Pardon my “organ recital,” but my prostate is vacating my body today. Wish me luck with my radical prostatectomy and a biopsy of my pelvic lymphs as I’m ready for a summer vacation away from my relentless teacher named Cancer.

Certain kinds of cancer shake us to our feminine or masculine roots. I got an early taste of this a year and a half ago when HIFU surgery ablated half of my prostate, and for the next month, I was peeing out the burned remnants of my masculinity. Unfortunately, that surgery didn’t do the trick, but it sure was a trickster for my mind.

Let me publicly say thank you to my prostate for all the good service it has offered me since puberty. At times, it’s been overworked. While we’re getting divorced now, I have such fond memories of the power of my prostate. I wouldn’t have a couple of sons without this little miracle-working organ.

Yes, surgery on the prostate creates all kinds of unfortunate side effects for all men, but the psychological, sexual, and physical implications for a gay man take this one step further. The prostate is the G-spot for many gay men, so this surgery can be very compromising. Generally speaking, the traditional urology/oncology world is pretty clueless about this, so I’ve been seeking out support from my friends.

I’ve stored up a number of blog posts for the next few days, so you’ll keep hearing from me as I recover. Thanks for all the love, prayers, and support.