Thanksgiving
Title
Thanksgiving
Identifier
THANKSGIVING
Creator
Jacob Schlitt
Description
"It is still a couple weeks before Thanksgiving, and a couple days before Election Day."
Date
2016-11-06
Coverage
2016
Format
application/pdf
Type
text
Text
THANKSGIVING
It is still a couple weeks before Thanksgiving, and a couple days before Election Day. I have been doing a lot of anticipating. I am anticipating a Hillary Clinton victory and a Democratic Senate, and I am therefore giving thanks in advance that the American people were not taken in by the most dangerous, demagogic, xenophobic, misogynistic, hate-filled presidential candidate ever. It is amazing that Trump was able to win the Republican nomination by denouncing the Republican establishment, and went on to amass a following of know-nothings and deplorables, by appealing to their fears and prejudices.
Hillary is going to have to work hard to win back the blue collar workers who were once the backbone of the Democratic Party, who felt abandoned by her and the Democratic establishment. Enter Bernie, who can help. But at the same time, Hillary is going to have to work with the splintered Republican establishment. It won’t be easy. Thankfully, Trump and the haters will fade, and though I would like Sanders and Warren to provide leadership, the best we can expect are Hillary’s compromises. We are back to the lesser of two evils. I should give thanks that we are not getting the greater of two evils.
I want to also give thanks to my family and friends with whom I have been sharing my medical condition for the past several months. I deeply appreciate your concern and am truly grateful for your support. No one has more wonderful, more loving, more supportive kids and friends. As Phil says: “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
I had no idea, when I decided to see a urologist in June, that I was going to be in for a scary roller coaster ride. I thought: having trouble urinating? Take a pill and I will be all better. What followed was the realization that I was dealing with serious stuff: prostate cancer, surgery, unknown treatment over an unknown period of time.
So first, I want to give thanks for Medicare and my health plan. Then, to Beth Israel Hospital and my Primary Care Physician, Dr. William Taylor. Then, my Urologist, Dr. Peter Steinberg. Then, the advances made in the treatment of an enlarged prostate, and all the remarkable technology. As I have already indicated, I was scared. My condition was getting worse. Pills were not making it better. I was told it would require surgery, but it did not come with a guarantee. Thanks. There was discomfort before, during and after the surgery, but with patience and luck, the discomfort passed, for which I was thankful. And more than thankful for being able to urinate normally, again.
Then, a new concern: prostate cancer. I was told most men my age had prostate cancer. Thanks. The questions was: has it spread? Had a bone scan which indicated it has not spread. Again, thanks. So how do we deal with what there is? One suggestion was hormone therapy. No, thanks. At my last meeting with Dr. Steinberg, he concluded that we will just keep an eye on it. No radiation. No hormone therapy. Just regular urine and blood samples, keeping the lab technicians busy. I have a lot to be thankful for.
11-6-16
It is still a couple weeks before Thanksgiving, and a couple days before Election Day. I have been doing a lot of anticipating. I am anticipating a Hillary Clinton victory and a Democratic Senate, and I am therefore giving thanks in advance that the American people were not taken in by the most dangerous, demagogic, xenophobic, misogynistic, hate-filled presidential candidate ever. It is amazing that Trump was able to win the Republican nomination by denouncing the Republican establishment, and went on to amass a following of know-nothings and deplorables, by appealing to their fears and prejudices.
Hillary is going to have to work hard to win back the blue collar workers who were once the backbone of the Democratic Party, who felt abandoned by her and the Democratic establishment. Enter Bernie, who can help. But at the same time, Hillary is going to have to work with the splintered Republican establishment. It won’t be easy. Thankfully, Trump and the haters will fade, and though I would like Sanders and Warren to provide leadership, the best we can expect are Hillary’s compromises. We are back to the lesser of two evils. I should give thanks that we are not getting the greater of two evils.
I want to also give thanks to my family and friends with whom I have been sharing my medical condition for the past several months. I deeply appreciate your concern and am truly grateful for your support. No one has more wonderful, more loving, more supportive kids and friends. As Phil says: “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
I had no idea, when I decided to see a urologist in June, that I was going to be in for a scary roller coaster ride. I thought: having trouble urinating? Take a pill and I will be all better. What followed was the realization that I was dealing with serious stuff: prostate cancer, surgery, unknown treatment over an unknown period of time.
So first, I want to give thanks for Medicare and my health plan. Then, to Beth Israel Hospital and my Primary Care Physician, Dr. William Taylor. Then, my Urologist, Dr. Peter Steinberg. Then, the advances made in the treatment of an enlarged prostate, and all the remarkable technology. As I have already indicated, I was scared. My condition was getting worse. Pills were not making it better. I was told it would require surgery, but it did not come with a guarantee. Thanks. There was discomfort before, during and after the surgery, but with patience and luck, the discomfort passed, for which I was thankful. And more than thankful for being able to urinate normally, again.
Then, a new concern: prostate cancer. I was told most men my age had prostate cancer. Thanks. The questions was: has it spread? Had a bone scan which indicated it has not spread. Again, thanks. So how do we deal with what there is? One suggestion was hormone therapy. No, thanks. At my last meeting with Dr. Steinberg, he concluded that we will just keep an eye on it. No radiation. No hormone therapy. Just regular urine and blood samples, keeping the lab technicians busy. I have a lot to be thankful for.
11-6-16
Original Format
application/msword
Collection
Citation
Jacob Schlitt, “Thanksgiving,” Autobiographical stories & other writing by Jacob Schlitt, accessed January 22, 2026, https://tsirlson.omeka.net/items/show/421.