I should have known that I might not like what my brain scan showed, just as I should have known that the symptoms of prostatism that were increasingly bothering me were just as likely to be caused by cancer as by the benign prostatic enlargement that happens in most men as they age. But I continued to think that illness happened to patients and not to doctors, even though I was now retired. Twenty months after I had my brain scanned, I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. I had had typical symptoms for years, steadily getting worse, but it took me a long time before I could bring myself to ask for help. I thought I was being stoical when in reality I was being a coward. I simply couldn’t believe the diagnosis at first, so deeply ingrained was my denial.

I would do more weightlifting than aerobics. Strong is better than skinny.

In particular, my decision to sell McDonald's was a very big mistake. Overall, you would have been better off last year if I had regularly snuck off to the movies during market hours.

The death of my wife: I’d happily have gone first.

“You’re selfish.” It was a friend.

A bushel of self-confidence.

An accounting is given of our lives. Did you give more than you’ve taken? Hurt more people than you’ve helped?

Because it’s in one of my songs, War and Peace.

Immunity to cruelty.

Losing the people that I love.