Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men today, closely following lung cancer. About one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. But only one in 35 will die from it. More than two million men in the United States who have been diagnosed at some point are still alive today. I am one of them. My book, Cancer is a Four-Letter Word: A Pilgrimage into the Emotional, Sexual, and Spiritual Aspects of Prostate Cancer, chronicles my own experience with this terrible disease. From early diagnosis, fear, and panic, to shopping for the best treatment, to surgery and subsequent recovery, I trace not only the physical journey of getting my stamina and good health back, but also the psychological and sexual implications. My format includes an interweaving of my own story of prostate cancer with other men's stories, along with open-ended questions at the end of each chapter to keep men and their partners talking late into the night. There's also a resource list to provide support for a lifetime. Although concise and easy to read, my book doesn't hold back any personal details. Readers will learn what to expect in regard to diapering oneself post-surgery, working through debilitating depression, and forging the uncharted territory of a different kind of sexual intimacy. More importantly, they'll hear about learning to accept support from loving friends and how to talk to God in a whole new way. Rarely does a reader find an account of experiencing Gods overwhelming love and grace in the same chapter as explicit details on how to give oneself penile injections to overcome erectile dysfunction!
