Guys ....

[Alez]

Haven't been on here that much recently and will probably be a bit sporadic in the next few weeks.
Basic story is that the covid vaccination hit me real hard and pretty much floored me. After the second I got Pneumonia. After the first one I hurt all over, but as everything started to get better I noticed I still had some un-comfortableness in the ' man ' area. One of my testicles appeared to be a bit larger than it used to be. Roll on to last week and I now had a definite swelling and by now, some pain and what seems like a lump. Bit the bullet, finally got the National Covid Service to see me ( took 4 days and finally a total strop ), sorry NHS , and I'm now currently on pills that would choke a horse. Ultrasound requested at some point down the road ( Covid over reaction allowing ), but fingers crossed shouldn't be worst case scenario.
Not really anything to do with the team, or computing or anything else we normally post on here. Just basically me saying, check yourself guys and if you think there's something amiss in the ball department, FFS, swallow your pride, get over that another dude will have to check your junk and go see a doctor. Please, don't be that guy that left it too late because it's embarrassing.

[Alez]

And when I'm on the subject, same for your ladies and the ladies in your lives. I lost my aunt to breast cancer because she was too embarrassed to show her' boobs ' to someone. By the time she admitted she had ' issues ' , she was riddled and weeks later we carried her out of a church and laid her in the a grave.
A kinder, gentler woman you would not have met, gone because her generation ' didn't do that sort of thing '.

[Alez]

Thanks to all that read these posts. Think about it everyone as a minimum please. I wish you all the best in your lives and hope that it helps at least one reader make the correct decision.

[Megacruncher]

Thanks for sharing this Alez. As you say it's not easy stuff to think about, far less to write about.

An important point to remember is that testicular cancers are very treatable, to the point where most are actually cured, which sadly still isn't true of most malignancies. Of course the sooner they are diagnosed and treated the easier and more certain is the road to cure.

Also most lumps in the anterior trouser area aren't cancerous. But they are all worth investigating and treating. Life's grim enough already without having to put up with sore 'nads.

I hope it goes well for you Alez & whatever it is gets sorted ASAP. Keep throwing strops if you have to - the NHS hasn't quite got back to normal service yet.

[Alez]

Also most lumps in the anterior trouser area aren't cancerous. But they are all worth investigating and treating. Life's grim enough already without having to put up with sore 'nads.

Awaiting ultrasound diagnostic ( man may make it back to the moon by that point .... ), but no real expectancy to be worse case scenario on initial diagnosis. As @Megacruncher says, most lumps are non cancerous, only about 4% I believe, but that is definitely not an excuse to ignore the issue.
And definitely throw a strop if required. Depending on your area , it appears to be easier to storm Gitmo than enter the GP's surgery.
I can also confirm that the whole sore ' nads' is not much fun..... but, as far as I'm aware, I'm not dead yet , so you can all start to post the wholly inappropriate ball gifs

[scole of TSBT]

hog.jpg

[Alez]

[SolidAir79]

One of my work colleague's had a similar issue as and i think it was sperm backing up not in the tubes of one of his nuts so could even be a bit of a blockage.

Fingers crossed for you anyway Alex !

[Alez]

Will know after the ultrasound. It is a blockage, just need to confirm what's causing it. Op either way at some point down the line when we actually start treating people again for anything more than sniffles.
Disappointed there's not more memes and gifs. Well done @scole of TSBT for stepping up to the plate. Come on guys, it's an open goal for some class meme posts. So far I'm giving the team a D- , must try harder .....

[scole of TSBT]

Maybe they'll assign a very pretty nurse to help you clear the blockage

[Alez]

Maybe they'll assign a very pretty nurse to help you clear the blockage

Unfortunately my wife ( who is a nurse ) would make me lift the slabs on the patio and dig a hole for myself. Actually, after that, she'd probably expect me to then finish myself off with the spade...... I'm certain all nurses are actually evil

[pinhodecarlos]

All the best Alez. Also I'm with you, we have now reached a society that we need to be more open minded, drop prejudice. Don't be afraid to speak with anyone particular your partner. Finally, I feel sorry for you being married with a nurse but shit happens...haha.

[PecosRiverM]

I'm certain all nurses are actually evil

Na That's save for those in the "Physical Therapy" field. They are pure Sadist.

[Alez]

@PecosRiverM All nurses have a touch of " just 10 more degrees bend " in them. Bitter personal experience there.
Just do the physio, hide the tears, bite that pillow and get that extra 10 degrees then they leave you alone and eventually you work like you used to I
I believe it's called being cruel to be kind .....

@pinhodecarlos Don't feel sorry for me. I need thoughts and prayers as a minimum. Candles lit and Facebook posts as well. Nurses are the true descendants of witches and they appear to have a few scores to settle

[scole of TSBT]

Docs can be too shy to do complete physical exams too, I think. My Docs seem to have a habit of retiring so I've had find a new one several times. The previous one never did a complete physical. No turn your head and cough or prostate exam. Other checks missing as well. I don' think he liked his job. I switched after that exam.

[Dirk Broer]

Just a few weeks after I discovered this thread, looking for a sign of life from Alez, I have to go to the doctor for the same problem..
My blockage was intentional: I was vasectomized 25 years ago. Looks like ball left has come alive again and can't find a way out.

[Megacruncher]

An Eight Years Retired Doctor Writes
Yes best to get it looked at. Probably nothing too nasty: I’m assuming you are well into your middle age (unless you had a vasectomy in your teens - which is unlikely) and testicular cancer tends to be a younger man’s problem.
Anyway good luck Dirk, and keep us posted, but careful with the photographs!

[Dirk Broer]

Yes, I'm well into middle age, 65 at the moment.
According to my MD it's a mere infection (phew), my urine was examined and put on a petri dish to seen if it is caused by a bacteria or not.
If not, than I have to 'thank' the Zoledronic acid infuse I got to enhance the Calcium in my bones. At the academic university hospital they had discovered a low bone density after I was brought in after a fall last summer, where I had a fracture in my Coccyx. Best not fall on tarmac while inline skating....
The treatment promised minor flue-like symptoms that would be over in a mere three days, but with me it continued into major flue-like symptoms after seven days to continue at least til today, day 17, with a lot of additional symptoms that do not fit into the flue category, such as hypertension of the arteries at the sides of my forehead, pain in the kidneys, the feeling your bones are warm, and the swollen testicles.

On the good side: I got a mail from PrimeGrid today about finding 1469*2^2192717+1 (660077 digits)