Friedrich --

Thanks for passing along the story about Joni Rogers, who sounds like quite a wit, and quite an honest woman too. As a survivor (so far) of prostate cancer, I'm happy as well to endorse the accuracy of her observations. I'd add only that -- well, I'd add a lot, but I'm sure she'd add a lot too. Suffice it to say that the moment when you hear your doctor deliver the words, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but we found a little cancer in you," life takes a very big turn, and is (apparently) never again quite the same thing.

Some months after my surgery, I was awake at 4 or so one morning, unable to sleep, and basically miserable, grateful and terrified, though what was swirling through my head on a superficial level was something piteous like "Will life never return to normal?" And it occurred to me that maybe it never would return to what I'd once considered normal. That particular "normal" was, for me, done and gone. I wish I could say that, having come to this realization, I was instantly able to reconcile myself to my new life. But I'd be lying.

Best, if often knocking on wood,

Michael