It's Not About The Bike

Not long after my initial diagnosis, my colleague Glenda bought me a copy of Lance Armstrong's book "It's Not About The Bike".  


The book tells the Armstrong story up to his second Tour de France win and therefore encompasses his diagnosis and subsequent battle with testicular cancer.  I finally got around to reading the book during my recent hospital stay and fought it very enlightening.


One of the reasons for this blog was to record what was happening to me and how it affected me, etc.  The details I went into about how the chemotherapy and radiotherapy affected me has however been reasonably to the point.  This is where the book was quite enlightening.  Actually reading in vivid detail how it affected Armstrong bought home to me some of my own experiences.  While my dosages were nothing compared to his, I suddenly remembered things that I had obviously suppressed.


The book was good for a number of reasons.  Firstly, it is very easy to dislike Lance Armstrong for his arrogance, but equally it is possible to empathise with him over his medical issues.


From the pure cancer sufferer/survivor viewpoint, his depiction of his trials during treatment and his feelings post treatment were very profound and easy to relate to.


If you really want to understand how this treatment "feels", I suggest you get hold of the book and read it.


I'm pleased I didn't read it earlier as it would probably have put me off the treatment, but I actually feel better for reading it, knowing how others have been through similar experiences always helps.