Hello all,

Up until this Sunday, cancer just wasn’t something I thought about much... I’m “just” 34 after all so I must be invincible. “Cancer is something that happens to other people” I thought...

I’d seen the recent adverts on obesity causing cancer and realised I needed to lose more than a few stone - but I’d be lying if I said it was a fear of cancer that was behind me going to the gym more often recently - more like a fear of still being single at 40!

Then on Sunday afternoon I passed a pair of blood clots in my urine. A quick google search and I realised I needed to see a GP as soon as I could. I woke up on Monday morning, booked a morning appointment when the surgery released them and went for a shower. There I saw that the underwear I had worn to bed that night was stained with blood.

An hour and a half later and my GP was ordering more tests than I think I’ve had in the rest of my life so far and giving me a two week urgent referral.

A call from my GP that afternoon and I was told that a dipstick test on my urine showed no sign of infection. I was told this was “good news” but given the other possible conditions causing the Hematuria I would have taken a UTI and a course of anti-biotics all day long!

Anyway I’ve now found out I’ll be going to the Urology clinic on Monday for a battery of tests and a consultation. Given the Hematuria was painless (and it seems infections and kidney stones are all associated with pain) I’m fearing the worst.

I know the odds are probably still in my favour but I’m still feeling a level of fear that’s beyond anything I’ve ever felt before. My life could be turned upside down in five days time... Part of me wishes I’d been looking at my phone when I was passing urine on Sunday and that I’d worn darker underwear to bed because ignorance is bliss.

I guess there’s nothing that can be done now but hope for the best!

Signed,

A very scared man!