1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Ash. Today's guest is Hugo tuv Now. He is a 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: bloke who's been through so much, more than most more 3 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,879 Speaker 1: than most of us could imagine, and somehow he still 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 1: keeps pushing on. 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 2: He's an army man, a two time cancer survivor, and 6 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 2: the founder of twenty five Stay Alive, which is a 7 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 2: movement getting young people to actually check themselves before it's 8 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 2: too late. 9 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: It's hard to wrap your head around what life would 10 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: be like for Hugo. He's a dad to a sixteen 11 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,639 Speaker 1: month old, but he's also juggling surgeries, hospital visits, and 12 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 1: all the emotional weight that comes with battling cancer for 13 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: a second time. 14 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 2: But in this chat, Hugo gives us a glimpse into 15 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 2: that world. He tells us what it's really like trying 16 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 2: to start a family when nothing goes to plan, the 17 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 2: quiet battles you don't see, and how becoming a dad 18 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 2: to little Teddy has changed everything for you. 19 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: Now, a little word of warning, this is a pretty 20 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 1: emotional chat. As you can imagine. There are a few 21 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: tears from my celloph and also from Hugo, so we 22 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: get some tissues ready. But it's a beautiful chat. So 23 00:00:58,520 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoy. 24 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 3: Let's get into it. 25 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 1: Welcome back to three voting dads. 26 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 4: I'm Mattie, Jay, I'm Ash, and I'm here and this. 27 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 1: Is a podcast all about parenting. I almost forgot then 28 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: we've had a week off. I was like, where do 29 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 1: we go from here? This is the podcast all about parenting. 30 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 5: It is the good, it is the bad and the relatable. 31 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: And you go, Ash and I rarely, if ever give advice. 32 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:41,559 Speaker 1: We're not allowed. We're not about legal reasons we can't, 33 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 1: but loophole. There is no pressure on yourself to give 34 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 1: advice or you can not. 35 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, we're pretty chill, no pressure, We're pretty chill. 36 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 2: And we do like to start with our guests by 37 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 2: asking them one really simple question. Do you remember the 38 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 2: most trouble you got in as a kid? 39 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think I do. And I've got a twin brother, 40 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 4: Max and identical non identical, and I reckon it was 41 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 4: probably when we were fighting my brothers. 42 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: Do how old we were. 43 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:19,239 Speaker 4: I think we would have probably been about around like tennish, 44 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 4: like proper trouble. And this was a proper fight that 45 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 4: got out of hand, okay, and where you know, pushing 46 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 4: up against the walls, and then pushed him up against 47 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 4: the who was stronger. He probably was, which was a shade. 48 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 4: So are you taller now? I am got him? Yeah, 49 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 4: so much taller. 50 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: It's a lot to admit that. 51 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 4: No, for sure, I always hated it. And then all 52 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 4: of a sudden, like I'm talking year twelve, like bo 53 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 4: shot up. It was now like a head taller at him. 54 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 5: So yeah, I would have been an athlete too. 55 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 4: He played first, so that was my excuse. But this 56 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 4: got out of hand, this fight and pushed him out 57 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 4: against the window and it cracked and smashed, and you know, 58 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:01,919 Speaker 4: we've had a couple of those fights. But I just 59 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 4: remember that, you know, the dad coming home furious, like 60 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 4: they're probably the biggest ones. There's twin brothers when you've 61 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 4: got a big punch ons. I just remember those, multiple 62 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 4: of those memories that just stand out from where you've 63 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 4: really got in. 64 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 5: Trouble, young testosterone. 65 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,799 Speaker 1: Do you remember when the window cracked? Who was kind 66 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 1: of saying was at fault? Because it was like you 67 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 1: were antagonizing me? 68 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 4: And you know, yeah, I think I was very much 69 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 4: on the it was Max's fault, get on the defense. 70 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 4: I think I was. 71 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:30,519 Speaker 1: He sounds like a nightmare. 72 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 4: By the way, he always took it too far. Funny. 73 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 4: If he listens to this, he would just be sad, 74 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 4: that's bullshit, you guys. Too far. Probably the one that 75 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 4: actually just took things a little. 76 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 5: Who was the more authoritarian, your mum or your dad? 77 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 4: Mum? The dad was the one where it's like, you know, 78 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 4: he didn't have to do anything, just like the classic 79 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 4: you know, unbuckling the belts, one of those, but he 80 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 4: never did anything, but it was just you. 81 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: He just had to go to them. 82 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 4: You hear the buckle of the belt. I'm just sprinting to. 83 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 4: It was always just a classic. Mum would be like, 84 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 4: wait till Dad gets hot, and you're like, oh ship, 85 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 4: I really don't. Oh yeah, So that was kind of 86 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 4: how it was. But we still like, I don't know, 87 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 4: we got smacked and got the bloody in the mouth 88 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 4: or whatever in the mouth we're talking. If we swore 89 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 4: it was a hot mustard, it's just like, what's it called? Yeah, 90 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 4: So then Mum got done. That was probably the worst. 91 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 4: If we like, we're like, notice like if we were 92 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 4: deliberately swearing and we've been told okay, that's it, And 93 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:41,720 Speaker 4: I think it was actually the hot mustard that would 94 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 4: come out mustard mustard, and it's just that the English 95 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 4: mustard is. I swear maybe being the army for for 96 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 4: fifteen years, but I swear so much and I'm like, 97 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 4: clearly it didn't work. 98 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, I threatened my kids with soldo toast. Now that'll 99 00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 2: really tear your mouth. 