Ralph DeGraw from SunRay

Some of you guys may know Ralph, he’s a great guy always upbeat and helpful.

He recently found out he has prostate cancer and is waiting for the results from his biopsy, then going to the MAYO clinic.

In the meantime , he’s really down. If you know him he’d probably appreciate a call.

He’ll still talk your ear off!

Aaron

I’ve had it for 8 years and with trreatment I am doing fine - even if not cured. If you’re lucky - it can be a disease to live with as opposed to .....

Please free to forward a little story to him - if you think he would appreciate it...

After I got out of USAF - wanting to be a hippie instead of a pilot - I enrolled in grad school at UT Austin in Anthropology/Archaeology (didn’t work out - another story).

I had this lump on the left side of my neck and it started getting sort of “touchy”.

I went to the student health center and saw this 55’ish doctor with tan slacks and a short sleeve white dress shirt - with no tie, but a Harvard tie tack clipped where the tie tack ought to be...

So I showed him my lump - he asked - “how long have you had this?” - I said, maybe 2 years......

So he leans back and asks me - “ are your familiar with Oliver Wendell Holmes?”...

I do a quick scan of my previous education and reply - “Why yes, Supreme Court Justice, Poet...”

He smiles - and says “He was also a Harvard trained physician. Once he gave a talk at the Harvard Union, and at the question time at the end of it, a young undergraduate asked — “”Dr. Holmes, what medical advice would give a young man who wished to lead a long and productive life?””

And so my doc continues...”and Dr. Holmes answered - “”My advice is to contract an incurable disease - and cultivate it” !!

Our friend’s situation will be whatever it is - prostate cancers are very variable - but lots of them turn out to be chronic rather than catastrophic.

Cures are possible and even without that, it can be a relatively manageable condition.

Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/08/2019 11:57PM by lytle78.

Talked with Ralph several times and he seemed like a really nice guy. Still using the left handed Amish pouch I got from him close to a decade ago. Solid as the first day I used it.

Prayers to you as well, Rick. May you keep co-existing with your uninvited guest for many years to come.

I had it, did lots and lots of research and decided to go with the da vinci robot approach with surgeon who has done 11K procedures. Its been six years - knock on wood (yes still wood) and psa = zero

newguy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I had it, did lots and lots of research and decide
> d to go with the da vinci robot approach with surg
> eon who has done 11K procedures. Its been six year
> s - knock on wood (yes still wood) and psa = zero

Good for you, new guy. Glad you are officially cured with sense of humor fully intact!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/2019 05:44AM by marcomo.