No Fight, No life

 First day of chemo

Today at chemo (day 3)

It has been a while since my last blog. I have gotten my results back and my urologist has told me that  I have a multi cellular cancer, which one of the cells was aggressive. It has spread to my lymph nodes and my doctor tells me I need chemo therapy. I don't really feel good about poisoning my body as chemo just doesn't kill the cancer, it messes up some of the good stuff too. On the positive side though this cancer is highly curable. I think my doctor said like 98% curable. Makes me wonder what happened to the other two percent or why they can't  just round it up.

I think it is funny when people tell me that if you get cancer that testicular is the best kind to get since it so curable. Yup its just like being handed a plate of warm, home made chocolate chip cookies...  It's still cancer!

In the meantime I've been busy at Combat Fitness training and coaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA.  I sparred and trained up until I got my port (click here to learn more) put in....  A port is a device they implant right under the skin and feed a catheter into your jugular vein, in order to administer the chemo better and not damage the smaller veins.  I got mine put in on my right side just below my collar bone.  The surgery took 2 hours I was awake, but sedated for the procedure.  My wife tells me that the nurse came out to give her a progress report and she quoted me as saying " These drugs make me feel AWESOME!".  It was put in on Sept. 4th and I received my first treatment of chemo on the 10th.

In recovery after having my port put in

For chemo I will have a total of 20 sessions, spanning four months.  I will have treatments for five days out of the week for five hours a day, repeating every three weeks.

What it's like-
First I have two medicines that they are treating me with, Etoposide and Cisplatin.  The procedure goes as follows. . . A nurse injects a small needle into my port through the skin, the needle is then hooked up to I.V.  tubing and then the port is flushed with saline to clean the port of blood (which makes me have a metallic taste in my mouth).  Then I am given a bag of fluid to keep me hydrated which takes about an hour.  Then I am given Etoposide which takes an hour. Then before the next medication I am given Heparin (which leaves a rubbery taste in my mouth) to clean out the catheter before the next med. Finally I get my cisplatin which takes two hours to drip.  Then I am given Saline yet again to flush everything out.  The drugs and all the fluid make me urinate ALOT.

The first two sessions went well, I had little nausea and a little bit of fatigue.  Today was my third session and was a bit emotional for me, as I can feel the chemo starting to take over and penetrate my body.  I am very tired, I feel slightly nauseated.  But most of all I feel upset that I cannot do things  I want to do.  As I go through chemotherapy I have to be very careful, as my immune system will pretty much be nonexistent ... I will be more susceptible to infections and side effects of the chemo.

To be honest I am quite scared that I am going to get sicker, in fact it is inevitable.     My hair will fall out within a couple of weeks, more fatigue will set in and I will become more nauseated.  Although this struggle will ultimately bring brighter days ahead.

I want to thank all of you who read this blog and continue to support me.  Remember NO FIGHT, NO LIFE!

The View from my window at the cancer center

So my appointment to see the results of my test has been moved to the Aug 20th.My pathology results were sent to a specialist in Indiana for a second opinion. Yet again more waiting. Trying to stay positive though.I am ready to take the next step, whatever it is and battle it full force.I wanna take back control of  my life. I was able to sneak out of the house for the first time to see my friends at Combat Fitness. It was a big  booster for me to see how much people care and are pulling for me to get better. I can feel your well wishes and prayers and I believe in them.

 I am not in much pain just a little sore still from the surgery. I had quite a scare the other night when I went to use the restroom. I looked down to see blood pooling in my private area. I thought my junk was gonna fall off. So I panicked and told my wife to call the on call doctor. Apparently it is normal to get bruising down there. It was just a shock as it has been like five days later and hadn't noticed anything like that before. Just got to take it one day at a time  guess.

When I was first diagnosed with testicular cancer I was upset with myself. How could I have let this happen to me. What did I do wrong? I was so sad, but I have learned that no one really knows what causes it. And studies are being conducted to find the cause. There are what the American Cancer Society calls risk factors, but just because you fall into any of these at risk categories doesn't mean you get it and just because you don't fall into any of the categories doesn't mean you can't get it. Crazy huh. Here are the risk factors.

Undescended testicle: One of the main risk factors for testicular cancer is a problem called cryptorchidism, or undescended testicle(s). Before birth, the testicles normally develop in the belly of the fetus and then move down (descend) into the scrotum before birth. But in about 3% of boys, the testicles do not move into the scrotum. Sometimes the testicle stays inside the belly. In other cases, the testicle starts to come down, but gets stuck in the groin.

Men who have had cryptorchidism are several times more likely to get testicular cancer than those who did not have the problem. The risk is higher for men with a testicle in the belly as opposed to one that has moved down at least part way. Among men with a history of this problem, most cancers start in the testicle that has not moved down. But about 1 out of 4 occurs in the normal testicle. Because of this, some doctors think that cryptorchidism is not the direct cause of testicular cancer. They believe that some other problem causes both the cancer risk and the cryptorchidism.

Most testicles will descend on their own in the child's first year. Sometimes surgery (called orchiopexy) is needed to bring the testicle down into the scrotum. Surgery done when a child is younger may be more likely to reduce the risk of testicular cancer than surgery done when the child is older, but the best time to do this surgery is not clear.

Family history: A family history of testicular cancer increases the risk. If a man has the disease, there is a higher risk that his brothers or sons may also get it. But very few cases of testicular cancer are actually found in families.

.HIV infection: There is some evidence that men infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) have an increased risk of testicular cancer. This may be especially true for men who have AIDS. No other infections have been shown to increase testicular cancer risk.