100 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: We were trying to figure out whether the fact that 101 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:05,720 Speaker 1: you joined the army was off the back of you 102 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: being quite naughty, or if you had a family of 103 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: people who were in the army. Which one was it? 104 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 4: It was lack of direction, I think so the first one. 105 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 4: The first it's funny I had no family history of army, 106 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 4: but it was I did not want to do it, basically, 107 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,360 Speaker 4: and I think my dad was worried I was going 108 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 4: to do the old gap year that turns into ten 109 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:28,479 Speaker 4: years of gap years and just not really doing anything. 110 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:36,280 Speaker 4: So the idea of joining the officer passway and you 111 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 4: get paid to study in Dad thought, geez, that would 112 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 4: be pretty good. You know, shave his head and that's 113 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,720 Speaker 4: literally they weren't shaved head and discipline. It's like what 114 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 4: you see in the movies, marching all that sort of stuff. 115 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 4: So I think it was good for me because I 116 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 4: probably was a bit lack motivation, didn't have that real 117 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 4: life plan like my twin brother Max had. So I 118 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:56,280 Speaker 4: think it was a great thing for me. And I'm 119 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 4: glad I did join up, to be honest, because did. 120 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 1: You like it at the start? Were you thinking what 121 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 1: I did? 122 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 4: Actually now I thought I did. I liked the idea 123 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 4: of just getting out of home, getting thrown at the 124 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 4: deep end. I don't know. I just I was at 125 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 4: that stage in my life where I liked that doing 126 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 4: something different. But none of my other friends were doing. 127 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 4: They were just doing the safe you know, live with 128 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 4: them and dad, go to UNI, change degrees, all that 129 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 4: sort of stuff. Was for me. It was moved to 130 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 4: Canberra to live Jordan Army And was it an apprenticeship 131 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:26,039 Speaker 4: you took on or it was like it's four years 132 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 4: of officer training or and then in the first three 133 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,280 Speaker 4: you get a Bachelor of Business or engineering or si as. 134 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 4: I chose business. So you get paide of Studdy, which 135 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 4: is pretty good. You know, you get pretty fit, you 136 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 4: make good mates, you do some cool stuff in the army. 137 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 4: And I thought if I last two years, that'd be great. 138 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 4: Fifteen years later, granted as we'll talk about the fact, 139 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 4: you know, they've looked after me. It's helped a bit 140 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 4: just staying in longer. But at the start, I thought 141 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 4: this would be a bit of fun. Joined up for 142 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 4: a couple of years and see how I go. 143 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: And then how old were you? 144 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 4: Eighteen? 145 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 2: Yeow, it's young, Hay, Like I I look at eighteen 146 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 2: year olds now as a thirty four and a half 147 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 2: year old man, and I'm. 148 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 5: Like, you're a child. 149 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, a little bit. 150 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 2: So then when you're in primary school and stuff, and 151 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 2: you saw an eighteen year old fucking look at the 152 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 2: size of this guy, a big man. 153 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 4: The year twelve when you were yeah, eight nine ten 154 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 4: like men. 155 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, now I'm looking down, I'm like, what are you six? 156 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: When I dropped Maley off at school, I'm wondering if 157 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: the kids look at me like I'm a geriatric. 158 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm like, here comes old Manny Jay. 159 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: You're you're in your twenties. Probably the last thing you're 160 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: thinking about is cancer. But what led to the moment 161 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: where you were first diagnosed with testicular cancer? 162 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's interesting you said family history of being the army. 163 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 4: You've never had a family history of cancer either, so wow, 164 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 4: when when you're younger and you people listening to this 165 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 4: have probably had, you know, whether it's parents or family 166 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 4: members or grandparents who have had cancer, you can't have 167 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 4: a bit of an understanding of what it is. You know, 168 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 4: chemo max, your hair fall out, you know, you look unwell, 169 00:07:57,840 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 4: all that sort of stuff. For me, I had none 170 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 4: of that, So I didn't have any idea of what 171 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 4: cancer was other than what you'd see on the movies. 172 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 4: And for me, I thought, I assumed that you had 173 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 4: to be really unwell because you had cancer. That makes sense, right, 174 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 4: And for me, I was final six months of four 175 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 4: years of military training, and I was probably the fittest 176 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 4: I'd been in my whole life, even fitter than I've 177 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 4: ever been. Like that was kind of the pinnacle of 178 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 4: I was twenty one. You know, peak fitness, healthy, you're 179 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 4: in your prime. I was going on on weekends. You know, 180 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 4: you've got all your mates, you're within camber, You're like, jeez, 181 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 4: six months time where Bloody graduated? How was this like? 182 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 4: Young lieutenants? And that was, I guess always made it 183 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,319 Speaker 4: pretty hard. And that's when I just noticed that little 184 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 4: bloody frozen piece size a lump on my right. 