Life's ups and downs...

My ongoing prostate issues...
I have been waiting for an appointment with the Urology department at the hospital to learn the next plans about how they are going to respond to my MRI scan results. I was getting concerned about it because time was dragging on. Sitting in my office yesterday morning I had a phone call from the Urology Department. Somebody had cancelled out on an appointment, could I come in just after lunch. Of course I said "Yes" and phoned my wife requesting she bring in a change of underwear - well that's the part of the body they "explore".  I was taken very quickly and the specialist walked in the room saying, "We don't know what is going on with you, or what to do!" Anyway we discussed the matter with questions from him to me, and mine back at him. (He is a very blunt, to-the-point character.)  He told me he was pretty sure there was no cancer, which was nice to hear. He wanted to know why I still had to do this self-catheterisation. He mumbled away, looking at the computer notes on me jotting down notes as he read. He ordered me onto the bed, "knees to your navel, bum hanging over the side of the bed." Then he said "Relax!" - yeah right? After the mandatory finger test he sat down to give his decision. "Right - this is what we're gonna do! We'll take you back into theatre and put you to sleep. Then we'll shove a camera down your penis (my eyes were watering at this point) and see what's going on. If there is something we can fix we'll do it then and there. We'll do another biopsy while you're snoozing too. You'll be in hospital for a few days." Upon questioning he told us it would not happen till next year - so life goes on for now. It does sound promising and he seems determined to do me some good. I am pleased that there seems to be progress.
Today's phone call ...
I was just about to pack my bag and come home from the office at about 6:45 p.m. tonight when my phone rang. It was the manager of one of my chaplaincies. My friend, who some months ago had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, then more recently had cancer elsewhere had been taken to hospital and was not expected to live long. His friend who was at his side had asked the manager to ring me. I went into hospital and spent time by his bedside, though he was in no condition to talk. After consulting the nurse, I dipped a sponge on a little stick in water and put it to his lips, and let him suck the moisture. I warned him, "Watch out Don, I am gonna play nurse." I did this periodically.  My mind went over the many hours of conversation we had shared over the 17 years I had known him. We had run in many running races together, 10k business house "fun" runs and half marathons. He used to weigh me regularly and declare I was "fat".  I never thought we would be in this predicament together. I was there for about an hour then left. I told him that he was pretty special to me and left wondering if I would see him alive again. Sometimes life is a bugger.