Hi, my name is Ian Arnison-Phillips, I am 31 years of age and I’m from Manchester. On Wednesday 17 March 2021 I was told it is more than likely that I have testicular cancer.
A week later I created Drop the Ball – a personal blog where I will share my experiences of finding out, being diagnosed and treated for testicular cancer. The aim of the blog is to provide a source of information, reassurance and a real life story for other men who may also have the condition.
This form of cancer is extremely rare and rarely spoken about. The chances of survival are extremely high but the journey is still scary. I hope my story provides awareness, eases concern, relieves any stigma and normalises the subject of testicular cancer.
I will say it how it is and try to be as entertaining as possible too. As an ordinary lad from a humble background on the streets of Manchester, I hope my voice connects with you more than the leaflets they offer you at the hospital!
Please also take the time to look at the Testicular Cancer page, which should provide everything you need to know about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and much more. Oh and gentlemen, please don’t ignore the How to Check Your Balls page, if you’re not already an expert ball-checker of course!
Enjoy the blog!
The Results
Wednesday 28 April is the day I got my results and found out whether or not any further treatment is required. The day I was waiting so very impatiently for! The most important dates on my journey so far have been: Wednesday 17 March diagnosisWednesday 31 March surgeryWednesday 7 April…
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CT Scan and Histology Report
It’s been a while since I wrote the last blog, mainly because there wasn’t much to write about following the surgery and immediate recovery. What there is worth writing about isn’t exactly positive either. From the start, I’ve tried to remain upbeat, constructive and good-humoured for one primary reason. If…
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Recovery and Aftercare
Item for Sale Product Description Item: Surgical suspensory bandage Quantity: 1 Size: XX large (not bragging) 65a Type 3 Condition: Used Cost: Free – with delivery Reason for selling: It’s getting on my nerves One extra, extra large white surgical suspensory bandage made from 95% cotton. This sultry piece of…
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The Surgery
Okay, strap yourselves in, because although the whole ordeal only lasted 5 hours there’s a lot to get through! If you have been diagnosed with testicular cancer, or you are going through something similar, this blog will let you know what to expect on the day of your surgery. The…
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The Wait
If all goes well, then I will have the displeasure of saying I have cancer for a mere 3 to 4 weeks. If things don’t go so well and I need further treatment, that could stretch by a few more weeks. This would be awful. Still though, some people have…
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The Hangover and the Research
Why does your alarm clock give you the option to snooze? I was woken up 13 times in 20 minutes, I was still late for work and my phone screen had a lovely new crack right down the middle of it. This was the hangover to end all hangovers. In…
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The Initial Reaction
For the first time in my life I feel truly mortal. I lived in Newcastle for 4 years – I don’t mean mortal in that sense! I’ve been drunk many times before, but this is a whole other level of disorientation. In blog number 3 of this series I am…
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Finding Out
Finding out I have a testicular tumour happened in 3 stages and involved 3 different specialists. I say testicular tumour instead of cancer purposefully because although it is more than likely, at the time of writing it has not been confirmed that the tumour is cancer. This will not be…
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Noticing the Lump
A standard human testicle is about the size of a walnut. It doesn’t matter how big you think your nuts are fellas, we all carry the same size spuds in our trouser sacks. When I first called my GP for an appointment to check my right testicle, it was about…
Continue readingThere is nothing to be ashamed of with testicular cancer, you will be proud when you beat it!
Drop the Ball 