You Have Cancer: 66,172 Thanks

Last Cancer Post. Then back to that mushy leadership stuff. I am on a good path. Not perfect. Healing with each new sun. I continue to give thanks in all things. Thanks to my Clinic for amazing clinical care. It’s why I serve here. My career dream. My health journey is why I remain on fire. Stoked to ensure everyone has access to quality and safe care. Why I am driven to be part of digital transformation and bring Hope. This healing Hope. Hope to everyone around the world. I see a world where healing transcends borders. Where world class care is ubiquitous. While time is appointed for each of us to leave our earthy rags, may it never be hastened for a lack of good care. Not on our watch. No excuses.

I already dedicated an entire post to Simran. I can’t help myself. I will express my gratitude again. She plain blesses me. Unselfish. Simran is equal parts love, hope, care, mercy and grace. Did I mention fire? Grande double espresso fire. Spiked and infused with imaginative and beautiful spice that created a woman like no other. Like a lily amongst thorns, so is Simran amongst ladies.

Men, the primary reason I share my journey is for our collective health. You own your health. Get your annual physical and track your PSA. Pride kills. Literally. Exercise and eat well. If not for yourself, do this for those who love you. Women, exhort the men in your life to do the same. Fathers, brothers, boyfriends, partners, spouses. Cousins, nephews and uncles. Prostate cancer is real and when caught early, manageable.

Finally. I won’t get religious on you. Yet unashamedly proclaim! I can’t imagine my life without Grace and Mercy. At my lowest. At my lowest I was rescued more than once. More than twice. I broke the rocks on the bottom. It matters not where you dwell nor play nor born. A hand reached out. Desperate I grabbed. And led me home. Don’t give up. Don’t accept less than what you were created to be. Created to do. #139.

Simran and I tracked every caregiver with whom we had direct interactions. By the numbers (82). But behind these 82. There are an additional 66,090 who are supporting them. We are thankful for the 82 below and the entire 66,172 caregivers who saved me.

• 24 nurses
• 15 physicians
• 9 registration clerks
• 6 medical technicians
• 5 patient transporters
• 3 lab technicians
• 3 nurse assistants
• 3 radiology technicians
• 2 anesthesia technicians
• 2 pharmacy technicians
• 2 housekeepers
• 2 food services representatives
• 2 scheduling representatives
• 2 executive secretaries
• 1 social services
• 1 non-clinical executive

Special Mention. To the left is a photo of expert cardiologist Steven Nissen. A Time magazine’s “top 100 influential leaders”. He took this widow maker survivor and chased him back on to TeamUSA Duathlon in 90 days. Dr. Nissen and Simran relentlessly implored me to get my PSA checked out. Thank God I listened. I owe him my life. We will catch up with surgeon Dr. Klien in a special post before year end.

Gratitude. Simran and I tracked every caregiver with whom we had eyeball to eyeball interaction with. Removed original commentary for brevity.

August 29th, Clinical Trial #6. Dr. Bryk.

August 22nd, Clinical Trial #5. Dr. Bryk.

August 15th, Clinical Trial #4. Dr. Murthy.

August 9th, Penny Removal. Aundra check in. Ashley med tech. Valencia and Darlene RNs.

August 8th, Clinical Trial #3. Dr. Murthy.

August 7th, Post-Op Follow-Up. Antoinette check in. Alisha med tech. Valencia and Darlene RN. Dr. Klein. Mark lab draw.

August 1st, Clinical Trial #2. Dr. Murthy.

July 31st, Peritoneal Drainage Cather Placement. Jill check in. Nurses Tiana and Mandy pre-op. Dr’s. Herts and Brown. Lisa and Cassandra OR nurses.Collette radiology tech. Lyrma recovery room nurse.

July 30th, Imaging. Denise check in. Sara rad tech. Dr. Klein. Nurses Ashley and Vicky.

July 25th. Clinical Trial #1. Antoinette check in. Dr. Murthy treatment.

July 19th. Unplanned Visit. Antoinette check in. Gladys medical assistant. Dr. Klein.

July 15th. One Week Post-Op Visit. Antoinette check in. Med assist Keena. Valencia RN.

July 9th Nursing Care. Lilliana, Shaima and Tappi nurses. Nurse assistants Sherry, Ashely and Dymond. Housekeepers Rudra and Rosie. Food service by June. Sean pharmacy tech. Martha social services care. Shannon and Amy nursing floor leaders. Avia discharge porter.

July 9th Executive Rounds. Josette friend and coworker. Meredith deputy chief nurse.

July 8th. Surgery Day. Ruby and Christine surgical front desk representatives. Diane surgical admitting nurse. Chris my porter .Dr. Klein primary surgeon. Dr. Alice primary assistant and rounded. Dr. Kahitij Hemal assisted in surgery. Dr. Perilla, Chair of Urological Anesthesia, Nurse Julie, the CRNA. Nurse Sherry who scrubbed. Nurse Colleen recovery nurse. Nurse Cynthia assisted Colleen. Nurse Erika PACU manager. Riccardo the porter. Dr. Troianos, Chair of Anesthesia Institute visited. Dr. Sabanegh, President Cleveland Clinic Hospitals visited. Dr. Fergany, Associate Chair of Glickman Urology and Kidney Institute visited.

July 5th. Surgery Scheduling. Spoke with Shelly.

July 1st. Pre-Registration Desk. Registered by Bonita. Colleen checked my file.

July 1st. Anesthesia Eval. Cindy greeted me. Anesthesia nurse Mahela evaluated me.

July 1st. Urology. Marla at check-in. Carissa medical assistant. Dr. Klien. Nurse Valencia

June 21st Second Opinion. Antoinette checked us in. Shardae medical assistant. Dr. “B” nurse Terria. Dan from surgery scheduling.

June 19th First Opinion. Jody is Dr. Klein’s excellent assistant. Dr. Klein.

June 10th, Cancer Dx. Dr. Klein called and shared biopsy results. You have cancer.

June 5th Biopsy Day. Dr. Klein outside office at 0645 with lab results. Joyce the receptionist. Alban medical assistant. Eric the nurse. Dr. Klein.

June 3rd PSA Blood Draw. Dr. Nissen exhortation. Dr. Klein PSA innovation. Joanne medical tech.

What’s Next. Completed clinical trials. It worked! Gratifying to help with research. Continue exercises to strengthen sexual response. Ahead of curve with plans to summit early. Simran remains excellent nurse and partner. I am locked and loaded for my sub-40-minute 10K run New Year’s Day. I ran a couple of Labor Day 10K races for baseline. A long way to go, but did place 3rd in my age group Saturday and 2nd on Monday.

Professional and Personal Insights.

• Don’t be a victim. It is your health. Your life. Your career. Take charge.
• When you help others, you remove focus on yourself.
• Get better or bitter.
• Continued revelation that I am where God wants me to be.

Journey so Far…The last post in a series written after my prostate cancer diagnosis (June 10, 2019). I write to share personal & professional learnings, update colleagues on health status and promote the eradication of this filthy disease.

This piece is the final installment in a blog series written by Ed Marx, CIO at The Cleveland Clinic, chronicling his cancer diagnosis and treatment.