Don't Ignore Warnings From Your Doctor

On May 29th of 2008 I checked into the hospital to undergo a right radical nephrectomy, to remove a multi-cystic clear cell renal carcinoma which had lay hidden and growing in my right kidney. Days before surgery, I had to go in for pre-register and do a few pre-surgery tests. As I sat in front of an over educated nurse explaining the steps that I would be following I was as usual, not paying much attention to what she was saying, but more the expression on my wife’s face. Once again I caused undue distress to my darling wife.
But lets not jump ahead, lets go back a year when my doctor told me that that they had found microscopic blood in the urinary sample that I had given. He asked ask me to please follow it up with an urologist. Did I? No! I hate going to see doctors and one thing was for sure, I was not interested in meeting another. I ignored his warning telling myself that of course there was blood in my urine I had suffered with kidney stones for years so as far as I was concerned there was no problem.
The following year when I returned for my yearly checkup, my doctor who I have the greatest respect for, made an issue of the test I had a year prior. He demanded that I would go to see an urologist even though there was no blood in my urine at this time. Being more stubborn that I he talked me into promising him that I would go to the urologist that he recommended.
Stuck with the promise I had made, my appointment with the urologist became a reality. The news I received was not good. The urologist found a large growth in my right kidney and surgical removal of the kidney was the only option.
If I had waited longer to follow the recommendations of my doctor the growth within my kidney could have burst and metastasized throughout my body. So questions come to mind.

• Is it important to find a doctor that you trust totally for taking care of
your well being?
• Do we listen to our doctor without question?
• Do we need to follow our doctor’s advice out of fear or just common sense?
• How does one overcome the fear of finding more cancer?
• Is it possible to find enough support to get through the ordeal?

I would like to hear your comments on my experience. My next article will discuss the experimental drugs I am using in a clinical study.

Website: www.dream-weaverchildrenstory.com
Author of children/teen stories
Blog address: http://dream-weaverchildrenstory.blogspot.com

Divorced Fathers' Dilemma

Divorced Fathers’ Delemmas

The divorced father syndrome is an ever growing phenomenon of our civilized western world. It has become a problem of astronomical proportion. Unluckily, I was one of its victims. My marriage had lasted for years with guilty feelings on my part that I had to stay in this predicament for the sake of my children. I had convinced myself that it was the only right thing for me to do. Yet I guess fate had its own plan for me. In 1999 I got divorced. I had finally made the move and like so many other divorced fathers, I figured that all my problems would now be behind me. I had terribly under estimated the consequence of my actions.

I had lost my children to my ex-wife. She now had not only control of my children but she was the main influence on my children feelings and how they perceived their father. My love for them was as strong as ever. Yet, I fell into the trap that I now felt that I needed to see my children not because I love them, but because of the guilt I felt..

It took me years to heal and accept the fact that my children still loved me and to realize that I was their father without conditions. That we had recovered from the shell-shock cause from the ordeal of the breakup of my marriage. They like I, had come to realize that it took two to Tango.

It is now nine years later. All of my boys have migrated back to Florida to live with me. During those years, certain questions have often crossed my mine on so many occasions whether my feelings were unique.

So some of these questions:

Do the average father feel responsible for the breakup of the marriage?

Do they have the emotions of guilt for abandonment of their children?

Are they constantly trying to buy back their children love?

Are fathers having a hard time accepting the fact that their children’s love are unconditional?

Lastly, what is the average recovery time for fathers’ to come to grip with their relationship with their child or children?

I would love to hear your comments on your personal experience or any opinions that you might have on the subject.

Peter Theophilopoulos

Website: www.dream-weaverchildrenstory.com

Author of children/teen stories

Blog address: http://dream-weaverchildrenstory.blogspot.com