And now on a more serious note…
On Sunday afternoon i went to the book launch party for “The Wolf At My Door”, something that my friend Doug Gosling has had in the works for a few years now.
Doug was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2002 at the age of only 49. The average age of diagnosis is 65. A few months after diagnosis he had a radical prostatectomy to remove the prostate, but 5 years later the cancer returned. Doug continues to fight what is now advanced metastatic cancer.
There are many books that prepare you to deal with the physical side of cancer, but not many that help you deal with the emotional side. This book describes nearly everything Doug went through emotionally & physically, in a very frank, honest & occasionally humorous way. It’s not just for those who have cancer, it’s for the loved ones of those who have cancer as well since cancer is as much an emotional disease as it is a physical one. Sidebar: My father was diagnosed with both prostate and thyroid cancer in 2007 so i have first hand experience with what it feels like to go through that (he was promptly treated and is currently in remission). I am about halfway through Doug’s book and while as a man who now has a family history of this horrible disease it can be hard to read at times, it does oddly bring some comfort to get such a blunt recount of what Doug has been through.
Doug saying a few words at the book launch
Doug also is the man behind the blog talkingaboutcancer.com, where he and other cancer survivors, friends & family share tips & experiences with both patients and their caregivers and can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.