185 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:43,679 Speaker 6: Nap. 186 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 4: Knew it was there. It was like this hard lump 187 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 4: that you know after the shower you have a feel 188 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:51,079 Speaker 4: around and you just notice it and you go, hang on, 189 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 4: is that that's not normal? 190 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: Can I ask? 191 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 4: It's like separate to your testicle or part of the testicle. 192 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 4: So like if you feel your testicles, you know, we 193 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:05,559 Speaker 4: can do a little faun familiar or I feel around. 194 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:07,959 Speaker 4: It's one of my favorite things to do. So you 195 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:12,439 Speaker 4: shouldn't be noticing any hard lumps basically, Yeah, that's you 196 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:14,319 Speaker 4: know if you do notice that and you're listening to 197 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,199 Speaker 4: this well good signing your doctor. I knew it was there, 198 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 4: but because it didn't hurt, and because I was healthy 199 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:23,439 Speaker 4: and feeling good, I didn't think much of it. And 200 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 4: I remember literally going on like doctor, google lump on 201 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 4: right testicle, and I'd see the lead. Yeah, I saw 202 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 4: things like cancer, but I've also see things like benine system. 203 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: Oh that's what it is. 204 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 5: It always comes up with cancer. Whatever you put into Google. 205 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 4: Doctor, I've got a sore ear. 206 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: It's like you laugh about the fact. They're like, oh, 207 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: this headache is going to be a true I got. 208 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: So when you saw cancer, you well. 209 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 4: It's funny instead of going like geez, I better after doctor. 210 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:52,199 Speaker 4: That made I kind of thought like, exactly like this, 211 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 4: I wouldn't be that yeah, yeah, because I feel feel healthy, 212 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 4: especially at twenty one and you're twenty one. I thought 213 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 4: cancers when you turn fifty, like when you're older. But 214 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 4: it wasn't. And this went on for months and months 215 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 4: and months, and just every time I got out of 216 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 4: the shower, because that's when you know, the fellas that 217 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:07,839 Speaker 4: are hanging uice a while and you have it have 218 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 4: a real good feel, that's when they recommend it. And 219 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 4: I was just noticed every time, and I just still 220 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,959 Speaker 4: put it off. And then it wasn't until I spoke 221 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 4: to my old man just one random morning, and I 222 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:20,319 Speaker 4: hadn't told anyone of that stage. And as I said, Dad, 223 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 4: like it was kind of awkward thinking about when you 224 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 4: last spoke to your dad about your testicles. You probably 225 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 4: you probably haven't, right, that's something you do even though 226 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:29,719 Speaker 4: you both got them, all glopes have them, but you 227 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 4: don't just think about saying like, Dad, can you have 228 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 4: a look at my testicle? Like it's a bit weird 229 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 4: On the phone, I was a bit awkward about it, 230 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 4: and he said, first thing he said was how long 231 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 4: has it been there? And I'm like, I don't know, 232 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 4: like at least six months, probably more. And he said, 233 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 4: if you go on to the doctor. I said no, 234 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 4: and then he's just like, why not. Don't be a bloody, 235 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 4: bloody idiot. Your god, And it was almost that was 236 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 4: the first time I'm like, hey, why do I go 237 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 4: after a doctor? And it was like that's the push 238 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:57,199 Speaker 4: I needed, hearing your old man say, man, don't be 239 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 4: a dickhead, go to a doctor. And You're like, okay, 240 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:01,599 Speaker 4: that makes sense. It's wandered off to the doctor and 241 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 4: basically had an ultrasound later that afternoon. Yeah, found out 242 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 4: it was it was testicular cancer. 243 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 2: How long between you going to the doctor and having 244 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 2: that ultrasound and then then giving you a result. 245 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:14,319 Speaker 4: Later that day? 246 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 2: Wow? 247 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 4: To be honest, when they were doing the ultrasound, I 248 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 4: can never tell you the person doing it because they're 249 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 4: not the doctor. Yeah, but they do so much of it. 250 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:24,959 Speaker 4: Even when she was doing it and I could see 251 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,199 Speaker 4: on this screen and she's going over the lamp and 252 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 4: it's this black, big lump thing on the screen. I 253 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 4: could see her reader and I knew that I'm lying 254 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 4: there twenty on you old bloat like, so is that cool? 255 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 4: Like what does it all right? And she's like, oh, 256 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 4: the doctor talked to you about it. I could just see. 257 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 4: So even then I thought all shit, hang on, But 258 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:43,719 Speaker 4: then they got the results and things like cancer that 259 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 4: obviously moved pretty quickly, and then they how. 260 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,320 Speaker 1: Do they deliver the news? Is it just ripping off 261 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 1: a band aid and pretty direct? 262 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:52,679 Speaker 4: Yeah, pretty much. So I went to the They got 263 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 4: me a meeting with the specialist and then he basically 264 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 4: just came out and said, mate, you've you've got test 265 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,199 Speaker 4: particular cancer, but we don't know how aggressive it is 266 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 4: or you know, if it spread, then you have to 267 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 4: have a CT scam, which I then had to follow 268 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 4: up that literally that day as well. Got the result 269 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 4: for that the next day, and that was when I 270 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 4: found out the cancer had spread, which that was, I 271 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 4: guess the frustrating part of it, because you think the 272 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 4: ignorance of a young twenty one year old bloke me 273 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 4: just putting that off meant the cancer had time to spread. 