Raymond Strother
April 14th, 2008
“I really, really hate to tell you this,” is how it all began. Prostate cancer! Virulent prostate cancer! A bastard of a disease looking for other organs to attack.
My father died an agonizing death because he refused to be treated. My doctor, a wise and thoughtful man in Washington, D.C., told me that the same cancer that killed my father was likely to be in my future. We stepped up the schedule of my PSA tests. Every ninety days I drained a few centimeters of blood into a tiny glass vial as an investment in a future…ten minutes of my life for a painless and simple test my father refused. Cancer! My doctor was right but I was ready. I had already made my decision. I had too many books to write, too many grand children to teach fly fishing and tall story telling. I would fight. Every morning I would drink my quart of water, drag myself to the hospital, and lie on the stainless steel table under the huge radiation device. After that I would go to the gym and sweat and try to make myself stronger. I had experts on my side but I also had an obligation. I fought and fought. With a lot of help from my wife and modern medicine, I won. We kicked cancer’s behind. I am back to catching trout, writing books, and teaching grandchildren how to appreciate a well-told lie.
One Response to “ Raymond Strother ”
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May 1st, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Congrats Raymond!!!! I love your determination. Keep catching those fish and sharing those wonderful memories with your grandchildren. My grandfather passed when I was a young girl so I never really got the pleasure of those good ole “granpa stories”..