It's Men's Health Week 🩺, and it also happens to be 15 years ago this week when I found out I no longer had cancer.
Here's the story...
Australia, February 2008 and I get diagnosed with stage 4 testicular cancer that had spread to my stomach (5 tumours) and lungs (11 tumours). Not the best of summers ☀️
4 rounds of gruelling chemotherapy (BEP protocol for those in the know) lasting for 4 brutal months followed. A tough time, but hey, I didn't have to shave, so that counts as a bonus 😁
When the results came in for my first post-chemo CT scan, there were still two black marks in my lungs. This meant that they were either tumours that weren't zapped enough (👎) or just scars (👍). If the former, then surgery was on the cards to remove them; if the latter, then I'm fine. But the only way to know what these black marks were was to have regular CT scans to see if they change in shape. So I wasn't out of the woods as yet. Annoying!
As the months passed and the CT scans kept going (that contrast agent is pure yuck! 🍶), the results were best described as 'inconclusive'.
Come the 9-month mark, the oncologist didn't mention my black marks, so that must've been a good sign. Then came my 1st post-chemo anniversary, and that's when a junior oncologist was dealing with me, another good sign as they usually leave the severe cases to the senior oncologists, as had been the case with me to then. After having told the junior oncologist which forms to complete – I had undergone so many of these consultations that I knew the routine by heart – we reached the end of the examination and yet... no mention of the black marks!
So I asked her off the cuff:
'Hey, how are those black marks in my lungs coming along?'
Surprised, the junior oncologist replied so matter-of-factly:
'Black marks? Oh, they're just scars'
To make sure that I heard correctly, I followed up with:
'So they're not tumours?'
'Nah, you're fine' she said.
While containing myself, I thanked the oncologist, made my way out of the office, signed the Medicare forms at reception, said 'seeya in a cupla weeks' to the reception gals, and in a very dignified way exited to the corridor where I let out a very loud yet victorious 'YES!!!' There might have been some air punches to go with that 👊
So there you go folks, trust your gut and ask if you're concerned and get the info you need. You can't always wait for the info to be offered.
⚠️ And guys (especially aged 15-35), check your balls! Testicular cancer has a 99% cure rate, but solely if it's caught in time. The only thing that causes guys to die from testicular cancer is fear. Don't let that happen.
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