274 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 4: And I knew that the next couple of years would 275 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 4: be a lot more significant as far as surgeries and 276 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 4: chemo and treatment, Whereas if I had just gone in 277 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 4: straight away and thought, oh, this isn't right, this shouldn't 278 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:37,199 Speaker 4: be here. They would have removed the testicle, contained it 279 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 4: and said happy days. 280 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 1: And I would have lived a But I also want 281 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 1: to say, because that is a valid point, but there's 282 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: a lot of guys out there who wouldn't have gone 283 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: to the doctor until it was way too late. 284 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, well, answer, I'm strong who became famous for not 285 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:56,959 Speaker 4: so good reasons before all that. He did have testicular cancer. 286 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 4: He spreads because it spreads upwards. He spread to his Wow. 287 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 4: He in his book talks about he would literally spread 288 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 4: all through his lungs. He was coughing blood, his ball 289 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 4: got so big he couldn't even sit on his bike seats, 290 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 4: and he just dozed up on painkillers and it literally 291 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:13,439 Speaker 4: spread to his brain and he didn't it took that 292 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 4: long as a professional athlete, because he didn't want to 293 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 4: impact his riding before he got got finally got checked 294 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 4: and they said, mate, like this is so fast spread, 295 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 4: like you're not going to make this. And he ended 296 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:25,880 Speaker 4: up getting through it. But like that's just I think 297 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 4: it's that classic. I think blokes in general, a lot, 298 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 4: especially the older guys, but I find blokes in general 299 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 4: they don't. That's the fear of the unknown. I just 300 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 4: don't want to know. So it's kind of like I'm 301 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 4: going to brush it under the carpet and just hope 302 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 4: it just disappears because I'm just a bit I just 303 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:41,079 Speaker 4: don't want anything bad to have. 304 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 5: Yeah, that happened with my dad last year and ended 305 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:44,079 Speaker 5: up having a triple bypass. 306 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 2: Remember he just refused to admit that something was wrong, 307 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 2: and it could have been so minor, like a loss 308 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 2: of breath, like for you, a small a lump on 309 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 2: your testicle or a lump on your breast or something. 310 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 4: And that's I think one positive from the experience and 311 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:01,199 Speaker 4: the work I do now, as we'll talk about what 312 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,199 Speaker 4: happened next, but is now, I'm just so passionate and 313 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:07,439 Speaker 4: pretty strong with my mates and people I talked to 314 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 4: to go get checked, don't put things off, like it's 315 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 4: pretty simple messaging. But I get quite vocal about it now, 316 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 4: whether it's you know, my father in law recently with 317 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 4: one of those bow screening kits that he wasn't taking, 318 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 4: or if it's a made who keeps telling me about 319 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 4: these symptoms and I go you on to the doctor 320 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 4: or not yet, Like, mate, go to the bloody doctor. 321 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 4: It's made me just really passionate about that, and I think, 322 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 4: you know, I've had some really feel good stories since, 323 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 4: which is you know, saved lives. That's the way out. 324 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 4: Like if it wasn't for going through this, I wouldn't 325 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 4: have saved those about lives. 326 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 1: So it's such a great impact on other people. 327 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, and that gives me to this day and I've 328 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 4: got another big up coming up. 329 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 6: You know. 330 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 4: It always gives me a bit of that, yeah, bit 331 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 4: of that boost motivation. 332 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 2: So you're diagnosed with testicular cancer. What's the next step? 333 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, basically he said, mate, we've got to remove the 334 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 4: testicle you've I then had the CT scan found out 335 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 4: it spread. Is like then we've got to talk about 336 00:14:57,360 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 4: chemond surgeries and stuff like that. You know, that's the 337 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 4: next twelve months of your life's going to be just 338 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 4: click off, click pause, forget about your your army career. 339 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 4: For now you're going through you're going through going through 340 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 4: cancer treatment. But for before all that, he you know, 341 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 4: I was in Cameerra, twenty one year old bloke, a 342 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 4: lot to take in, right, didn't have my parents with 343 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 4: me just sitting in this quite a big office and 344 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 4: he just throwing this all at you, and you're like, 345 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 4: what the hell is going on? Just like digest so 346 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 4: he said, but before we go into that, he's like, 347 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 4: we got to have this surgery to remove the testicle 348 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 4: the next few days. Booked you in, but an important 349 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 4: question do you want a fake testicle? And I vividly 350 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 4: remember that. Sorry, I always remember this, and that's like, 351 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 4: as a young twenty one year old bloke, you've just 352 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 4: had told cancer spread through your body, and he goes, mate, 353 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 4: do you want a fake testicle? So here, I wasn't 354 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 4: thinking about the chemo, the you know, am I going 355 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 4: to live any of this? It's the hey on, do 356 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 4: I get a fake testicle on it? It's like all 357 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 4: that was going through my head and then I kind 358 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 4: of thought, I don't know, like is that the go like, 359 00:15:58,560 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 4: you know, what's the norm? 360 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 5: Here? Get choice and what it looks. 361 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 4: And he said, look, you're young twenty one. I was 362 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 4: single at the time, so he's a lot of young 363 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 4: guys find that. It just makes him feel a bit 364 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 4: more normal. You're in the chaining rooms, You're not this 365 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 4: weird loan range that that's hanging down. 366 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: I'm big on cemetery. 