Interview 48

Age at interview: 48

Age at diagnosis: 34

Brief Outline: Testicular cancer (seminoma) diagnosed in 1987; orchidectomy. No secondary tumours, but radiotherapy 5 times a week for a month to prevent recurrence.

Background: Company Director; single, no children.

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He first felt something was wrong when he noticed a small lump on his testicle in the shower. Although he knew it was something that shouldn’t have been there, he was going through a lot at the time workwise and pushed it to the back of his mind. After waiting nearly 3 months, he decided he ought to do something as it hadn’t gone away, and made an appointment with his GP. He felt that his GP was dismissive of his problem and reassured him that it is likely to be a cyst. He explained that he felt he couldn’t question his GP’s opinion but sought a second opinion from a special clinic, where they provided him with the same diagnosis. He still felt anxious and went back to his GP, where he requested that he be sent for further tests. He explained to his GP that he felt anxious that it could be testicular cancer and wanted to put his mind at ease. His GP referred him for a series of blood tests and an ultrasound scan. Two days later he went to discuss his results with his urologist, who explained that he wasn’t happy with the results and asked him to return the next day. His urologist suggested that it was likely to be testicular cancer, and recommended him for a biopsy. At this point he described that the situation had finally sunk in and was worried that his worst case scenario might be confirmed.

 

A week later he underwent the biopsy. He was informed that the biopsy would be a straightforward procedure. He said that he was shocked to learn that they would remove a testicle during the operation for biopsy, as conducting the biopsy without removal may release cancerous cells into the bloodstream. He decided that he had to be rational and trust his doctors as he didn’t have a lot of support at this stage, as his family did not live nearby and he had not been able to speak with close friends. He felt that he could have been provided with more information but managed to internalise his worries and come to terms with the procedure. He received the results 4 weeks later which confirmed he had testicular cancer. He had found the wait agonising but took a friend with him for the results, which he found a great comfort. His consultant felt confident that the cancer had gone, as they had caught it early, but wanted to refer him for a CT scan to make sure. He received his results 2 weeks later, which confirmed that the cancer had not spread. He felt relieved. His consultant recommended radiotherapy to be 100% sure. He underwent treatment 5 days a week for a month. Unfortunately, radiotherapy left him feeling lethargic and the worst he’s ever felt. He experienced sickness, which he was given suppositories to control. He found the suppositories successful up to a point but he still experienced nausea for 5 weeks. He felt that it disrupted his life as he didn’t feel like himself. However, he was still able to work. He was eventually referred to the oncology department who managed his follow-up appointments. He found invaluable support from a nurse within the department. He explained that she provided a personable service often lacking within the healthcare system. He elaborated by saying that it was difficult seeing a new consultant at each follow-up appointment and that it usually created an atmosphere that didn’t invite comments. He found that the operation did not affect his masculinity but later decided that he wanted to have a replacement testicle. He found the operation straightforward and hugely gratifying, and was walking around the same day.

 

He explained that having a good sense of humour and using laughter helped him through a difficult situation, and was a good icebreaker with work colleagues and friends. He also found that his friends’ playful banter about his condition jollied him along. He explained that having an open and honest attitude with everyone about his condition made it easier. He has anxieties from time to time but generally is happy with his life. He later suffered from a cancer scare but was relieved when it turned out to be nothing. He felt that he was taken seriously because of his medical history. He believes it is important to be firm with your GP. He explained that his friend went through a similar experience to him and he felt happy that he was able to advise his friend based on his own experiences and get him to push for the right medical tests. He also feels it’s important to speak to people who have been through similar experiences because it doesn’t just help you, it also helps them. He felt lucky that he didn’t have any emotional scars to deal with and that he was able to move on with his life and get back to normal. He believes that you shouldn’t let cancer affect the way you live. He has used his experience as a learning tool and hopes that the more he talks about his experience, the more he’ll be able to spread the word about what you should look out for and what steps you should take. 

 

 

He explains that using humour with his friends and colleagues helped him to cope with having testicular cancer.

