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| Cancer Survivor |
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In 1984 as a newly graduated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (and
touring professional Stand-up Comic) who had just started an extended
orientation as a Graduate Nurse (still awaiting the results of his
Board Examination) with the Veteran’s Administration Medical System;
Lon "self-diagnosed" his Testicular Cancer. This is an extremely
important fact and a basis of Lon’s "How To Get People to Jump Through
Hoops" lesson of: "if you are in charge, be in charge…and, remember…
you are in charge!" When Lon first made his appointment with a
urologist and shared his "self-diagnosis" he was sent away by the
doctor "I am the doctor not you, I will tell you what you have and you
don’t have cancer"). Lon switched doctors and indeed, he did have
cancer and therein saved his own life by being in charge! (Twenty years
later Lon experienced the same thing with a Plastic Surgeon who told
him he did NOT have skin cancer just a mole and that treatment would
only be cosmetic; WRONG!)
YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE SO BE IN CHARGE!
After negotiating a "pre-payment" of Sick Leave from the VA (Lon had a four year commitment to the VA in return for an academic scholarship and argued that he would pay it back) Lon was successfully treated with an "orchiectomy" (removal of the right testes) and "retro-peritoneal lymphadenectomy" (removal of all lymph nodes in his abdomen and chest cavity) followed by "tumor marking" (a series of blood tests to monitor the disease) for several years. After missing several weeks of work to begin his career Lon used a total of three (3) days of unplanned Sick Leave over the next 20-years of his career as he observed, learned and developed his; "Get Out of Bed and Go to Work!" philosophy. Lon named his "eldest- and only- son" Stephen as a tribute to the doctor, the man, that saved his life Thus, infertility was Lon’s greatest fear. The skill of the physician, and personality of the MAN that Dr. Cohen, "Stephen" P. Cohen, provided (himself a Testicular Cancer Survivor) were invaluable to Lon and fortified him for this battle and allowed him to faher his own "eldest son" whom he named Stephen P. Kieffer as a tribute to Stephen P. Cohen, MD, a great doctor and an extraordinary man! Some quick facts about Testicular Cancer: • Testicular cancer (TC) is the most common type of cancer affecting men between the ages of 15 and 35 years old--but it can strike any male, any time. • Testicular cancer is almost always curable if it is found early. • Most testicular cancers are found by men themselves, either as a painless lump, a hardening or change in size of the testicle, or pain in the testicle. • Children born with an undescended testicle have an increased risk of getting testicular cancer regardless of whether surgery is done to correct the problem. However, the surgery should still be done to preserve fertility. • Testicular cancer can be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surveillance, or a combination of these treatments. • Many different types of cancer can occur in the testicle. When we talk about "Testicular Cancer", though, we are generally talking only of the most common type of testicular tumor - germ cell tumors.
A simple self-exam can save your life! For additional information:The Testicular Cancer Resource Center (www.tcrc.acor.org)
NOTE: This website has an entire link about Testicular Cancer humor (see John Kruk’s comment below) that further emboldens my point that humor is acceptable "anywhere and always" so long is it is not negative or hurtful, but I will leave the jokes to the website and not share any of them here. Famous Survivors:Lance Armstrong (Cyclist)John Kruk (Baseball) "If you don’t let me play.. I am going to take my ball and go home!"— this when the Phillies let him practice but not play (initially) with the team after his treatment. Scott Hamilton (Figure Skater) Tom Green (Comedian) Steve Scott (Runner/Miler) Richard Belzer (Actor/Comedian) STEPHEN P. COHEN (Physician and Namesake of Lon’s "eldest- and only- son") And one legendary story of a man who lost his battle:Brian Piccolo (Football Player – "Bryan’s Song" fame)NOTE: I am embarrassed to admit it but I never knew this until doing research for this website update! Of course I was well familiar with the "Bryan’s Song" story/movie of Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers (a man I have met and admire; author of "I Am Third"). However, like most people I simply absorbed it more as a lesson about love, support, respect and ACCEPTANCE between a black man and a white man in a time where racial conflict made this a bit extraordinary; rather than a lesson about Testicular Cancer. It was not until now that I realized the original source of the Cancer that killed Brian Piccolo was indeed an undiagnosed and untreated form of Testicular Cancer. Please encourage your family and loved ones to "check themselves" regularly! |
