Day 15

And I thought yesterday was busy.

Woke up at about 7am this morning, with the alarm set for 8. Felt apprehensive about the coming day. Apprehensive and tired.

Lazily got ready to go out, washed and ate cereal, made sure my phone was charged, etc.

Around 9:15 we headed out to my 9:30 ultrasound appointment. We got there with no problems, I went into the main entrance of the hospital and asked for directions, and within minutes I was at the main X-Ray department. I checked in and Megan and I took our seats.

Within minutes of getting there, I was being called away. I'm not sure why, but I was taken through the entire X-Ray department, through A&E and into the childrens' ultrasound room. I hopped up on the table and a doctor started the ultrasound itself, in a way very similar to the one I had in the USA. Near the end, another doctor came into the room, a Dr Green, I believe. He took over, and asked me what the USA doctor said about the other ultrasound. When I told him he was 95% sure about cancer, the doctor said there was no 95% about it. It was cancerous. He did inform me the other testes was fine, however. "Small compensation", he said, but to me that's a huge bonus.

So, after that was all done, we headed to the urology department, where I had been told my ultrasound results would be "within 10 minutes". Since my ultrasound took so little time, we arrived at the urology department 20 minutes early. We were sitting around until 30 minutes after my appointment was due.

Finally a Dr Choudhary saw me. He went over what the ultrasound found, tumorous material in the right testes. He had a feel around, which was much rougher than the other two doctors, and I still ache a little bit from it now. He asked me if the US doctor told me what was needed, and when I said an operation he agreed. Like Dr Berardanucci told me originally, they incise above in the groin area and remove it through the body, so I'll get a badass scar. He also asked if I wanted a prosthetic replacement. I hadn't really thought about it, but I said sure. Maybe it'll help with post-op feelings. Like a stress ball, you know?

Afterwards he did tell me it doesn't feel like it's spread, but only a CT scan would know for sure.

He then started to set up my appointments. He phoned what I assumed was the operations theatre and booked me an operation for Tuesday the 13th Sep. Not as early as planned but still pretty quick. He also set up a CT scan application for me, and told me it was "urgent". I thought he said it would be done very soon, but it's possible I misheard him. Read on..

After giving me some leaflets and my CT scan papers, he called a nurse in to direct me to a pre-assessment room. I had my blood pressure taken (like.. 5 different times overall, the machines didn't like me today), my weight and height taken, and then I was given a questionnaire to fill in about my general health.

I ticked high blood pressure and cough, as I was diagnosed with high blood pressure a few years ago when I started going to the gym, and I've had a cough since returning to the UK. I was called into another room with another nurse, who took my BP again then stuck some sticky pads to my chest and legs and hooked me up to a machine. I can't remember the name of the machine, but it was due to my slightly high BP. The pads didn't rip off nearly as much hair coming off as I'd predicted.

After that, I was ushered into room number 3, where yet another nurse walked me through the operation procedure. Depending on the time of the op (they will call me to let me know), I have to stop eating at a certain time, yadda-yadda-yadda. All I know is it's on Tuesday.

After aaaall of that, we walked to the other side of the hospital to book my CT scan. I phoned my mum in the meantime and asked her to contact CARE to let them know I might not be coming today, as the CT scan might take a long time. However, when I went to book in the scan, I was told it would be in 2 weeks, after the surgery. I questioned this, and asked why the doctor said it was "urgent" if it takes 2 weeks, but I was told that was normal procedure.

Confused, we walked back to the urology department, and the receptionist there basically told me that "urgent" translates to "in 2 weeks". It's a scan to find out if the cancer spread once they remove it, not before. I'd need to have one post-op anyway, so I wasn't too bothered.

So I phoned mum, she came and picked us up, and I came home. I was going to phone CARE, but I fell asleep. I feel so exhausted all the time at the moment. I'll phone them tomorrow, maybe I can re-book for Monday or something.

So that's my story so far. I feel tired and a mix of scared and relieved. Scared over the fact that this is happening at all, but relieved that it'll be over soon. I hope. Dr Choudhary told me I might need chemo or radiotherapy after the operation, depending on what they and the CT scan find. I hope not. I really hope not.

Come on, I already got cancer, that's enough punishment, right?