Dear Testicular Cancer

Two weeks after the antibiotics ended, the symptoms returned: Reddish color, slightly bigger, uncomfortable to touch. I also noticed the stinging pain in the groins, legs and stomach at various intervals (every three to five hours).

I went to another urologist for the followup. He checked my prostate and thorougly examinated my testicles and my penis. He was not very gentle. I asked him whether there was a chance that orchitis or epididmitis would reoccur? Holding my right testicle between his thumb and index finger he replied: “We have to make sure that this is not a cancer.”

Now I was really concerned and the more I worried the more I started to feel the pain. My girlfriend told me to relax and helped me find some distraction. We went out for a dinner with some of our friends. I did not tell them anything about the desease. I just wanted to have a good time. The distraction worked. The pain disappeared for a couple of hours. I now believe firmly that relaxation and happiness are a very positive medicine for the body.

The next day I was turned down for another ultrasound and ct-scan examination by the receptionist at the hospital, I did not have enough money in the bank account (welcome to America!), I gave up on my search for an acceptable urologist in New York. I returned back to my home town in Switzerland where my parents have found a lead to the best urologist in town.

He gave me a spot a few days later. The sonogram diagnosis took less than twenty seconds. He predicted with 95% probability that there was a tumor in my right testicle. The elevated beta-HCG values indicated that we’re most likely dealing with a seminoma. A highly treatable tumor. The left testicle showed some slight irritations in the epidimis, otherwise it looks like it is in good shape. He signed me up for surgery one week later and told me not to worry. “We can help you and you will be 100% healthy again.” Despite the tumor diagnosis and the slight fear of having a testicle removed I felt relief for the first time.