person that really takes things like this seriously until there is something to be taken seriously, for sure. In the unlikely event that the biopsy comes back that there is cancer involved, I will certainly take this a lot more seriously and discuss it with her (and the family) immediately. If they find nothing, she will never know and her life (and my kids) will never be impacted.

[Southern Star]

I hear you - especially now that I know 'kids' are involved. There is absolutely no benefit in worrying them unnecessarily at this stage. PSA readings can be so unreliable - my brother went through the same thing this past summer and fortunately, the biopsy came back negative. Here's to hoping the same for you.

A Coroner who I know well recently told me that in virtually half of the post mortems he has performed on men who die over the age of 65 he has found prostate cancer - it is not what killed them, but it is there. This is not to minimize the significance - early diagnosis is still critical and some prostate cancers are more aggressive than others. But it does put things into perspective.

Anyway, glad to hear that you are taking it in stride and, as with Charlie, my thoughts are with you.

Brad

[stevelxls]

Originally Posted by Charlie

Thinking back on my life the 18 months I spent cruising the South Pacific with no money was really good for keeping the blood pressure under check. Toughest decison some days was to figure out which pair of shorts to put on.

Brilliant Charlie!!
Now that's the way to do it, whilst everyone else is in dock fitting this, changing that or finding umpteen other reasons to bide their time away.
How much longer will the oceans of the world be freely available for the intrepid wanderer to just enjoy?


As you rightly say, "Don't give up the dream. Go sailing. Go Now!!!"

[hatteras]

Theres a quote someone on this forum has as a signature. It sums it up well.

"Saltwater cures everything-Tears, Sweat or the Sea"

[maxingout]

Good luck on your surgery. A good surgeon and a positive attitude make for a speedy recovery.

I started my circumnavigation when I was 47, and I have no regrets. I'm now back at work saving up more Freedom Chips at age 59, and it's only a matter of time before we set sail once again. I am a lot more concerned about my health than I am about my pile of cash. It's always possible to get more money, but health is a non-renewable resource.

Set sail on the ocean of your dreams, and if you run out of Freedom Chips, you can always join me as a greeter at Wal Mart. That's my master plan.

[Charlie]

I'm donewith surgery. Everything went well. I am now recovering in La Jolla about two blocks from Wind and Sea Beach. The kids and I got up on our surfboards and we are making plans to get back out on them as soon as I can. I want them to go out earlier.

They let me out of the hospital a couple of hours early. I just feel like I went two rounds well maybe twenty seconds with a lightweight champ like ceasar chavez. Some good shots to the mid section and one to the jaw. I only took one of the vicatin that they prescribed opting for extra strength tylenol b/c it didn't hurt that much.

If anyone ever has to do this surgery I can highly reccomemend the team at UCSD. From the CNA all the way up to the cheif of urology (Dr. Kane) everyone has been just great. The hospital is nicer than an Embassy Suites and they actually have room service where they bring you pretty decent food.

Now I need to strengthen my core muscles and get back to the business at hand.

Thanks for all the support. It really helped.

[ssullivan]

Cool! You're back and good as new!

[Hud3]

That's great news, Charlie! Hope your recovery is quick, and you're back on the water soon. Thanks for keeping us all posted.

All the best,

[irwinsailor]

Now it is time to start planing that trip. I'm pleased to hear that all went well for you.

[clausont]

Great to hear that it went well Charlie. As good as new now. If I recall correctly you will be coming down from Washington?
If so, try to pull into Winchester Bay, Oregon if possible and it works out for you. I should have my boat in the water there by then and we would love to get together with another family that is sailing in (or through) the area.

[Kanani]

I'm glad that all went well Charlie.

Wayne

[swabbmob]

Sorry I didn't read this before your surgery Charlie! I'll pray for the safe removal of stitches. Get out there and soak up every minute of this incredible life with your family!

[bob and sharon]

Still praying for ya Charlie, let us know how things went! And we'll hope to see you at the Baja-ha! May God richly bless you and your family!
Take care! Bob and Sharon