Geez.  No, I am not.  That's a hell of an assumption.

I see a guy who's going through PCa and doesn't look so good.  I can set
aside politics for compassion.  I could care less regarding his politics.  I
don't live in his state and he has no chance in a national election.
Edwards is the one to watch.  But, probably not until '08.

And Walsh was the surgeon.

A short google search on the web will help you verify that he had
surgery at Hopkins just about a year ago.  In fact, you will find his
surgeon was Patrick Walsh.   Walsh was confident about the outcome of
the surgery, but of course we all know that even in the most promising
cases, there is a chance of recurrence.

Kerry seems to have got back to campaigning soon, from which I conclude
that he must have recovered pretty quickly.  But like Colin Powell, he
hasn't chosen to share with the public the details of his surgery and
recovery.  Giuliani, who decided on treatment by hormones, external
radiation, and seeds, seemed to be much more affected.  He actually
dropped out of the primary race for Senator in New York, using his
disease as the reason.   Some details of his treatment came out
indirectly because of his contentious divorce.

All three of these gentlemen, as well as other public figures, have
allowed their cases to be use to publicize the need for detecting and
treating prostate cancer, while at the same time trying to maintain some
degree of privacy about their lives.   We are unlikely to learn about
how long they were incontinent and/or impotent.