making a connection

[maddermax]

Its been 7 years since my son was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He had just turned 15. At the brink of manhood , a teenager- and we all know what this is like !! and diagnosed with a cancer he felt he couldnt share with. Luckily a few weeks before he told us a TV programme about TC was on and he saw it and checked himself, he told us he felt a lump within a few days- I felt at the time someone was looking out for us. He didnt even want us to tell his siblings at first- Paranoia was in the air. My husband took it all very badly- first born son syndrome-we werent to tell anybody- secrets, secrets and more secrets...

[Melissa]

Hi maddermax, Thanks for sharing your story. I cannot immagine what you went through, as I saw my mum go through the same thing when I was diagnosed and she took it alot harder than I did. I know when I was diagnosed at 18 I felt so alone because I knew nobody who was going through the same thing. All my friends were busy partying and travelling and I was busy visiting doctors and forced to grow up. It was hard for me to tell anyone but my family and I guess I let them just tell whoever they needed to. I wanted to feel normal and not treated any different. I think the worst thing for me was how my older brother never really understood what I was going through and gave me a hard time. Its been 4 years since it all happened and I think I'm slowly connecting back to society and reality. There are still heaps of issues I have yet to address, its a long road. Melissa

[AmandaC]

Hi maddermax, What an incrdibly scary time that must have been for you all and TC is such a personal cancer for boys/men there are many issue to deal with. My husband was diagnosed with TC 2 months after his father died from bowel cancer, his arrose in the pelvis which made it undiagnosed until it was really big and almost to late. Unfortunately for him his mum was not in a good place after loosing her husband and told everyone, which ment he didn't get the privacy he really needed. He is now just 1 year out and doing well and is on the road to reconnecting with the outside world, as Melissa says its a long road but we are glad we have the time to walk it :) Congradualtions to your son for making it to the 7 year mark!

[maddermax]

thanks melissa and amanda, actually today i managed to tell one of my older brothers the whole story, he lives in uk -and i have a good connection with him. I appreciate your comments and hearing your stories puts things into perspective for me as well. I wish I could get my son to access a site like this-he's good at burying his head in the sand !!