SAYING GOOD-BYE TO YOUR PROSTATE

An energetic, irreverent look at prostate cancer and its treatment from a patient’s perspective.

Debut author MacKenzie takes readers from the importance of preventative health care through the unexpected trauma of diagnosis to the nitty-gritty specifics of treatment, making jokes all the way. His open disclosures about potentially embarrassing situations—urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, post-surgery masturbatory stimulation, a lack of ejaculate—are both lighthearted and reassuring, sure to bring comfort to anxious readers. MacKenzie makes clear that these readers are expected to be both male and female, patients and loved ones, and he expertly tailors the narrative accordingly. Notably, MacKenzie had a tremendous amount of social support, even from people whom he hadn’t spoken with for decades. For example, he spends the night before a hospital visit with a childhood friend who, despite years without contact, offered an invitation without reservation. Much of MacKenzie’s advice (e.g., always have a second pair of ears since the stress of the situation will impair comprehension) centers on the ready availability of friends and family. He’s open about his gratitude and indirectly acknowledges that other patients may have fewer resources. Given that reality, a fuller discussion that addressed potential issues related to deficits in social support would have enriched the work by increasing its relevance to a broader patient population. Similarly, the overall content is informative and humorous, but at 100-odd pages of large font, it may leave readers wishing for a more comprehensive work. Still, it's nearly impossible not to like MacKenzie’s nimble phrasing (“a manic, frantic panic”) and humbling self-disclosures (“it is completely unfamiliar not to have any ejaculate. It is foreign and made me feel less of who I am or was”). The conclusion is as uplifting and optimistic as the rest of the book, despite a sad reminder of the disease’s potential fatality. Nonetheless, Schwartz’s lighthearted, black-and-white cartoon sketches, which adorn the chapter divisions, further contribute to the book’s calming tone. An inspiring account of surviving and thriving after a devastating diagnosis.