Health first! (by Dave Sullivan)
This is a bit of a difficult, but VERY important health and safety share.
How many times do we let work schedule get in the way of:
• Going to the GP (or even get set up with a GP);
• Going to the dentist; or
• other health related appointments?
In August I determined I might have a lump in a testicle.
I had been to the urgent care for a fever and/or kidney stone, but the doctor wasn’t sure what was going on. I then did some googling on symptoms (it is not recommended that one does this as some crazy things can pop up on a search for symptoms). From that I did some better checks and yep, it didn’t seem right.
I had a follow up appointment with my GP, so added that to the discussion. The GP got me set up for some further tests to know for sure.
I had these tests done on a Monday. That evening the GP called a set up an appointment the next day. I had my wife, Dina, come along as I was guessing the news wasn’t going to be good since the GP was calling after 5pm. Yes, the news was Testicular Cancer and surgery was needed. From there it became a blur:
• Tuesday: appointment with specialist in afternoon
• Wednesday: CT Scan and surgery set for Thursday
• Thursday: CT Scan in the morning and Surgery in the afternoon.
Dina and I am still getting over the sudden shock of it all. However, we are super thankful we discovered it in time and that the CT scan came back free of cancer!
So why put my very personal experience out there? Because it is a dark space during the time between not knowing and knowing. Many “what ifs” go through your head, most which are not reasonable at all. If I can help one person, then it is all worth it.
Knowledge is power when it comes to health.
Think of it this way: As consultants, we can't do our job of finding solutions without some knowledge of the history of the issue, professional evaluation, and testing with some poking and prodding. It is not any different for your health!
So, one simple request: Please go to your GP regularly (if you don't have one find a good one) and if you are noticing anything unusual don’t be afraid to get it checked. Tell your family, friends, and peers to do the same!
Remember Health and Safety starts with Health!!!
Share page 
