Chamberlain A letter on Chamberlain and prostatitis

suzenatale

Sergeant Major
Joined
May 25, 2013
I suffer from prostatitis and have regular UTIs because of the prostate issue. I regularly feel miserable and my quality of life has deteriorated over the years. I chanced upon Chamberlain's story and his sufferings were much worse yet he thrived and had a wonderful life. He inspires me to soldier on. In my never ending search for relief, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of medications could he have taken to relieve his sufferings in an age of no antibiotics, etc. Do you know of an article or book that would outline what medical treatments and medicines he took throughout his life that allowed him to live so long with such a terrible wound?
Thank you,
xxxxx

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xxxxxx,
I'm sorry to hear about your condition. I wish I had the information that you seek. I'm not sure that he ever found relief. He suffered from infections over the course of his life, some that incapacitated him completely for a time. He attempted operations to fix the problem, but nothing worked. One can be seen here http://www.joshualawrencechamberlain.com/1883sickness.php.
I think what kept him going was a belief in destiny, that he felt he had survived because there was something still he was meant to do. Here are some quotes:
He wrote to his mother after his wounding when he was considering returning to the army,

"I confess, Not a selfish ambition: for I assure you not all the honors & titles that can be given or won, would tempt me to hazard the happiness and welfare of my dear ones at home, nor would they be any equivalent whatever for these terrible wounds as must cast a shadow over the remainder of my days, even though I should apparently recover. But what it is, I can't tell you. I haven't a particle of fanaticism in me. But I plead guilty to a sort of fatalism I believe in a destiny - one, I mean, divinely appointed, & to which we are carried forward by a perfect trust in God. I do this, & I believe in it. I have laid plans in my day & good one I thought. But they never succeeded. something else, better, did, and I could see it as plain as day, that God had one it, & for my good. So I am right be sure of that, happen what may. Not for any merit of mine, but for divine & living mercy all is bright with me, in this world & beyond. So dear Mother, with a more appreciative love and a growing gratitude towards my Parents, as I recount their faithful care & unfathomed kindness & the trust that I man never do dishonor to their name, I am your obedient & loving son. Lawrence."

And 50 years later before he died he wrote,

"I am passing through deep waters! The Dr thinks I am going to land once more on this shore. I seem to be gaining deliverance from the particular disease which caused me such unspeakable agony and gaining strength from the condition to which it reduced me. We are gradually discharging Doctors and nurses. My good old Dr Shaw thinks I need an accomplished specialist for a while longer. I greatly appreciate you and Alice's kind wish to come and help me; but my condition is still such that it would not be well for either of us to attempt it just now.
If the dear Lord has appointed me to live a little longer I am resolved it shall be of good to me and others. I am trying to get a little closer to God and know him better."


I think because Ellis Spear had made light of Chamberlain's wound a lot of people today do not consider his condition to have been very serious. Would it be okay with you if I shared your story with others? Leaving off your name of course.

Thanks for writing,
Best wishes on your recovery.
-Susan

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Susan,
Thank you for the information. Yes, you can use my story - like you said no name. I'm sure there are tens of thousands of men suffering with prostatitis just as I am - I'm sure the number is in the millions really. It's such an underrated disease because most men suffer in silence. After all men can't talk about UTIs and urinary problems and still think of themselves as men. And, medicine still can't say what actually causes prostatitis, therefore no cure and treatments that merely just treat the symptoms not the disease. Like I said, hearing what J. L. Chamberlain suffered with for so long makes my prostate issues seem nothing more than a bad cold. Too bad men with prostatitis don't know Chamberlain's story - it might help them better cope with their prostate problems. I know it has helped me. Maybe that's the next chapter in Chamberlain's story - to inspire modern men with prostatitis to soldier on. Maybe that's what your organization can do next: work with urologists and/or the American Urological Association to bring Joshua's story to light for today's long suffering men with prostatitis
xxxxx​
 
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