Interview 32

Age at interview: 21

Age at diagnosis: 21

Brief Outline: Testicular cancer (teratoma) diagnosed in 2001; orchidectomy. No evidence of secondary tumours; no more treatment but regular monitoring (surveillance).

Background: IT engineer; single.

Said that he had a swollen testicle and a dull pain in the stomach area.

Right it was 16th April I found the lump. I woke up, not in a great deal of pain but more of a dull ache round the tummy area. I thought that's strange. I rolled over and I felt uncomfortable. I couldn't tell where it was but I just felt uncomfortable. Then I looked down and my testicle was swollen. Now I thought you know was it had I knocked it at football or sat on it wrong, I did not know you know. But then I checked it and straight away there was, I just felt this large lump at the bottom of the left testicle and straight away cancer, what else could it be you know. That was my worst thought. So I woke my girlfriend up, I said "Look," I said "I've found a lump," she was a bit dazed you know "What do you mean?" I said "You know feel, I've got a lump," and you know was getting not upset but just a little bit sort of you know hysterical. So came downstairs, told my Mum and Dad, they said you know "What do you want to do?" I said "Well I need to you know get it seen to straight away." Unfortunately it was Easter Monday, bank holiday so you know the chances of seeing anyone were pretty remote. But I managed to get an appointment with the local hospital pretty much straight away, I think it was 11 o clock I rang, 2 o clock I was in seeing a doctor.

Recalls that he found the Cancerbackup website (now merged with Macmillan Cancer Support) very...

Didn't know much about it so myself and my girlfriend went on the internet. Cancerbackup website (now merged with Macmillan Cancer Support) which was very helpful. It explained diagrams, pictures, what CT scans were, what would take place, so that was very helpful, printed all that off. Printed a lot of things off just to give to my Mum more than anything. She was very, very worried, she didn't know anything. I didn't know anything, no one knew anything and we needed something to look at and say right that's going to happen, that could happen, and just a structure of what was going to happen really.

So they hadn't given you any information leaflets at the hospital?

No absolutely nothing. All that came through was just letters and appointments, no leaflets.

Did you find any other websites that were useful?

No we just stuck to one the Cancerbackup which you know for what I needed to know it was ideal.

Recalls that he expected only to have the lump removed from his testicle and was shocked to be...

The doctor came round, marked on my left thigh what testicle it was you know that they were going to be operating on. Then a consultant came in, he said that did I know what the operation entailed? I said, "Yes removing the lump." He said, "A radical orchidectomy," I said, "No removing the lump," he said "Yeah." My girlfriend commented on the look on my face, when he used radical I knew that it wasn't probably just going to be removing the lump. So then my doctor came round with a consent form and said, “Did I have any questions before I signed it?” I said "Yeah one big question that's burning inside me what are you actually going to do?" He said, "We're removing the testicle." And I just looked at him in amazement. And I remembered back to the Monday that I was told that I was going to have the operation and I remember his exact words "We are going to remove the lump." At no point did he say that we are going to remove the testicle. So I sat there in amazement. I signed the form. I wasn't going to go back. I knew that it was the best thing for me. He said that operating on a testicle with a lump on it, if it was cancerous that would encourage the cancer to spread. So I then went on to ask him if it was cancer what would then be the procedure. He said that I'd be asked back in for a CT scan and then obviously further treatment if required. So again I just, it all came to me, it was three hours till the operation and they tell me this. It was not good timing.

Recalls that his boss was very supportive even though he had only just started a new job when he...

Work were fantastic about it, I'd only been made permanent a month before and I had to go off which they're only supposed to pay, they're not even supposed to pay sick pay when you're doing your probational period anyway which is 3 months but they did give it me anyway. I think it would've been a little bit harsh to be fair if they hadn't paid me for what you know I was off for.

Were you worried about work?

Yeah I was worried that I was going to lose my job. I know it's silly. I look back now and the people I work with, my boss was superb, my boss above him was superb. They were fantastic, I'd keep in touch just to let them know what was happening. Each step you know I've been through with you today I would let them know what was happening so they were up to date.