367 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think exactly, So, you know, I think it 368 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 4: was up to me. 369 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: I think i'd have to go one. 370 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 5: Ash thought, why do I think it's wooden? 371 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 4: Well, I think ask the same question pre kids and 372 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 4: pre wife, and you're younger, would you get one? Is 373 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 4: an interesting one because. 374 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 2: I don't think I know you wouldn't and there's no 375 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 2: because I think I would whip it out a lot. 376 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 5: I think if if I. 377 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: Don't know, yeah, you're you're a bit of al you 378 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 1: want to show, but you like you want an eyepatch 379 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: if you like. 380 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, when I got to a sex toy, I went 381 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 2: to a gay bar and I had my nuts out 382 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 2: the whole nights. 383 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 4: You have your Uni ball hanging free, and you think 384 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 4: that'll and I think that'd be hilarious. Yeah, so this 385 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 4: is why you need to then hear this part of 386 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 4: the story then, because a fake one can be just 387 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 4: as funny. And I said, I said, yep, let's do it. 388 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 4: Let's go go with the fake one. And he said great, 389 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:14,880 Speaker 4: And I thought that was it. You know, I thought 390 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 4: they just do everything then and he goes no worries, 391 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,159 Speaker 4: He goes to his desk and brings out this like 392 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 4: briefcase and he flips it open and he goes, right now, which. 393 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:23,160 Speaker 1: One do you want? 394 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 4: And then yeah, about five machine. It's like shopping for 395 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 4: a catalog of fake nuts. And there's like five different 396 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 4: molds of fake testicles. And I'm sitting here and he's 397 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 4: oppositely the stair at it with a smile, and I'm 398 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:38,679 Speaker 4: going through. I've got like two trelog This one had 399 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,639 Speaker 4: a real nice bouncy texture. This is a silicon basis 400 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 4: feels good. That's a popular choice. It's important from the States. 401 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 4: And I'm like, really that, Yeah, it's really good. You 402 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 4: can tell you like proud of you've got fine, fine taste. 403 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 4: Will take one of those. So I locked in that one, 404 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:58,680 Speaker 4: and I thought, okay, that's a bit weird. You have 405 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 4: one that lights up? Do you have one with like 406 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 4: edges on it? There? 407 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:05,479 Speaker 5: Yeah, he's got this scooter at the moment the wheels. 408 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 4: I want one of those ones, which I wonder now 409 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 4: if they do, that'd be interesting. And then he said, 410 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 4: what size do you want? Huge? And I said the 411 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:17,359 Speaker 4: biggest one he's got. It was quite small, to be honest, 412 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,680 Speaker 4: but no, he I said, like you said, MADDI, you 413 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 4: like match it up bit of symmetries, and yeah, okay, 414 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,160 Speaker 4: that makes sense. We'll get the medium sized happy days. 415 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 4: You know, I didn't think much of that, and then 416 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 4: I thought it was quite a weird process, right, And 417 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 4: then at the time I was a bit vulnerable, and 418 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 4: I just thought that's interesting. And I woke up and 419 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 4: I've got this weird fake nut down there, and he 420 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 4: came along and he goes and just walks here. I've 421 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 4: got my pants down, my dad's here, and he just 422 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 4: goes and gives it a big squeeze, and naturally I 423 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 4: couldn't really feel or it didn't hurt. But every bloke 424 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 4: goes like, but it didn't hurt. He's like, oh shit, 425 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 4: did that hurt. I'm like, no, but it should. He's good, Okay, 426 00:18:56,320 --> 00:19:00,159 Speaker 4: that's fine. You know. One second, it's all good, it 427 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:02,880 Speaker 4: all went well. But now it's funny. Over the years, 428 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 4: it's this part of me and I've now got this 429 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 4: bit of an infamous drunken party. 430 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 5: What is it go on? 431 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 4: And it's it's called real or fake. I'm sure, I'm 432 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:14,479 Speaker 4: sure you shoul put one and two together. And now 433 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 4: they explain the rules they love real fakes, so you 434 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 4: can't notice the difference from just visual. So often you 435 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 4: know it promotes good conversations. Now I get mates building 436 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:26,119 Speaker 4: up a tally in how many times they guess the 437 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 4: real one on the fake one. 438 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: So what you do. 439 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 4: You're going to turn around and you bring one out 440 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:31,680 Speaker 4: real or fake and they go, no, that's definitely the 441 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 4: real one. And the way now I determine if it's not, 442 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 4: you get your iPhone light and you put your light 443 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,160 Speaker 4: up against it. This is like beacon of light. It's 444 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 4: like this, I'll show you after this. It's like, so 445 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,160 Speaker 4: you turn the lights off and it's just the big 446 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 4: lights now, and it's just it's what started out is 447 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 4: something that that's quite embarrassed about. I'm now proud of it. 448 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:55,919 Speaker 4: And so many mates just love the fake nut. 449 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: I thought you were going to say that you get 450 00:19:57,800 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: people to feel them. No, it used to be a flip. 451 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 4: So it used to be like I'd got this and 452 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:03,960 Speaker 4: I'd be like, yeah, you're not going to fit your 453 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:05,879 Speaker 4: full one, and I'd fit the fake one, like, oh bugger, 454 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 4: I said it was a real one. So it was 455 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 4: like people feel it, they're interested in it. It's like 456 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 4: this silicon based a weird little thing like it's It's 457 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 4: an interesting one because, like I said at the start, 458 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:17,399 Speaker 4: I was so embarrassed to even tell my dad that 459 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 4: I had this nut on my testicle, whereas now like 460 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 4: I just love talking about testicles. I talk, I get 461 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:27,680 Speaker 4: it out, you know. I've had mates who like have said, mate, 462 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 4: I've got this weird little vein thing down there, and 463 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 4: they've gone to doctors. I've had a friend of a 464 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 4: friend who was diagnosed with testicular cancer, but you got 465 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 4: it early. I've had multiple people around me that reach 466 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 4: out online saying I've heard you're real off fake, you're 467 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 4: got careful that you're not just walking on the street. 