Byrnes' surgeon, like any respectable professional, warned him of the possible side effects. Even so, many doctors are reluctant to dwell on the negative. Byrnes' surgeon declined to talk about the case, worrying that a story about one man's unusual circumstances would create an unfair view of surgery, a view that might dissuade some from considering it. Byrnes, by day an engineer with Ford Motor Co. in Detroit, approached the news of a malignancy much as he does a problem with the engine of a car. Because he is under 60 and the disease was not advanced, he opted for surgery, called a radical prostatectomy, over other treatments, including radiation and hormone therapies.
Good racers learn to be philosophical about the inevitable disappointments in their sport.
Byrnes is similarly circumspect about his health struggles. In the first weeks after the operation, Byrnes wasn't concerned about the pain or leakage, which are normal early in recovery. But as he began to prepare his car for his annual trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats, he was growing impatient. Adult diapers were uncomfortable and obvious. He rigged up a less bulky system using infant diapers, but the whole mess was awkward and awful.