CIS (carcinoma in situ): CIS is described in "What is testicular cancer?” It isn't clear how often CIS in the testicles becomes cancer. It is sometimes found when a man is tested for infertility. It may also be found when a man has a testicle removed because of cryptorchidism. Radiation or surgery (to remove the testicle) is used to treat CIS. Since we don’t know how often CIS becomes true (invasive) cancer, it isn’t clear that treating CIS is a good idea. Some experts think that it may be better to wait and see if the disease gets worse or becomes a true cancer. This could allow many men with CIS to avoid the risks and side effects of treatment.

Cancer of the other testicle: Men who have been cured of cancer in one testicle have an increased risk (about a 3% to 4% chance) of getting cancer in the other testicle.

Age: About half of testicular cancers occur in men between the ages of 20 and 34. But this cancer can affect males of any age, including infants and older men

Race and ethnicity: White American men are about 5 times more likely to get testicular cancer than are African-American men. Whites have more than 3 times the risk of Asian-American and American Indian men. The risk for Hispanics falls between that of Asians and non-Hispanic whites. The reason for these differences is not known.

Body size: Some studies have that the risk of testicular cancer is somewhat higher in tall men but other studies have not shown a link.

From the American cancer Society site
Last Medical Review: 05/16/2012
Last Revised: 05/16/2012


After reading this I know now that there is nothing  I could have done to prevent this from happening as the only risk factor I have was that my age was prime for testicular cancer.. Take Lance Armstrong for instance. He has to be one of the healthiest dudes on the planet and he got it. Now I don't feel so bad. 

Testiclicorn

I feel great physically, I was even able to take my dog Freckles on a walk. I am not even that sore. Emotionally I am a bit frustrated because I don't feel sick and I can't really control the things that are happening to me. It is scary to think that I might have to have my lymph nodes removed or that I might have to have chemo therapy and there is nothing I can do about it. I am sure that all the working out I did at Combat Fitness is playing a role in how well I am doing right now. I am looking forward to being back on the mats training and coaching within the next few weeks.

I can definitely say that this whole ordeal has been easier to bare with the help of my lovely wife Kat and all the well wishes and prayers from friends. People have been asking if I am going to get a prosthetic testicle and have been giving it some thought and the only real reason I can think of to get one is to show it off. I wonder if uncomfortably large is an option?  Also I feel like a rarity now, like a unicorn, almost mythical.

 In all I feel grateful for all that I have and the people surrounding me. This thing  has made me reevaluate my life, shook me a little. There are so many things I want to do and become and I am more motivated than ever to see these things come to light.


Michael

"It's the best kind" they said

As a 29 year old male I have made steps to ensure I was more than healthy. Joined a great gym (Combat Fitness), lost weight, became a trainer, changed my diet (Paleo), changed my life....  Basically the healthiest I have ever been, or so I thought.

A few months ago I thought I had received an injury to my groin while training in Brazilian jiu jitsu (in which I am a purple belt). A few weeks later had found that one of my testicles was swollen and hard as a rock.  After realizing it wasn't going to get better on its own I sought medical treatment from a "doc in the box".  The doctor told me I had a blockage due to a bacterial infection in my epididymus and treated me with antibiotics.  Thinking that this would be my cure I went about my daily life training with friends and coaching Brazilian jiu jitsu.  But after a few weeks my testicle was still a mess...  I made an appointment with my General Practitioner.  I told him what the previous doctor had diagnosed me with, he told me to drop trou, took one feel and said "I'm going to be honest with you, I suspect cancer".  That same day I had an ultrasound, and was referred to a Urologist.

Within a week I went from thinking I had a minor injury, to having testicular cancer.  The results of my ultrasound showed that I had a malignant tumor that had taken over my whole right testicle, leaving almost no healthy tissue.  I thought to myself  "How could this be?  I don't feel sick, I've been so active...Why me?!".  The doctor then hit me with another blow and said that the testicle had to be removed immediately, And scheduled me for surgery the next morning.

 After an emotionally draining day I had come to terms that I was losing a part of my body that I had learned to protect and cherish...After all it is a part of my MANHOOD.  "There is nothing I can do, it is for the best" I thought.  My doctor told me if you get cancer this is the best one to get, because it is 95% to 98% curable.

The next day I was scared but excited, I was taking the first step in fighting testicular cancer.  My wife Katrina drove me to the surgery center, and waited for me as they prepped me for surgery.  First I dressed in a hospital gown and a cap, which was most unfashionable.  Then had my arm numbed and was given an i.v. (the first of my life).  My doctor then explained the procedure to my wife and I... saying that he would make an incision just above my groin and remove my testicle up and out of my body.  It would take fourty five minutes to and hour and I would spend one hour in recovery and would be released.  I remember my nurse telling me that I was going feel like I had a bunch of margaritas all at once.  Things got fuzzy...they moved me to an operating room, moved me from my bed to a table, put a mask over my face, and I fell asleep.

Upon awakening I felt no pain, just hunger, due to a pre-surgery fast.  I then remember sweet taking the nurse into giving me extra water and crackers, that I really wasn't supposed to have  (because it could cause nausea).  But I felt great. My wife was then allowed back to see me, and got me dressed, and took me home.  Which is where I've been since.

I feel strong, and motivated. I am able to walk, urinating doesn't hurt.  I have even managed an erection.  All with one testicle. I am not to be active for at least two weeks. I admit it feels weird, but I am the same person with more drive and desire to live life with a sense of urgency.

Now I play the waiting game to see if I will need further treatment, like chemo or radiation.  We will have the results of my testicle biopsy in a few days....then in a week or two a  CAT scan to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of my body.  I will update as soon as I know more.

Michael

P.s.  Check yourself regularly, if you have testicles and are between the ages 15-40, it could happen to you.  If you feel anything abnormal seek professional help.