Last year on December 22, 1995, Bill had one of his annual exams - a follow up from his testicular cancer from five years back.... Yes, he was five years out and we thought we were home free! Guess again. Actually for Bill it began again in November. He said that he had that same dull ache in his other testicle and never wanted to tell me because I would worry. anyway, he had his cat scan, chest x-ray, and the AFP done. He came home and the cat scan and chest xray were clear we just needed to wait for the results of the AFP - at our hospital it is sent away to another lab. On January 4, 1996, we got word that it elevated beyond the normal levels. Bill called me at work when he got word of his test and I rushed home immediately, there he stood inside the kitchen door with big tears in his eyes. My wonderful, good hearted, caring, loving, best friend in the whole world husband. My heart ripped in two just looking at him. We both thought that we would never go through this again. At this time Bill was 29 years old. When he first got it he was 24.
The first thing the doctor wanted to do was make sure that a lab error had not occurred. The doctor could not believe this was happening again either. But, all I do know is that Bill did - he said he just had that feeling again and he was right. anyway, the blood work was run again and it came back even more elevated. It was time to get moving and start treatment. during his wait for his 2nd set of blood work to come back, Bill went to his urologist who said that Bill was not feeling a lump but his epididymis - he never ordered an ultrasound he just plainly dismissed it as not testicular cancer.
We then went to the oncologist who did not feel at all certain with it not being testicular cancer in his other testicle. He was just beginning to set Bill up for his treatments saying that it obviously is somewhere and it has come back in microscopic form but he said before we move any further, I want an ultrasound done now. The doctor got the results and there it was another tumor but not nearly as large as the first encounter.
On Bills first bout with TC, he had the removal, the lymphnode surgery and chemo - he was diagnosed with embryonal carcinoma and cured. Then he was in that less than 3% where he got it in his other testicle. I could go on and on and I will continue but I have to get back to things.
Another thing while this was going on, we tried to get pregnant and did but I miscarried so now we have entered the world or infertility and all of its fun stuff...