DrZ, just read this and am so glad you recovered from what must have been extremely unpleasant situation, even as injuries go. Good for you, and great story.
Eric
Thanks Eric, and Mashie also.
It was indeed unpleasant. In training I had stupidly failed to escape a very good kick that I should have sidestepped, and it caught me in a very unfortunate place. Several highly unpleasant traumatic possibilities crossed my mind, including whether there might be a rupture and whether torsion could occur. I understand that if you get testicular torsion, you really know about it, and it might not happen immediately at the time of the injury.
My mood was not improved by the attitude of a male doctor who, before I had my testicles examined by the female doctor (and don't ask me why one doctor didn't do it all), checked my heart rate and blood pressure. Since at the time he found I was running at 112bpm and had BP of 115/76 (yes, I remember these exact figures even now), in his moment of overdose on power, he commented (with a gleeful half-smile) that my heart was "running a bit quick". This comment and the way it was made did nothing to improve my opinions about the manner of some of the male doctors I had come into contact with in my life. I pointed out to him through gritted teeth and in a very controlled way that my normal rate was around 65bpm when standing easy, and that if he had been in my situation, concerned about a possibly serious testicular injury, he would probably have a fast heart rate himself. I also said that he seemed to be enjoying trying to scare me by implying tachycardia, something he was failing to do. Now unable to look me in the eye, he conceded that his comment was thoughtless and he couldn't get out of the door fast enough. In contrast, the female doctor and nurse who came to see me and actually examined the site of injury had an excellent bedside manner, and showed no sign of getting off on power or patient worrying. It concerned me that the male doctor might take a similar attitude to others less able to brush aside his brash, sneering kind of nonsense. It gives doctors a bad name, and I have to say it did anger me at the time.
One positive that emerged from this was a growing realisation in me that my stunning, intelligent, funny and kind 19 year old girlfriend who was with me throughout all this was proving herself 100% reliable, dependable, supportive and caring too. She was this way about other injuries I collected. Even though I knew I wanted her as my wife and I'd always thought she must have been born 30 years old inside her head, I still decided to leave it a few years longer before we discussed the possibility of marriage - but that's another story. 😁