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Jeffrey “The M.A.N.”

Modeled After None

I’m 14 years old and attend Roseville High School as a Freshman. This is also my first year in football. My football season with the Tigers was cut short because of

“TESTICULAR CANCER.”

Monday, October 15, 2007 my neighbor, Andrea told my mother about her brother who passed away. My mother asked Andrea, how he passed away. She said she doesn’t usually share this story with many people. Her brother passed away from Testicular Cancer. He had a lump, like I did, and ignored it. By the time he went to the doctor, the tumor was a size of a baseball. He thought it was a hernia. The doctor wanted to remove it along with the testicle but he refused and six months later he passed away. When he passed away, the tumor was the size of a football. My mother told Andrea she had never heard of Tesicular Cancer. She asked Andrea how to check for lump. Andrea told my mother about self-examinations and my mother told my dad the next morning.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 my father picked me up from football practice, and asked me if I knew what Testicular Cancer was. I told my father that I knew what Testicular Cancer was and that I found a lump about a week before. My father was shocked and told my mother to call the doctor’s office and set an appointment for me.

Monday, October 22, 2007 my mother and I went to see Dr. Nair. She examined me and at this point, I felt embarrassed. She confirmed that there was a lump. Only now, it went from a size of a pea, to a size of dime in a week. Dr. Nair immediately ordered an ultrasound. My mother drove me to the imaging center and the female ultrasound technician greets me and takes me back into a room. She told me what she was going to do and that I needed to lie still. I was totally embarrassed again but I knew it was for my own good. The images on the screen confirmed there was tumor. At that moment, I felt anxious and I felt like time stopped.

We headed back home and I started to cry asking my mother, “Why do bad things happen to good people, Mom?” My mother answered, “Son we don’t know if this is bad or not, we have to wait and see what the doctor says.” She also reminded me of all the bible stories I’ve read where bad things happened to good people and how God turned the situation into good. She also reminded me of things that happened to her in her lifetime that were tough but it all worked out for the best. I understood there was a purpose but I needed to wait for this to be revealed to me. My Mom asked me, “Jeffrey what made you check yourself?” I answered, “You remember when I was in Junior High School?” She said, “Yes, last year.” I said, “Mom, you know how they tell the girls how to check for breast cancer or lumps.” She said, “Yes, yes, uh huh.” I said, “They teach boys how to check for lumps too.” She asked, “Ok, great but what did they say to do when you find one, didn’t they say to tell your parents?” I replied, “That part I forgot, I don’t remember that part, they didn’t emphasize that.” I told my Mom, I do self-examinations every time I shower, so this is how I found the lump. By the time we arrived home, there were three voice messages saying I had to see the Urologist as soon as possible.

Tuesday, October 23rd & Wednesday, October 24th, all I can think about is getting this thing out of me.

Thursday, October 25, 2007 my parents and I saw my Urologist, Dr. Shapiro and he confirmed the tumor is 99.99% Testicular Cancer and it needed to be removed as soon as possible. He told me how proud he was that I told my parents about the lump and that I caught it possibly in the early stages. I asked Dr. Shapiro, “Aren’t I too young to have Testicular Cancer?” He answered, “No, I’ve seen boys as young as three years old and even birth have Testicular Cancer.” Dr. Shapiro wanted to operate that day. I was thinking why today? The day Roseville Tigers play our arch rival Woodcreek Timberwolves. Why couldn’t it be any other day or any other week? I said to my parents and Dr. Shapiro, “Now, honestly, guys can’t this wait till Monday. I’m playing the school I’ve been waiting for all year long to play, my best friends go there and kids at Cooley go there. Also, tomorrow I’m going to an all night boys retreat, can’t this wait until Monday? It’s not like it’s going to grow overnight.” Dr. Shapiro told me, he would contact us and let us know in a few hours. We went to the parking lot and it finally hits me how serious my condition is. I cried a little, along with my Dad. A few minutes later I said, “Mom and Dad I’ve been thinking about this all week long and I just want to get this thing out of me. I have two nuts and I can give up one.” I had my parents laughing at this point and needless to say, I told a few more nut jokes.

Within an hour Dr. Shapiro called and told my mother I got my wish, the surgery is now scheduled for Monday, October 29th. I told my parents, “See it all worked out.” I got to play Woodcreek High School, we lost but it was an amazing game. When we pulled up to the house, I told my parents, “Dad and Mom I know what it is now. I know why God allowed this to happen to me. It’s so I can save someone’s life. I’m going to turn in my football gear and tell the entire football team what I’m going through so they are informed and someone else’s life is saved.” They were so proud to hear this.

Friday, October 26, 2007 I turn in my football gear and told the entire football team that I would be unable to play the next three games because I was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer. I told the guys about Testicular Cancer. I discussed with them about early detection, how to perform self exams on a regular basis. I told them this cancer is prevalent in teenage boys beginning at age of 15 and to tell their parents as soon as possible if they discover a lump. I told them because I caught this early I’m going to be ok. However, I didn’t tell my parents right away because I didn’t think it was a big deal or anything to worry about, but it was! After I spoke, the team prayed and chanted Tigers for me. Shortly afterwards three guys came forward and told me they had found lumps but didn’t think anything about it. I told them to tell their father, mother, counselor or any adult they trusted and to get it checked out.

