I think it was phimosis rather than Peyronie's Disease. Anybody out there know for sure?
And Mandie, I suppose discussion of such issues can be embarrassing for many, but these are medical conditions, not personal weaknesses. Cancer used to be a hush-hush embarrassing subject; thank goodness this is no longer the case! And although issues involving sexuality can make people feel uncomfortable, on this site we've already discussed menses, fertility, and homosexuality, among other topics.
As for Alexei being embarrassed . . . well, you bet he would! But he is now a figure relegated to history. And I am sure many of the folks we speak of--Alexandra in particular--would be quite indignant about how we've dissected their personal lives. A certain amount of this was part and parcel of their position while they were alive. But since their deaths an entire panoply of communication resources have either evolved or been created . . . including the Internet. And unless there's a worldwide cataclysm or Planet Earth collides with a meteor and is completely destroyed, there's really no going back!
