As we entered the last week in January and week 3 of my diagnosis the fun memories of NYE seemed a very distant memory.
Monday morning was here. My wife and parents around me for support we got in the car and drove the 5 or so miles to the hospital. Never had a I been more nervous or scared. Every challenge I’d faced in my 33 years of life seemed so insignificant to the one I was preparing myself for.
In to the hospital we walked, gripping my wife’s hand as if my life depended on it. Seeing the worry on her face and my parents whilst they all tried to be strong for me.
My name was called and in I walked to the room. Dr Watson (the main consultant) a junior consultant and two Macmillan nurses greeted me, my wife and mum. (Dad waited outside).
The fact that there were more of ‘them’ than of us told me that the news I was about to get wasn’t good.
Then Dr Watson spoke as he put his hand on to my shoulder, “young man, I’m sorry to tell you, but the results show you have Testicular cancer”.
There were the words the diagnosis had been building up to…
I remember turning to face my wife and saw how upset she was, the two nurses in the room consoled her and my mum whilst I tried to remain calm and digest the information.
How could I have testicular cancer but have a lump in my neck?
Dr Watson told me that him and the team were all very surprised that the biopsy had shown that the cells in my neck were ‘seminoma’ which were the cancer cells that cause testicular and ovarian cancer in men and women.
He then informed me that I would be getting referred (urgently) to the urology team.
After I thanked him and his team for their help, support and more critically there speed of diagnosis and care we were taken to a room where my family and I could talk and reflect on the news we’d been dealt with the head Macmillan nurse.
The nurse was fantastic and in a moment of such devastating news managed to calm us all and make us feel comforted and confident in the journey that lied ahead for us all.
It was time to head home and wait for my appointment with the Urology team.
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