Take Charge of Your Health

Steve Cole writes:

Steve Cole is fine. Let's start there before any of the rest of this upsets anyone. Fine means cured, full recovery in progress, no problems. Now, as for what happened.

Last Friday a brilliant surgeon removed my left kidney which had a big tumor. This kind of cancer is self-contained and non-invasive (at least it would have been for another year) so there is no follow up, no radiation, and no chemotherapy. I'm done, cured, back to a normal life. Home and safe.

I did not mention this earlier because I knew that it was a simple procedure with odds of success at 100%. Easy fix. I wasn't worried and you didn't need to worry either. If I seemed distracted in the last few weeks, this was why. (Unlike TV doctors who schedule your surgery for the third commercial, real world cancers wait several weeks for a surgical appointment.)

I am telling you now because ADB, Inc. has always been totally honest and transparent, and because just maybe it will inspire a few of you who don't currently take care of your health to see a doctor regularly and keep track of your blood pressure and blood sugar. My blood pressure had been stable for a decade when I noticed a sudden climb that steadied at a higher number. When it didn't go away, I asked my doctor to check into it, and a few specialists and tests later they found a tumor the size of a tennis ball (which was causing my blood pressure to rise).

I am going to take the four-day holiday weekend to rest and let a few places heal. It hurts when I laugh -- but not even enough to take pain pills. I will be fine. See you all Monday.