Abdomen Pain
Byron had already been told by his regular doctor that the pain in his abdomen was probably just muscle strain from working out.
But now things were getting worse and he needed a second opinion. Then the doctor asked him to take a pregnancy test and he knew he was in uncharted territory. What exactly did they think was happening to him?
Young And Carefree
Byron Geldard had just finished high school. The budding stand-up comedian from Cambridgeshire, UK, decided to celebrate the milestone with a trip to Kavos, Greece, with his friends.
But when the 18-year-old returned, he started to feel a strange pain in his abdomen. The youngster was reluctant to go to the doctor, but eventually, he couldn’t ignore it any longer.
Nothing To Worry About
“I've been getting this weird pain on and off,” explained Byron. After he’d sucked up the courage to get checked out, Byron was told by his family doctor that it was likely muscle strain from doing too much at the gym ahead of his summer vacation.
But when the pain grew worse, Byron decided to get a second opinion. Only this time, the new doctor found something concerning.
The Lump
The doctor discovered a lump in Byron’s abdomen. The young high school graduate’s mind had been somewhat put at ease by the first doctor, but now his worst nightmares had been realized.
Byron was referred to a specialist to get a clearer picture of what was going on. He was scared, but there had no way of knowing then how strange this experience was going to get.
Closer Look
Byron was familiar with the ultrasound scan, having seen a documentary about the early stages of pregnancy on TV a few weeks before.
So although he was nervous about what the doctors were going to say, the aspiring comedian saw the funny side of going through the same procedure as an expectant mother. Until things took a turn for the surreal.
What To Expect
“Have you ever taken a pregnancy test?” the doctor asked. This sounded more like one of Byron’s stand-up routines than a genuine question asked by a medical professional.
Dumbfounded, Byron wasn’t even able to come up with a funny answer to the bizarre question. And when he realized the doctor was deadly serious, he struggled to see the funny side at all.
Surprising Results
The doctors explained the reason they wanted him to take the pregnancy test, but Byron still had a hard time believing it. A few months ago he was hitting the hottest nightspots in Kavos with his friends, and now here he was peeing on a stick.
Was this really happening? Byron took a deep breath and looked at the test.
Positive Test
The pregnancy test came back positive. Byron was speechless, but the doctor was glad that although things didn’t look good for the young man, at least it proved his hypothesis about what was going on with him.
Byron had a long and daunting road ahead of him. The doctor sat him down and calmly explained his full diagnosis.
Missing Piece
Byron was told he had a cancerous tumor. Previously, doctors couldn’t work out the origin of the disease, but the pregnancy test proved pivotal in their diagnosis.
It was clear the cancer had spread to Byron’s lungs, but they didn’t have the complete picture until he agreed to the test. And it wasn’t easy news for Byron to hear.
Grave Diagnosis
Byron had stage-four testicular cancer. The experts weren’t sure exactly what type of cancer Byron was suffering from until the pregnancy test came back positive.
“I could have had four or five different types,“ Byron explained. But the doctor from the Cambridge Teenage Cancer trust’s unorthodox method quickly detected it. And the reason why it works is fascinating.
Quick Thinking
Testicular cancer causes the production of the same hCG hormone that the placenta produces in a pregnant woman.
So the doctor’s inexpensive method actually detected Byron’s cancer fast, so they could get on with the correct course of treatment. But despite all this, Byron had more drama in his life that he couldn’t shake from his mind.
Light At The End
The day the doctors gave Byron the diagnosis was the very day before the student was set to receive his end of school exam results that would determine his options for the future.
“There I was with a positive pregnancy test and something growing inside of me. I thought I was going to end up in a documentary!” But soon after Byron began his treatment, he got some very different news.
Winning The Battle
Seven-months of chemotherapy later, Byron was told the tumors were beginning to shrink. He was winning the battle and he started to have hope for his future again.
The promising results meant Byron was eligible for surgery to remove the tumors once and for all. Now 19, Byron couldn’t believe there was a chance he was going to make it through this.
All Clear
Tumors were removed from Byron’s abdomen, a testicle, and the lymphatic system behind his stomach. The doctors were happy with the way the surgery went, but they still needed to be sure they were successful in completely removing the malignant lumps.
The young man should have had his mind on dating, his first car, and university, but all he could think about was getting the all-clear. Then he got the phone call.
Bright Outlook
Byron was officially cancer-free! “Cancer is no longer a death sentence, and I would like to spread that message,” Byron announced optimistically. And similar to the way his cancer was detected, he has a slightly out-of-the-ordinary way of getting the word out.
"I'm doing stand up comedy about testicular cancer, as I think people need to be educated about it more.” You’ve got to admire his capacity for looking on the bright side!
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.