Seven year eunuch-iversary

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  • DoubleZero
    Registered User
    • Aug 2010
    • 400

    Seven year eunuch-iversary

    Eight years ago (Jan 2009) I joined this club of ours and started my dealings with cancer. Having my I/O, being diagnosed with a seminoma and having radiation treatment, I had thought/hoped my cancer challenges would be over...

    Well I was wrong because one year, two months and one day later I was back on the operating table having my second testicle removed. TC hadn't come back, rather I had a second primary - embryonal carcinoma. This time I opted for surveillance and hoped that that would be it...

    Wrong again as in August 2010 I was diagnosed with a relapse and scheduled for 3 x BEP starting in September 2010, and that's a separate part of my story.

    The reason for this post is to celebrate my seven year eunuch-iversary. Everyday for the past seven years, my daily routine has involved applying my TRT topically from a somewhat "less than manly" little sachet. Everyday, the same routine: get up; walk the dog; have breakfast; have a shower; apply the gel; get on with my day.

    At the start I was worried about the transference of testosterone to my kids/my wife/my dog. I was worried about whether anything/everything/something would still work as it used to do. I was worried that people would know I was different.

    Well that was then, and this is now. I am seven years older. Neither my kids/wife/dog seem to have suffered from any additional testosterone. The rest of the world looks in on me as just another normal guy. And the daily routine is just that - a routine.

    To those just starting out, cancer is crap - period. There is no "good" cancer. But for most of you/us you will get through this. There is life beyond TC and that life can be as good (or better given a new/different perspective) - it is what you make of it.

    To those who are unfortunate enough to loose both, for whatever reason, again there is life beyond your nuts. Get on a proper TRT program that is right for you and life goes on (it really does).

    And to those/families/carers that have not gotten through this, I have no adequate words to say.

    To finish with, when asked, I always say "I was lucky to be diagnosed with both cancers and I was lucky to be diagnosed with my relapse". People confuse that statement with thinking that I consider myself lucky to have had cancer - I don't, cancer is crap. But I do feel lucky to have been diagnosed - because from that came treatment, and from that came a cure. And for that reason I do feel very lucky indeed.

    When I started this journey my kids were 5 and 7 years old. They are now 13 and 15 and consider me to be a total embarrassing pain (teenagers, eh?). So yes I consider myself very lucky indeed.

    Join me in celebrating 7 years of being "100% nut free" and looking towards all of your futures.

    Take care, DZ

    Jan 2009: RHS (Seminoma) & RT
    Mar 2010: LHS (Embryonal Carcinoma)
    Sep 2010: Relapse & 3 x BEP
    Mar 2015: Five years "nut free"
    http://doublezeroami.blogspot.com
  • RJKD
    Registered User
    • Jul 2015
    • 740

    #2
    Big congrats brother!!! And thanks for staying on this forum and providing support, particularly for the two-timers and the immense stress that initially causes.
    Diagnosed at age 31. Treated in NYC. Now living in Ottawa, ON, Canada.

    7/1/2015: felt tiny lump on side of R testicle
    7/30/2015: Ultrasound shows 2 intra-testicular masses.
    7/31/2015: tumor markers normal, CXR clear
    8/5/2015: R orchiectomy
    8/11/2015: Pathology: 1.2 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm, embryonal 80%, seminoma 20%, with LVI and rete testis invasion
    8/14/2015: CT abdomen/pelvis clear, Stage 1b
    8/24/2015: started 1 x BEP

    Comment

    • Nish115
      Registered User
      • Nov 2016
      • 270

      #3
      Fantastic news, you've helped me throughout my treatment and i've appreciated it greatly! Long may your normal life continue!
      24 year old diagnosed 6/11/16
      Pre/o markers 9/11/16 - HCG 15, AFP 210, LDH 539
      Pre/o CT Clear
      Non-seminoma (80% embryonal carcinoma, 10% yolk sac tumour, 5% chorea carcinoma, 5% seminoma)
      Post-op markers - 14/12/16 - HCG 35, AFP 1050, LDH 430
      Post-op CT with one enlarged lymph node - 1.5x1cm
      Borderline stage 2B/3B
      BEPx3 started 15/12/16 (Borderline BEPx4 - Advise of Dr. E to only do 3 rounds)
      CT and markers clear - in remission - 28/2/16

      Comment

      • Davepet
        Registered User
        • Mar 2010
        • 4459

        #4
        Sorry, I do not embrace the term "eunuch" as it was traditionally applied to slaves castrated too early to have consented to the procedure:

        Obviously, they had no TRT, but even had the tech been available, it would have been counter to the reason for the castration in the first place.

        Yes, we may have no nuts , but we were not intentionally castrated to serve as slaves. We are NOT eunuchs. We are cancer survivors.We beat it twice. I think that puts us up there with the highest achievers, don't you?.
        Jan, 1975: Right I/O, followed by RPLND
        Dec, 2009: Left I/O, followed by 3xBEP

        Comment

        • dee_s
          Registered User
          • Sep 2016
          • 42

          #5
          Great post and inspiring to read DoubleZero. A great reminder for all of us there is a life after cancer and we can all thrive! Congrats.

          Comment

          • dee_s
            Registered User
            • Sep 2016
            • 42

            #6
            Great post and inspiring to read DoubleZero. A great reminder for all of us there is a life after cancer and we can all thrive! Congrats.

            Comment

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