The day we thought would never arrive has arrived.  We're leaving at
5:00 tomorrow morning for San Ramon Regional Medical Center where Dr.
Steve Taylor will perform Don's LRP.

Don's instructions for surgery prep were simple.  At 3:00 this
afternoon (just a few minutes ago), he drank a 10 ounce bottle of
cherry flavor citrate of magnesium.  He can't eat anything after 3:00
this afternoon, but he can take clear liquids (broth, jello, apple
juice, etc.) until later this evening.  He gets to rise at 4:00
tomorrow morning to a Fleet Enema.  His only other instructions were
to bring a robe, slippers and toiletries to the hospital (as well as
someone to drive him home the next day).  I'm packing a whole lot more
than he's bringing, since I'll be waiting at the hospital for surgery
to finish and for Don to be brought out of the recovery room  (my
laptop, a small knitting project, a book, my minidisc player with a
book I've been listening to during my morning walks, and a few
magazines).  Surgery is anticipated to take from five and a half to
six hours, with one-two hours in the recovery room.  Dr. Taylor
expects to release Don on Tuesday afternoon, barring any
complications.

Don did ask his nurse/coordinator how much this surgery usually costs
and was told between $45,000 and $65,000, depending on what the doctor
finds once he's inside and how much he actually needs to do to remove
the prostate and other anatomical items.  The da Vinci robot costs
between $1.2 and $1.3 million.

Dr. Taylor also advised Don that in two weeks he can do whatever he
wants, physically, as long as it doesn't hurt, and keeping in mind
that his insides will still be healing.  They had a frank talk about
incontinence and impotence and Dr. Taylor said he could make no
guarantees on either front.  His patients run the gamut from those who
are continent and functional immediately after the catheter is removed
to those who, even after six months, are not dry nor functional.  He
wouldn't give Don any stats on longer than six months, reasoning that
everyone's rate of recovery is different.

So we're off to embark on the newest chapter of our life.  The phone
has been ringing off the hook all day, the doorbell has been ringing
all morning, and everyone has been offering prayers and good thoughts.
The strangest question I received this morning was from a girlfriend
who asked if Don was "excited" about his upcoming surgery.  He laughed
at that one!  My girlfriend is blonde, and she lives in Southern
California, so the question wasn't out of line with anything else that
comes out of her mouth (my apologies to Keith Lundy who lives down
there!).

One item that Don received from the hospital was a questionnaire about
his current (pre-surgery) urinary and sexual functions.  As part of a
hospital study he'll be receiving these questionnaires every three
months for the next year.

We couldn't sign off today without thanking everyone for their
support, prayers, kind thoughts, and information regarding their
individual experiences with how they're dealing with prostate cancer,
from both the man's point of view and from the point of view of their
wives, families, and/or significant others.  The information you have
all so openly and frankly shared has made our journey to this point
easier to bear.

We love you all.

Don & Linda Smith
Clayton, California