Today I sat in a urologist’s office—fluorescent lights, sterile walls, and that familiar scent of medical “clean” that never actually feels clean. The doctor gave me the results: there’s a 20% chance I have prostate cancer. Not a guarantee, not a death sentence, but enough to stop a man in his tracks for a second.
I told him I quit smoking 26 days ago, and he congratulated me like I just crossed the finish line of a marathon. “That’s the best thing you could be doing right now,” he said. Funny how 26 days can suddenly feel like 26 years of good decisions in one sentence.
Prostate cancer, the doc reminded me, is very treatable. And right now, it’s just a possibility. But let’s be honest—nobody wakes up excited about “a slight chance of cancer.” Still, I’ve done this rodeo already. Thyroid cancer… that one taught me a lot:
✅ Keep a cool head.
✅ Don’t panic about death.
✅ Don’t let fear run the show.
Do I believe in God? Scientifically, no. But that may just be because I’ve watched too many atheist YouTube videos at 3am while eating granola bars and pondering existence. So who knows? If God exists, maybe He’s rolling His eyes at my browser history right now.
So here I am:
Older? Yes.
Frightened? A little.
Determined? Absolutely.
If I don’t want to die early, I’ve gotta watch my health. I’m not smoking. I’m showing up. I’m facing life instead of numbing it one cigarette at a time. That’s what counts today.
26 days smoke-free.
20% unknown.
100% committed.
I got this.
by Dan and Bonkers
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