468 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 4: And I was like, hey, you go. Yeah, But it's 469 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 4: a weird feeling now that I've just I'm proud of 470 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 4: this part of me, you know, And it's what was 471 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 4: initially a really awkward thing that resulted from very unfortunate 472 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 4: circumstances has evolved and there's something I'm proud of. It's 473 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 4: creating conversations, it's saving lives, and it's important that you 474 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 4: have a bit of fun with it and you have 475 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 4: some humor with it, because otherwise blokes don't talk about 476 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 4: this stuff. By opening up, by playing real or fake, 477 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:15,920 Speaker 4: by getting the lantern out. By having these chats, you 478 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 4: get these guys now who feel comfortable talking about their 479 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 4: body and changes and is this normal? Should this be 480 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:21,640 Speaker 4: hanging this way? 481 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 5: My nuts? 482 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 4: This big is out. You know, it's important stuff, and 483 00:21:24,359 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 4: I think November do a great job with sim removes it. 484 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 4: And that's what I try and do with, you know, 485 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:32,920 Speaker 4: whether it's a presentation of footy club or chatting to 486 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:35,359 Speaker 4: someone who I can tell is you know, be uncomfortable 487 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 4: they want to tell me something. If you add a 488 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,119 Speaker 4: bit of humor in, and you guys obviously do it 489 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,359 Speaker 4: so well on this podcast. You can have the serious chats, 490 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 4: but then you throw some humor in, it makes people 491 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 4: just feel a bit more comfortable. 492 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: There's no better icebreaker than the lantern produces, Like, oh god, 493 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:02,200 Speaker 1: I'm trying to understand the emotional whiplash that you've gone through, 494 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: because you know, we could easily sit here and talk 495 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 1: about your testicular cancer for the whole episode, but I'm 496 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 1: going to ruin the story here. You get through it, 497 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: you're in remission, you hit with cancer a second time, 498 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: and in such a short period when you're almost celebrating 499 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: one second the fact that you've beaten testicular cancer, to 500 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: then dealing with a second diagnosis. What is that like 501 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 1: from an emotional perspective. 502 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, that and then that was really tough. The five 503 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 4: years went by and I had the chemo, that surgeries, 504 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:36,120 Speaker 4: I went on surveillance, the three months check ups turned 505 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:37,879 Speaker 4: into six months to twelve months, and you're kind of 506 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 4: ticking off the little milestones and my life resumed and 507 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 4: I got physically fit and I was healthy again, you know, 508 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 4: click resume of my army career. We got posted to 509 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:49,920 Speaker 4: Brisbane and then I guess the icing on the cake 510 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 4: and for those who have experienced cancer is the five 511 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 4: year mark. So I remember getting the five year all 512 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:59,160 Speaker 4: clear scan, which is a significant milestone. You literally, yeah, 513 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 4: you see your pologist who's been such a big part 514 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 4: of your life for like five years, you see him 515 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:05,960 Speaker 4: for the last time and you kind of say like 516 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 4: thanks dark, like I'll probably never see you again, and 517 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 4: it's quite a significant time. 518 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,359 Speaker 2: Do you remember the first emotion that popped up when 519 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 2: you were told you accounts freeter five years? 520 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it was just that real happy moment. 521 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 4: It was like a sense of freedom that I had 522 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 4: an experienced in my adult life. And I remember I 523 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 4: was with amb and my wife in Brisbane and we 524 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 4: cracked open our favorite champagne and we just had this 525 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 4: celebration of just like we can now put that behind us, 526 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 4: and that like the anxiety and the fear of the 527 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 4: what if you know, what if it relapses, what if 528 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 4: it comes back? You know, once you hit that mark, 529 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:41,120 Speaker 4: it's almost like you're the chance of relapse. It won't happen, 530 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,639 Speaker 4: You're in complete remission. I just remember that, just that 531 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 4: real happy feeling like you can get on with Yeah, 532 00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 4: you can kind of now don't live with the anxiety 533 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 4: of the unknowns. And it was it was quite significant 534 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 4: at that stage in our life. We were living in 535 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:58,119 Speaker 4: a different city. You know, I got lined up for 536 00:23:58,200 --> 00:23:59,639 Speaker 4: deployment overseas, and. 537 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:01,879 Speaker 1: You were married at that point where I know we 538 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: went married. 539 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 4: We'd been together for a number of years, but she 540 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 4: had kind of experienced a big part of that, and 541 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 4: she was just I was really happy that I was, 542 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 4: you know, no longer causing her you know, I guess, yeah, 543 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 4: the burden of when she is to go through it too, 544 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 4: And it was just a nice moment in my life, 545 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 4: and I just felt, Yeah, for the first time of 546 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 4: adult life, I felt that real sense of relief, the 547 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 4: weight off your shoulders, happiness, freedom. 