On February 4th 1998 I was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer, I was distraught, I didn't know what to do. It all began when I had my final check up for a condition that I had when I was a child called hypospadias, while the consultant was examining me, he found a lump on my right testicle and asked me how long it been there which I didn't know. He asked me if it was painful which it was occasionally. He asked me to see my GP the following day, as he thought it might be a tumour.
MY GP was concerned about the lump and referred me to the QED (Quick Early Diagnosis) at the Queen Elizabeth hospital, on Wednesday 4th February. I went to the hospital with Frances , my girlfriend, thinking that afterward we would to the local pub for a drink.
The doctor called me through, and asked me to sit down and asked me a few questions. He then asked me lie on the couch while he examined my testicles, he was sure just be feeling them that it was cancer, however he wanted to perform an ultrasound test on them just to confirm his suspicion.
When he showed me the picture it was alarming to see that my right testicle was completely black as the cancer had eaten through it all. I was even more horrified to hear that the cancer had spread to my abdomen.
I went back out to the reception and was given a booklet about understanding testicular cancer, Frances saw me and knew that something was wrong, I gave her the booklet and said "that says it all". I had to phone home and let my parents know and I couldn't bear to tell them. My dad had guessed and so he told my mum. when I got home I found that my mum was crying in the living room. My dad and I went out for a long walk to talk about that night, the next few months and our feelings about it all.
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