I would say don’t keep it to yourself. Speak openly to people that are close to you initially. it’s a part of your body that’s got to be seen toand dealt with like any other part of the body. Nothing to be ashamed about. And just make sure that the doctors get on with it and advise you as clearly as possible as to what the state is at present with you. Sodon’t keep it to yourself effectively.

When you came to can you describe how you felt?

Tired. There was there was no feeling of sadness or anything else particularly. I think I was glad that the operation had gone. I was interested to see really how how much had been taken away. But I was sort of facing it straight basically. And I’m glad I did.

How long was it after the operation before you did see the results?

Quite soon I think. Quite soon. I suppose once I can’t remember exactly but it might have been in… no I don’t think it was in the waiting room… in the recovery room sorry. I think it might have been when I went back down and I went into the bed in the ward. I think it was there. So it was… it wasn’t long. Within roughly an hour after the operation I suppose.

How did you feel when you did see the results?

I was okay with it. I was okay. I wasn’t feeling you know.maybe sort of I was he took off really that it was the second choice of the two choices that you know it wasn’t just the first choice of taking the cap off, drilling out the cancerous part and putting the cap back on. It was the second one of actually amputation. And that I knew was going to be one of the choices. And it just happened to be the one that he had to do. I trusted the consultant to make the best decision. And you know I’ve got no doubt that that was the best decision.

I would say that my concentration with work has been a little bit sort of clouded with the fact that my son had passed away the previous year and it’s difficult to be able to say whe… you know whether it’s a mixture of the two things or the one thing. Certainly with my son passing that’s affected my workload my work ability. And this operation I think has probably not affected my working ability that much. So financially I would say that probably not much.

Initially I stayed home for a week but I then returned to work because I felt I was capable of going back to work after a week. A lot of people said, Well you should have taken a month off’ but frankly one week was enough for me. And the only area that was giving me problems was actually going to the toilet. The rest of it I could walk… walking up and down stairs was a little bit slower but not… it wasn’t uncomfortable and it wasn’t difficult but a little bit slower than I normally would. But going to the toilet was definitely the more tricky situation. But my memories are coming back now and I would say it wasn’t a big issue at all. I was lucky that that it wasn’t painful. And there were no problems attached to it. Just taking care really and being careful, so

Well you can’t really see much because the skin has been sort of pulled inside. it’s not left out in the open and you can see visible scars. it’s really quite clever, you know, I’m very impressed with how it’s all gone. But you still feel a bit strange not having a head there. But the… you… well I can’t really see any scars. I think you’d have to pull the skin back quite a bitfor that. But there’s not much give at the head either because it’s all very tight there. So you can’t really pull the skin back as you could before.

Did you have a catheter at that point?

I did and I hated every minute of it [Chuckles]. it’s… you can either have it hanging loose, which is not very comfortable at all, or have it strapped to your leg, which was much, much better. So I would suggest that if you can have it strapped to your leg and it then it takes a lot of pressure away from the penis. Because after an operation when you’ve got the catheter it’s not a comfortable experience at all. So I didn’t like that [chuckles].

Has there been any impact on your sex life?

I’m very fortunate that I have got a very good partner. And everything is accommodated. We’ree seem to be quite satisfactory andthere doesn’t seem to be any real issues there. In fact there aren’t any issues as such. Obviously the penis is shorter. But you know youhuman beings can… adjust and amend and this is quite… quite amazing actually. it’s been surprising. Quite illuminating and we’re happy on that front.

Are you able to obtain an erection? As you were before?

Yes. Yes. Yes indeed. Shorter but definitely yes. And to add to that it’s thicker than before. So I think really the fact that it’s not as long maybe the pressure has now pushed it out rather along the length. And as a results it’s become thicker.

Has there been any impact on your confidence or self-esteem?

