Four Months

Being the week of my second Provenge treatment I was going to write about the mechanics of the treatment for those of you that are considering Provenge.  However, after hearing some comments and seeing some reactions about the cost to benefit ratio of Provenge I’ve decided not to write about the mechanics but, instead, the emotion of the treatment.

Not to be argued the treatment is expensive as hell.  What desperate attempt to lengthen one’s longevity treatment isn’t?   Yes, we men who have this treatment are, short of a miracle, terminal.  Yes, for those of you that still feel immortal the return to dollar ratio probably makes no sense.  I get it.  A median increase in longevity of four months seems trivial.

That reaction bothers me.  I think it bothers me most because so many people have no issue with wishing four months to quickly pass.  After all most of us measure time in terms of our mortgage.

I agree, four months will, sadly, pass by much too quickly.  Four months is a blink of an eye, a window of opportunity for a cancer cell, nothing.  Four months is a negligible wisp of time.  Wrong…

I can calculate the cost to benefit ratio of this treatment simply like so:

In four months I can see 120 sunrises and 120 sunsets.

I can go to the cabin with the love of my life, oh let’s say, at least 4 times.

I will hear my son joking at least 120 times.

I will get to kiss my wife at least 240 times.

I’ll get to hold her hand at least 120 times.

I will hear my daughter laugh a minimum of 16 times,

My grandson and step granddaughters will be around at least 16 times.

I’ll receive a hug from my best friend well more than 90 times.

I will help someone less fortunate than I at least 4 times.

Research done on me will cure the guy coming up behind me.  If not him then the next one.

Wind, Crows, BBQ, My co-workers and the many things I missed and didn’t list at least 120 times.

My heart will be 12,096,000 times [if I did the math right]

All of that and more in a median four months, we should calculate the cost.  Let’s see just this partial list alone is 12,096,971 events.  Basic math makes each of those events coldly worth .007 cents each.  Throw out the statistical skewing heart beats and you get about 87 bucks per event.  I’d pay 87 bucks in a heartbeat to be at the cabin.

Take it from someone who no longer says “thank god it’s Friday”  Four months can be a lifetime.

We are thinking about you C