I’m
Gordon Morgan and this is Ursula, my wife and traveling companion for four
decades.
I
worked in the Florida Department of Transportation for a long time, so I often
think of life in transportation
terms…
Not
long ago, life for Ursula and me was like a fun trip rolling down a highway (think I-10 between the pines,
not I-95 between the construction cranes).
Suddenly,
there was a detour sign: Prostate
Cancer, Exit here.
Following
the exit, I saw several more signs: One was This way to radiation, it will work for a while. Another was Turn here
for seeds, they’ll probably work.
The biggest sign was: Straight ahead for surgery (that sign seemed to lead to a steep drop-off at the end of the road).
Finally,
I spotted the path to Jacksonville and proton beam therapy. It was not heavily traveled, but it looked promising.
That
path took me through a region of X-rays, MRIs, bone scans, CT-scans, and more.
But finally, I got to my destination—which
turned out to be... a cruise ship! The
SS PTI! I had never been on a cruise ship, but I could tell what it was.
The Admirals of the Fleet (The Executive,
Physics, & Medical directors) got the ship built and outfitted. Thank you,
especially Dr Mendenhall.
The Captain, for me, was my doctor: he learned where I’d been and
where I needed to go, and set the course
for my personalized treatment. He also arranged to give me a special OAR, but I never had to help
row the ship. That’s good, because the Space OAR is stored in a place that I
can’t reach. On the other hand, he took away a hormone--but I’ll get it back later. Thank you, Dr Henderson.
The First Mates (my Case Managers) made sure I followed the Captain’s orders, answered
all my questions, and were always available if I needed anything. Thank you, Petro and Alicia.
There
were special sailors in the ship
dispensary, AKA the Nurses’ Station. They took vitals, helped with procedures,
and greeted me cheerfully when I arrived. Thank you, Maggie, Tia, Evelyn, and all the others.
A
variety of specialized deck hands
staffed the Blue Deck and the Yellow deck (I never saw the Red deck). They were
friendly as well as efficient as they helped me settle into a comfy place to
lie down every morning…although they only let me stay there a few minutes. And
they didn’t serve drinks...but there was plenty of water. A LOT of water. Thank
you, John, Jeff, Donny, Loren, Courtney,
Laura, Hannah, Dominick, Michela, Tasha, Kelly, Devin, Cindie. Hope I
haven’t left out too many.
The
SS PTI has many kinds of accommodations
for the passengers…Ursula and I were on the Third Deck in the Main
part of the ship (Third & Main) quite near the heart of the ship.
The smiling stewards there made sure we had everything we needed…and threw an
occasional party for everyone. Thank you, Melissa
& Debra.
Below deck were the unsung heroes, the physicists, mechanics, and electricians who kept
the ship moving. I never saw them, but I appreciate them. There were a few
issues, especially on the Yellow deck, but they always got us moving again…sooner
or later.
The
other passengers on the USS PTI have
been amazing. We got to know each other, traded stories and tips for dealing
with occasional rough seas, and we made some valuable friends. Without them, it
would have been a much longer trip. Thank
you to all of you.
The SS
PTI encouraged us to get to know each other by providing a large and
comfortable waiting room (with
Gerri, and now Stacy), support group meetings,
and free lunches. Our Social Director hosted meetings,
introduced speakers, and answered questions. He also selected and coordinated
visits to various ports of call…Italy, Mexico, several sea ports, and other
tasty places. Thank you, Brad.
Ursula
and I have reached the end of our voyage
now. We’ll remember all of it fondly…well
most of it…and we’re certainly glad that we got the chance to join so
many wonderful people on the SS PTI.
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