Hello everybody,

Well, it's been a while since I have visited the board and guess what... I HAVE CANCER!!!!! Not oral cancer though... After all of my worry over dipping and having something appear in my mouth, I pretty much broke the bad habbit. However, in early June I began having some discomfort in my "boys downstairs". After performing a self-exam, I found a hard lump in my left testicle. Talk about roller coaster of emotion!! Well, a quick visit to my primary care physician, then to my urologist, then to the hospital for bloodwork & an ultrasound confirmed my fears - Testicular Cancer!

On June 14th, I underwent a radical orchiectomy to remove the affected testicle. The pathology report came back showing pure embryonal carcinoma (one of the more agressive types of the disease). After some additional bloodwork, x-rays, ct scans, and PET scans, it was found that the cancer had spread into my para-aortal lymph nodes. They are in too sesitive a location for surgery, so CHEMO it is!!! I start my first cycle of BEP treatments on Monday 7/29/02. This is supposed to take three months (three cycles).

Needless to say, I am not at all pleased at these developments, but there is nothing I could have possibly done to avoid this one. Oral cancer on the other hand, I hope to steer clear of. I know I will beat this S.O.B., and I will soon join you all as a survivor (of a different sort). It's kind of ironic that I was soo scared of oral cancer, only to find out that I have testicular cancer. Life's a b*&ch sometimes, but I have a great family, good friends, a good company behind me 100%, and I will beat this!!!!

I will post again when I have a chance, but it may be a while. In the mean-time, any prayers sent my way would be greatly appreciated. Good luck to you all.