Monday, October 29, 2007 the day of surgery. I’m in good spirits but nervous. One of my good friend’s mother, Monique, works as a Child Life Specialist and welcomes me and gets me settled in my hospital bed, gown, etc. She tells me what to expect and all the different rooms I will be wheeled into. The nurse comes in and takes my vital signs and puts some kind of numbing cream in specific areas on my arms, so it would not hurt much when they started my IV. As Monique began to tell me about the IV, Dr. Crockett, my Anesthesiologist, came in and introduced himself. He explained what he was going to do and that when the medicine started to kick in, that I probably didn’t want to talk again. I looked puzzled. He said, “Normally, when the medicine starts to kick in, kids start to spill the beans.” I told him, “I have nothing to hide from my parents.” He said, “Ok, whatever you say but I’m telling you, you may not want to talk.” He stepped out for just a second and when he came back he looked at me with his hand pointed towards me in a gun like form and said, “Jeffrey, the medicine is probably going to be kicking in and this is the time you may not want to talk, 5-4-3-2-1.” No sooner did he say, “1” I started to feel very goooooooooooooood!

At this point my mother pulls out the camera and starts to video tape me. And my father says, “So Jeffrey, you got a girlfriend.” I answer in a stupid voice, “No!” Then my mother asked, “Jeffrey is there any secrets that you need to tell us.” I answered, “No!” After I make this comment, Dr. Crockett wheels my bed out and through the hallways to another room where I’ll meet Dr. Marr, my surgeon. While we’re in there, the medicine is kicking in real good. Monique comes back in the room dressed like someone from a biohazard company. I started laughing and telling her she looked weird. Then she gave me this plastic box of toys and told me to pick something out. I picked up the Hershey bar and started to open it and she yelled at me saying, “No, no, no, that’s not chocolate!” I said, “Oh.” Then I heard my mother say, “Go for the pink one, go for the pink one.” I picked up the pink toy and it was a sticky hand. I immediately started whacking my dad with it. And at the same time my mom was video taping me. I then told my mother, “Mom, I think the medication is starting to wear off.” No sooner did I say this, Dr. Crockett came around the corner and heard what I said and told me, “OH YA!” and injects my IV with a second serving of loopy serum. A few moments later, Dr. Marr, my surgeon walks in and introduces himself and asked me if I knew what I was here for. The medication has really kicked in now and I answered him saying, “Yes, you’re going to be taking my nut out.” Being the conservative, shy guy he is, he replies, “Yes, yes, that’s what we’re doing, uh huh!” He proceeds to show me where the incision is going to be made and asked me if it’s the right testicle he’s taking out. I answered, “Yes, it’s the right nut.” A minute later, I’m being wheeled out to the surgery room and say good bye to my parents.

Surgery goes well. My parents tell me that I cry out in pain twice and the nurse injects my IV with painkillers. I’m in and out of consciousness and my parents told me that I woke up four times crying. The first time, I cried, “Mom, Mom, Mom are you there?” She answered, “Yes, Jeffrey, I’m here, I’m here.” I said, “I love you, Mom. God told me to tell you thank you for taking care of his son.” Then I fell back to sleep. The second time I woke up, I cried, “Dad, Dad, Dad, are you there?” He answered, “Yes, Jeffrey, I’m here, I’m here.” I said, “I love you, Dad. God told me to tell you, thank you for taking care of Jeffrey. Jeffrey is going to be fine and everything is going to work out for Jeffrey. God told Jeffrey he’s sorry for taking his nut.” Then I fell back to sleep. The third time, I woke up, I cried out, “Dad, Dad, Dad did they take the right nut?” My Dad answered, “Yes, Jeffrey they took the right nut.” Then I fell back asleep. The last time I woke up, I cried out and said, “Mom, Mom, Mom, does my voice still sound the same?” My Mom says, “Yes, Jeffrey your voice still sounds the same.”

The rest of the week I recovered. I had lots of pain but I expected this. I had a tremendous amount of support from my parents, my football team and school, my friends, my grandparents, my uncles, my aunts, basically everyone that knows me and my parents. I went through several days of testing, scans, x-rays, blood work, etc. and follow up visits with Dr. Lee. Dr. Lee said that he will be keeping an eye on me and I will be going through testing every three months for the next year. He told me that I had Stage 1 Testicular Cancer and chemotherapy was not recommended. My parents and I are so glad to hear this.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007; Dr. Marr, my surgeon, confirms that I had Stage 1 Testicular Cancer and I caught it at a very early stage. I told him I wanted to bring awareness because of how I found out about it. He said it was brave and courageous of me to talk about it. He gave me a clean bill of health, told me that it’s ok for me to play sports again and to take care. I thank him for everything.

Just remember positive thoughts + faith = positive impacts.

First and foremost, I want to thank God for giving me the chance to live and the ability to share my experience with others. I know without Him, I would not be here to tell you my story. He has given me my life back and all I want to do is make sure you are aware. I want to thank my parents for their wonderful support and prayers from day one. I want to thank my brother Jacob, his wife, Angela and their children.

I want to give special thanks to all of my doctors for taking great care of me:

Dr. Bindu Nair, Dr. Stephen Shapiro, Dr. Clifford Marr, Dr. Yisheng Lee, their great staff and nurses; Monique Pasco, Child Life SPecialist and everyone that cared for me at Sutter memorial Pedistrics. I want to thank my coaches at Roseville High School and the entire Tiger Freshman football team, all my teachers, my neighbors, my friends, my parent’s friends, my aunts, my uncles, my grandparents, CBS13 Sacramento, Kris Pickel for airing my story in hopes of bringing awareness to other young boys, teenagers and men, and to Nina for seeing my story on air and volunteering to build my website. Thank you everyone for your prayers and thoughts, my life would not be the same without you. I also want to give special thanks to Andrea for telling my parents about her brother, Joe, dieing from Testicular Cancer. If it were not for this chance conversation about Testicular Cancer, the tumor would still be growing in me. My parents and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing with us your brother, Joe’s story. God bless everyone at my church, Bayside and Pastor ray Johnson for praying for me.