Last week I recommended that you take the “Perisho Prescription”, that is, get your minimal daily dose of humor from Jerry Perisho’s two excellent PC-related blogs, . I am following up with the “Perisho Prescription, Part II”. Would you believe that in this climate of gloom and doom I am recommending that you read a book about cancer to cheer yourself up?
I am, because Jerry’s memoir of of life with prostate cancer,”I Barf, Therefore I Am: A Sensitive Comedy Writer’s Relationship With Cancer”, is tender, uplifting and beautifully written. Jerry treats the subject matter with the appropriate gravitas, but he liberally intersperses wit and humor. This is the work of a pro, and it shows.
And the take-home message is positive:
“I went through surgery, hormone therapy and chemotherapy and came out of it a stronger and better man. You can, too.”
Four years ago, Jerry Perisho had a good life. He was s a 52-year- old bank executive and comedy writer with a loving wife, three wonderful, accomplished sons and lots of good friends. And the backdrop for all this was balmy Southern California.
Then came “Hurricane Carcinoma” and upturned everything.
Being diagnosed with cancer is a knockout punch for everybody, even those with good “shock absorbers”. But Jerry picked himself up, took stock of his resources and put them to good use. First, he designated his wife, Christa, as his “patient-advocate”. She was to write down everything the doctors said. This is a great idea because the newly diagnosed patient is often too muddled to pay attention.
Then Jerry, Christa and the boys reviewed the medical information, did some research of their own, and decided on a treatment, minimally-invasive (robotic) surgery with Dr. Tim Wilson at City of Hope Cancer Center in suburban L.A.
Jerry’s description of the high-quality care he received from his “Dream Team” at City of Hope is truly inspiring. Everybody there treated