I was a young and healthy 32-year-old and very rarely got sick.
Before my diagnosis, I noticed fatigue, back pain, pain in my left leg, testicular enlargement, and pain in the affected testicle. I figured I had strained something, but I was wrong. I knew something was wrong when the pain wouldn’t go away and got worse over time. I was worried about the potential outcome.
If I had known more about DetecTogether’s two-week rule, I would’ve probably caught my cancer even sooner. Listen to your body. Don’t be afraid; if caught early, testicular cancer is very curable. If diagnosed, it helps to contact other doctors for another opinion and talk to peers to increase awareness and get support.
My cancer was stage 1B testicular Cancer. I was very close to being stage 2, according to my doctors. I had surgery to remove my cancer and will have ongoing surveillance. My surgery team and my support team made the procedure very easy, including my family, fire department family, and friends.
As a firefighter, I would like to see less stigma that “it won’t happen to me,” and more precautions taken at the firehouse or on fire scenes.
Thanks for the support! I want to make sure no one else waits to get checked when they experience symptoms. I want to change the fire service in every way I can. As a firefighter, I would like to see less stigma that “it won’t happen to me,” and more precautions taken at the firehouse or on fire scenes. We only have one body, so take care of yourself. If your body is telling you something is wrong, there is probably something wrong. I am very fortunate to work for a progressive department that takes all prevention of cancer very seriously.