Not at all because really I’ve sort of shared this problem with family and friends. it’s not a taboo subject. it’s been kept in the open which I think… you knowif I’d lost a foot that would obvious. This isn’t obvious because it’s covered by clothes and I think it should not be taboo at all. I think it should be brought out in the open. I felt better for it I’m sure. And so as a result people have reacted accordingly. And I felt thatyou knowit’s been… it’s been acceptable. You know I haven’t been sort of shunned [smiles] by any part of the population or anything like that. it’s been accepted. And therefore I feel fine with it.

What kind of aftercare did you receive from the hospital?

The aftercare consisted of an open invitation to contact them if I have any problems. The consultant wanted to see me within a few weeks I believe of the operation, followed then by a scan or the other way round [smiles]. I can’t quite remember. But the ultrasound scan obviously checks to see whether the cancer has actually spread to the lymph glands in the groin. And luckily enough there was no sign of that. I’d got some lumps in the groin but they’re deemed to be more like fatty lumps than cancer cancerous lumps. And since I’ve been seen approximately every 3 months or so… by the consultant. Generally after having an ultrasound scan so that he can discuss the results. But when I do have the ultrasound scan I’m told straight away of the results. And thankfully to date, which is 18 months, everything’s been clear.

Do you have any blood tests performed at those check-ups?

No. No. No. All that is done err the scan is purely a scan. There’s no blood tests at all and when the consultant sees me he just comes around and he feels the groin area to see if there’s anything suspect developing there.

I had my sister and my daughter. My sister having been a nurse, you they did help me a lot in you preparing my mind for going in. But being a very busy professional person that did help me actually go through the days and there was not a great case of concern on my mind and worry. It was very more sort of pragmatic approach of well I’m going to have this operation and but you know let’s hope the consultant doesn’t take off more than he needs to. And I’ll be grateful for what’s left effectively. So that period went fairly quickly and I believe and you know it did we… I had the operation and I was very pleased with how it everything went.

Did you find it helpful to discuss your condition with other patients?

Definitely. With the little discussion we did have I think you know thatthey were certainly sympathetic because they they’d never experienced or heard of it before themselves. Andit was nice to be able to talk about it with somebody on the ward after the operation because you need to release your thoughts and feelings and I think talking to somebody you know is really important. I can’t really stress enough on that.

How did people generally react when you told them what your condition was?

Oh they were they were shocked and saddened and their general attitude was you know well you know we’re here for you if you knowelpful, understanding. There was no, there was no question of them not being otherwise.

Did they have any questions for you?

No I think generally they were quite ort ofdecent in by not being too they were not too keen to be too nosy about what was going on. They just understood that I had a problem that obviously I had to have an operation with it and they were they were just generally quite sympathetic.

Back in June 2009 I noticed a pimple on the head of my penis. This was the first time I’d ever seen it and it came immediately after the death of my son. And I didn’t really think any more about it because I was in… so devastated at the time. However the pimple carried on being there, didn’t go away. And a few months later, I think November, it actually had got bigger by then and it actually burst open. Wasn’t that terribly concerned but… and left it until January of 2010. At the beginning of January I thought I’d better go to the hospital and have it checked.

Wasn’t that terribly concerned but… and left it until January of 2010. At the beginning of January I thought I’d better go to the hospital and have it checked. And my doctor recommended me to the local hospital where they tested me for various sexual diseases and it was none of those. They couldn’t work out what it was and sent me to another local hospital to the urology department and a specialist had a look at me. This specialist suggested that it may be cancer and that he had to take a biopsy. I was asked in at the beginning of February, which was about 3 weeks later, for this biopsy and it came back malignant.

After the operation I’ve been seen by the doctor at frequent intervals. Basically every three, four months. And also have had been receiving ultrasound scans to confirm that everything is okay. The doctor has been checking the various the two lymph glands in the groin area. And the ultrasound scans have confirmed that everything has been fine. I do have some lumps on my right lymph gland but they have been determined to be fatty lumps as opposed to anything to do with cancer. And up until now the everything has been clear. So this is approximately 18 months after the operation.