A lesson to us all.

Albie

Albie

Keeping an open eye on the Weeping Angels.
Today, I read some rather distressing news that John Hartson has testicular cancer (read the article if you don't know who he is). Now, the thing is he was only diagnosed with this on Sunday just gone and it has spread to his brain and he has found out today it's in his lungs as well.

The fact that it is already in his brain and lungs suggests he has had this cancer for some time and it has only just been diagnosed - and by the sounds of it, far to late. It also suggests he had not been checking himself - and neither had I.

I say had as I have learnt a very simple lesson today.

I really feel for this guy and hope he can pull through, but it does not look good.
 
Thank you very much for the poignant reminder, mate.  It only takes a few seconds to check these things, and we all know most guys spend time down there anyway - looking at you, Perun.

Same with you, ladies, check for lumps!
 
I am sorry Albie but I believe I am missing the point.

How could I learn something from this? Do I have to go to the doctor every year to ask if he can see if I have cancer? What do you exactly mean?
 
Foro, you should always have your doctor check your prostate and testes during your yearly appointment, however, it's a good idea to check for lumps.  Manually.
 
I don't have a yearly appointment. No one has that in my country (unless some form of disease has already been discovered).

For the record, I go to the doctor if I notice or think that something is wrong.

The lumps, yes I agree, it is wise to let them check.
 
Really?  I get yearly checkups from my family doctor.  Ahem, they have been every two years recently.
 
I guess our healthcare systems are totally different. In the Netherlands you can go to the doctor as often as you like. But there should be a reason for it of course. And it isn't free either.

What you describe sounds more like having an appointment with the dentist. I check my teeth twice a year (which is recommended), and let the rest of my health decide when I go to the doctor.
 
Well, here, if you have a family doctor (rare in some places), you are recommended to get checkups.  Make sure nothing is wrong.  Once you're over 40 they start to check your prostate regularly and can do extended tests.  The hope is to catch things like cancers early.
 
Same for me... they recommend a yearly physical.  I don't do them that often, but in one of them, they found that my blood sugar ran low (and I didn't recognize the problem) but now I feel better. 
 
No, they don't.  That's why it's recommended.  But people don't like to go to the doctor, they don't want to hear that something is wrong....
 
Then they show up at the dentist after a four years absense and find out they have to get rid of their teeth....
;)
 
Yes, and some people have bad teeth, and broke their tooth at the Duke's wedding.
 
Forostar said:
I am sorry Albie but I believe I am missing the point.

How could I learn something from this? Do I have to go to the doctor every year to ask if he can see if I have cancer? What do you exactly mean?
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All I'm suggesting is, as LC said, to regularly check yourself - before it's too late. I didn't and having read about Hartson it shocked me into doing it. I can learn from what happened to him so it, hopefully, does not happen to me.
 
Thanks for bringing the sad situation with John Hartson to everyone's attention.  I am a Celtic fan (JH is a former player with the club) and was saddened to hear about this at the start of the week.  I too initially thought that the spread of the cancer suggested that the big man might not have much of a chance but have since read that Lance Armstrong the cyclist, also had cancer in testicles, brain and lungs and of course made a full recovery to ride in the Tour de France.

There's still hope for JH - he's a strong character so he'll fight it all the way.
 
Forostar said:
I guess our healthcare systems are totally different. In the Netherlands you can go to the doctor as often as you like. But there should be a reason for it of course. And it isn't free either.

What you describe sounds more like having an appointment with the dentist. I check my teeth twice a year (which is recommended), and let the rest of my health decide when I go to the doctor.
Click to expand...

It's exactly the same here in Israel.

On another note: I am 21, should I start taking yearly tests for it?
 
Sorry to bring this up again guys, but I've been on holiday.

I would say definitely check your plums regularly.I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2001(after being misdiagnosed twice). Fortunately it was still spotted early, so after surgery, I didn't need chemotherapy or anything like that.

If found early there's a 90% chance of survival. John Hartson and Lance Armstrong unfortunately decided to play Russian Roulette and let nature take its course.

If anyone has any questions about cancer(1 in 3 of us will get it) I'm becoming a bit of an expert on it. In the last 8 years apart from me,I've lost both my parents to it at 63 and 67 years of age and 3 years ago my wife was diagnosed with Breast  Cancer at the age of 43
 
I am so sorry to hear that! I wish your wife gets well ASAP!
My father also lost two of his kidneys to cancer, and underwent a kidney transplant. Now he's definitely healthy, though!
 
Cheers mate.She's doing well.To me the worst part of her illness wasn't the cancer itself, but the depression she suffered 18 months later.I was one of those people who, upon hearing someone was off work with depression, used to say " Give them a slap and tell them to pull out of it", however my wife lost 3 stone in weight in just under 3 months, and aged 20 years, so I'll never be as flippant about depression again.
 
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