Recovery from cancer a blessing

Every single day when I walk outside after receiving my daily radiation treatment, I lift my eyes toward the heavens and declare aloud: “Praise God, thank you for my cancer; thank you that my cancer is treatable and thank you for giving man the technology to make that treatment happen.”

Am I happy that I have cancer? Of course not! But I am a realist and I realize that as we get older our parts wear out and we become more susceptible to diseases.

Last fall I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Had my father received that diagnosis when he was the age I am now, it would most likely have been a death sentence for him. Many things have changed drastically in the last 20-30 years.

But as regards prostate cancer, early detection and treatment options have given men in my position a new outlook. In fact, my prognosis is so good that I may experience improvements over the symptoms of the prostate condition I’ve had for over 10 years (BPH, commonly referred to as swollen prostate).

It was with all this in mind that I felt compelled to share my feelings regarding my experience in the hope that others facing similar challenges might identify with mine and gain new optimism. Perhaps the road I have traveled can serve as a blessing for someone else.

This story was originally published January 31, 2017 at 3:01 PM with the headline "Recovery from cancer a blessing."