548 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 1: But when did that change? 549 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 4: Well, and that's yeah, it was Unfortunately that was short lived, 550 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:33,360 Speaker 4: and a couple of months went by, and like I said, 551 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 4: I got lined up for deployment overseas, which I'd always 552 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 4: wanted to do. You know, we were kind of living 553 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 4: a great life at that stage, and then all of 554 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:44,200 Speaker 4: a sudden my bows started playing up. And I've always 555 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 4: had a bit of a dodgy gut, you know, like 556 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 4: a bit of ibs as a kid growing up. You know, 557 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 4: that wasn't uncommon. But for this was worse than my normal. 558 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 4: And I always say, my normal is different to yours, 559 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 4: ash difference to yours, Maddie, and it's important to recognize 560 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 4: what our normal is. And this went on for a 561 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 4: couple of weeks, and it was the urgent see like, oh, 562 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 4: go to the bathroom, like that just kind of came 563 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 4: on that that's not normal. It was the you know, 564 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 4: the diarrhea, the abdominal sort of pain. I just thought, 565 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:10,919 Speaker 4: is it something I'm eating? This isn't right. This went 566 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 4: on for a couple of weeks, two months after I'd 567 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:16,440 Speaker 4: just been given the five year all clip, full set scan, 568 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 4: no signs of cancer, your happy days. And then I 569 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 4: remember saying to Am, but like, no, I'm going to 570 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 4: head off to the doctor, which is something I didn't 571 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:26,719 Speaker 4: do as a twenty five year old bloke. And went 572 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 4: off to the doctor and with my history my symptoms, 573 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:32,440 Speaker 4: he recommended I had a colonoscopy. If either of you 574 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 4: lads had a no, we should definitely do that. Colonoscopies 575 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 4: are like they typically looked at when people are a 576 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 4: bit older, but like the younger people now if they've 577 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:41,640 Speaker 4: got some issues with their gut. A lot of people 578 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:43,639 Speaker 4: have Klonoskoy because it's the best way to put a 579 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:45,360 Speaker 4: camera up your barm. You have a fifteen minute pound 580 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:47,360 Speaker 4: app and you can have a look at what's going 581 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 4: on inside. And I had had a feel as a kid, 582 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 4: so I knew what it was about a bit of 583 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 4: a bower cleanse. It just completely pleased you out. I 584 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:56,639 Speaker 4: remember literally waking up feeling a bit out of it. 585 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 4: You're having a little turkey sanger tasting great, you know, 586 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 4: you know, still dozed up from the anesthetic. And Terry, 587 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 4: my gasterontrologist, came over and he had this kind of 588 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:07,880 Speaker 4: bit of a sort of somber look and he's like, mate, 589 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 4: he showed me a print out of the report and 590 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 4: he's like, you've got a couple of nasty polyps, which 591 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 4: for your age is not necessarily common. But I burnt 592 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 4: them off, sent them off for a bipsy. But let's 593 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 4: see you in two weeks. We'll discuss next steps on 594 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:22,159 Speaker 4: why your bows are playing it. And then literally the 595 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:24,879 Speaker 4: next day, I was your momy uniform, typing away at 596 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:26,959 Speaker 4: my desk and I got a call from Terry's receptionist 597 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 4: and she she said, she go, Terry needs to see 598 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 4: the results are back. And I'm like, yeah, I'm beauty 599 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:33,720 Speaker 4: se him in two weeks and she's like, no, no, 600 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 4: he needs to see you this afternoon. And you know, 601 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:38,200 Speaker 4: when you're just in life, were you get those moments 602 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 4: where you have that sick feeling in your stomach, whether 603 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 4: it's I don't know your kids are well, or you're 604 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:46,439 Speaker 4: waiting for something, like you just feel sick. I couldn't 605 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 4: have a sleep of water, and I just knew something 606 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 4: wasn't right. When you've got a specialist wanting to see you, 607 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 4: and I, you know, Amber, my wife's a nurse and 608 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 4: she just finished a shift at the hospital. Went to 609 00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 4: the appointment together, and I was kind of cracking a 610 00:26:57,640 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 4: few jokes, like pretending I was fine, but I was 611 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,159 Speaker 4: so scared because I just knew it wasn't going to 612 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 4: be good news. And then he called us into his 613 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 4: office and that's when he just he just said. He 614 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:09,640 Speaker 4: turned his computer screen around and said, Amber, hug, I'm 615 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:12,440 Speaker 4: sorry to say. You know, you've got bow cancer. And 616 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 4: it was completely different. A lot of people ask if 617 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,359 Speaker 4: it was part of testicula, if it relapsed, it was 618 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 4: an entirely new cancer. So my testicular cancer was well 619 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 4: and truly in the past two months, after being on 620 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:28,159 Speaker 4: top of the world, experiencing that happiness and freedom, we 621 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 4: just found ourselves back in the doctor's rooms being told 622 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 4: that I had Bower cancer. And I remember sort of 623 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 4: taking that in and I was it was almost a 624 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 4: bit of shock, and Amber had her knee on my 625 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:40,960 Speaker 4: hand on my knee, and she was very silent, and 626 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 4: I just thought, here would go again. And he said 627 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 4: to me that it's an aggressive type of Bower cancer. 