Interview 21

Age at interview: 53

Age at diagnosis: 49

Brief Outline: Testicular cancer diagnosed in 1997; orchidectomy. No evidence of secondary tumours; radiotherapy for two weeks to prevent recurrence.

Background: Custodial officer; married, no children.

Explains that learning about the high cure rate was reassuring.

Well I was worried but not over, I don't know, I wasn't as worried as I thought I would be, I was, yeah I was worried you know I think anyone would be worried but I'd read, I had read about it which helped because I knew about it. Knowing about it I knew if you caught it early enough and you did something about it straight away the chances of getting over this were very high which er to me was, took away a lot of the worry, though I was still worried as anyone would be because there's always that margin there that it won't work.

Asserts that a joke 'lightens' the situation for him and reduces his friends'' embarrassment.

And what's your, how do you feel about those sort of things, those sort of jokes?

Oh you get used to it you know it's all part of every day life isn't it. I mean everyone always makes jokes about something some time or other, er you just get used to it. It doesn't worry me at all.

What's a typical joke can you remember any of them?

Well ping pong balls got mentioned. As I play a lot of tennis everyone kept yelling, "New balls please," as I walked into the office.

Oh no. So that doesn't really worry you?

No, no you know it's, as long as it's you know everyone does it in the right sort of way it doesn't worry me. You know they're being friendly about it and it's a way of lightening it, but I think for them as well as me. It just lightens the whole thing up for them. Because when you tell, first tell people they're all, they get slightly embarrassed, some people when you first tell them you've got cancer of any sort, and they don't quite know how to react, some people. Some people react very well, they're very positive but others kind of yeah they shy away from it and they don't quite know how to speak to you, you know. 
 

Says that he has not had any financial problems as a result of his illness.

Have there been any financial implications for you?

No none at all. I just had three months off work and I was able to have three months full pay. And then I went back and they said you know take your time when you go back, you know don't do anything too strenuous. 

Has it affected insurance at all?

No, no. No, it's not affected me in any way like that.