I have a very nice group of friends, all of whom delight in taking the piss, and so as a result I remember in the hospital the cards I was getting. And one stands out to this very day and I still have it, and it was just simply entitled on the front, 'Sorry for the loss of your loved one', and so you can see what sort of friends I had.

 

How did you feel when you got cards like that?

 

Oh I laughed, but that's me you see.

 

Did you genuinely laugh?

 

Absolutely, genuinely laughed.

 

So it didn't upset you when you say they took the piss?

 

Not at all, not at all, because that's the way that I cope really. I like to think I've got a pretty good sense of humour and it has seen me through many, many different situations. And this was certainly one that helped, I mean it really did. When I think of the absolute manic cards I had and people just didn't want to take it seriously. I think they were probably trying to jolly me along a bit in case I was going to dip into some sort of depression, but I didn't. And whether it was me or a combination of me and my friends being, you know, upbeat, I really don't know, but it worked.

 

So you felt the humour was actually helpful?

 

Definitely, absolutely definitely, I couldn't take it seriously. I mean in later days, you know, when I was in a work situation, perhaps able to say something to a colleague when it was appropriate, I mean I wouldn’t go around saying, "Hello, I've had testicular cancer", but when it came up I would talk about it. And you could see them formulating a question in their minds, and a lot of people don't know how to take it when you say, "Oh yes I've dealt with cancer". And usually the first question was, "Oh where did you have it?" And my glib answer was always, "Brighton", so, and that always broke the ice. So, and that I still use that line today, I know, but it's, you see that's the humour coming through again and that most definitely has helped me and still helps me. So…

 

Oh that's really good.

 

Yeah I think so, and I think it's important, and I know, I don't want to trivialize, and I don't want to take it into a different sphere, and I know people deal with things in a different way. Some people might be absolutely horrified that I'm sitting here telling you that I laughed about it, but I truly believe that that actually helped, so I need to tell you that I laughed about it. 

Knowing that he'd had testicular cancer, a friend asked him for advice about a lump on his testicle; he also talked to a friend's mum about her breast cancer.

But more particularly a really close friend of mine called me up quite recently, in the last 2 years in fact, in the last year and a half, and said, "I found a lump, what do I do?" And I automatically said, "Well, you know, just go to your GP first of all, it probably will be nothing but just go", which he did, and he had exactly the same brush off as I did. And we're talking, you know, 12 years down the road. You'd have thought that perhaps people might pay a little more attention now, but no, brush off came, but because he knew what I had gone through at that first brush off, he said, "No I'm not happy with this, please send me for tests". And thankfully he did go for tests because it did turn out to be testicular cancer. So, you know, even that one person learnt from what I had gone through in fighting to say I want that test.

 

You saved a life.

 

Well, yes possibly, but yeah it's, today if somebody talks about it I'm happy to talk about it. I've found that a friend's mum who'd had breast cancer, even though it was a completely different part of the body and it was a different generation, I was able at some stage to talk to her and say, "Well, you know, this is what I went through, I know it's a bit different but, you know, if ever you want to talk about it you can". And she did and we developed a particular bond and it was really rather nice that she was able to discuss this with me because we had shared something in common. 

 

He does not worry about whether his testicular cancer will recur because that is down to fate. He believes that you should get on and live your life after having cancer.

Has it affected your long-term view of the future all this?

 

Not at all, I'm a fatalist, an absolute and complete fatalist. Once, when I was a lot younger I was a flight attendant and I was strapped into my jump seat of that aircraft hurtling down the run way five times a day, and every time I used to think, oh this might be my last time. And that's the way that I thought about this, because I've had a few friends who've had cancers of different kinds, and some who are still with us and some who are not, and to be perfectly honest, truly I don't believe it should or could affect the way that you live your life. Because if you're having it treated and it's being treatment as in my case and everything has gone fine, you know you're clear, then you've just got to get on and live, you can't think this might happen again. If it does then it does, and that's fate. But you can't, I don't think, change the way that you lead your life because of this. I feel very strongly about that.