The Dicksplorer (My journey with Penile Cancer)

  Be honest, do you ever think about your lymph nodes? Do you have any idea where they are? Or what they do? I’m not sure I had ever given them much thought until that is, when I didn’t have them all. Now, I surely miss them!! So, as the sentinel node was cancerous I would have surgery to remove all of the remaining lymph nodes in my left groin. They would all be tested and if negative I could assume that the cancer had not spread beyond the sentinel node. If it had, then we would need to look at the pelvic lymph nodes, where this cancer predictably goes to next. I appreciated the consultant's straightforward talking. I don’t want to beat about the bush. Just call a spade a bloody spade – that is how I deal with life! He proceeded to describe the surgery and the side effects of which 90% of patients experience some, high risk of infection, difficulty with wound healing and lymphedema (swelling of the leg and genitals). Ever the optimist, I was sure I would be in the 10% who...

  So, the next step on this unplanned journey is a sentinel node biopsy. Blue dye will be injected at the site of the original tumour. Ouch!!! Apparently, this will make its way to the lymph nodes in the groin and by following the route it takes the doctor can identify the sentinel nodes, i.e. the node on each side which is reached first by the dye and would therefore be the first to be reached by any cancer spread. These nodes will be removed and tested. If cancer free it can be assumed that the disease has not spread. Simples! If only. As my original tumour was small it was not anticipated that any further cancer would be found, but as it was aggressive this procedure is a standard precautionary measure The operation should take place in about 3 months’ time. Yes, this would be looming over me for a while but I took encouragement from the lack of urgency We had a long-planned city break planned within this period – no reason not to go, I feel well and will be back in go...