628 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 4: We got to act quick, I've already booked you in 629 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:52,119 Speaker 4: for surgery. But he said, the only silverligning is the 630 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:55,920 Speaker 4: testicular cancer saved your life. And it's the moment I'll 631 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 4: always remember, is that the fact that if it wasn't 632 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 4: for sicular cancer, learning the importance of early detection, that 633 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 4: little frozen pe sized lump, the cancer spreading through my body. 634 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 4: There is no way fast forward five years as a 635 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:10,960 Speaker 4: young twenty six year old bloke. There is no way 636 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:13,200 Speaker 4: I would have gone off to a doctor with my 637 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 4: bows playing up. But I was still living a pretty 638 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 4: normalish life and there is no way I would have 639 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:20,439 Speaker 4: had that colonosk could be being in those ruins being 640 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:22,920 Speaker 4: told I had had bow cancer. But I got it 641 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:25,280 Speaker 4: early enough that it gave me a fighting chance, and 642 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 4: that's something that I guess I'm grateful for sitting here. 643 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 4: Bow cancer now kills more young Australians age twenty five 644 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 4: to forty four than any other cancer. It's now impacting 645 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 4: young people. They're putting lots of links to the diet 646 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 4: last style, but a lot of people get diagnosed when 647 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 4: they're stage four, and when bow cancer spreads beyond the 648 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 4: bow and you're stage four, survived five year survival rates 649 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:51,240 Speaker 4: around that ten percent. 650 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:52,719 Speaker 1: What stage were you at when? 651 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:52,840 Speaker 2: So? 652 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 4: I was early stage. It had just kind of started 653 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,040 Speaker 4: going beyond the bow. But because I had this aggressive type, 654 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 4: it can sometimes be hard to treat. And that was 655 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 4: the issue that I've had, and to this day I 656 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 4: still have I'm cancer free, but as a result of 657 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 4: all the major surgeries, and I've had about ten or 658 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 4: so open abdominal surgeries, and I don't have a large bow, 659 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 4: I don't have a colon or a rectum. I missing 660 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 4: part of my small bower. I had a bag for 661 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 4: about six months. I've now got an internal jpouch where 662 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 4: they literally stretched down your small bower, create an internal pouch, 663 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 4: stitch you onto the anus area, and for a while 664 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:27,720 Speaker 4: act to learn how to get the toilet again in 665 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:30,360 Speaker 4: continents wearing adult diapers, and then you kind of you 666 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:33,040 Speaker 4: learn to adjust and adapt. And then I went from 667 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:35,719 Speaker 4: going twenty times a day to ten times. I got 668 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,600 Speaker 4: under ten. Was doing pretty well, but unfortunately this sort 669 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 4: of last six to twelve months, I've really been struggling. 670 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:44,480 Speaker 4: The pouch is not functioning. It's it's and they have 671 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:47,320 Speaker 4: to go back now to a bag, and it's a 672 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,240 Speaker 4: tough one because I'm cancer free, but to get to 673 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 4: that point, they've had to take pretty drastic measures. And 674 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 4: it's like the collateral damage from something like cancer isn't 675 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 4: often spoken about. So I often tell people like, you know, 676 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 4: I'm cancer free, and they go, that's amazing, which it is, yeah, 677 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 4: But then the quality of life I have and I 678 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 4: was just in hospital literally two days ago and had 679 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:09,959 Speaker 4: a surgery last week. And the burden now that has 680 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:12,360 Speaker 4: on Amber and our son, and it's something that we 681 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:18,800 Speaker 4: constantly have been experiencing really since twenty thirteen to now. 682 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 4: So it's been twelve years, which is a long time 683 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 4: where I've had patches of good health, but for the 684 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 4: most part, it's been significant challenges. You get through it, 685 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 4: but it's tiring. 686 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,800 Speaker 1: When you are battling cancer. Maybe if you think about 687 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:38,400 Speaker 1: when you got your diagnosis early on, what's it like 688 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:42,280 Speaker 1: from an emotional perspective where it's almost like you just 689 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 1: finished this marathon. You get to the finish line, you 690 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 1: can celebrate, and then the moment you kind of have 691 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 1: a champagne in hand, you get to tap on the 692 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: shoulder and it's like you've got to run this marathon again. 693 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 1: Like when you're battling it second time. Is it pretty 694 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:59,040 Speaker 1: consistent and that your mentality is just like, we're going 695 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 1: to beat this cancer. I can do this. And how 696 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: often does it then switch to being this is too hard, 697 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:06,480 Speaker 1: I can't do this. 698 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:10,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a really good point. And I think those 699 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 4: earlier years with Tessieler cancer, I was very much fatun 700 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 4: bullet proof. I'm a young lad. I'll be completely fine. 701 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 4: I think it's not till you get a bit older 702 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 4: and understand a bit more about life, in particular since 703 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,240 Speaker 4: being a dad, and you realize there's more important things 704 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 4: than just you. That's really changed my outlook on my 705 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 4: current health challenges, and it's been mentally been quite difficult, 706 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:36,840 Speaker 4: where you know, you're now not just burdening your wife, 707 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 4: You've now got a son that you want to be 708 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:40,760 Speaker 4: there for. And then there's so many times that I 709 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:42,960 Speaker 4: can't be there for him because I'm unwell, I'm in hospital, 710 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 4: or I'm facetiming him, or I'm really unwell, you know. 711 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:48,560 Speaker 4: And I've had lots of mental health challenges and you 712 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:51,400 Speaker 4: try and pick yourself up, but it's really hard sometimes 713 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:51,880 Speaker 4: to do that. 714 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:54,360 Speaker 2: I want to just step back a little bit about 715 00:31:54,920 --> 00:32:00,880 Speaker 2: your wife and your son going through I mean, a 716 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:04,360 Speaker 2: second stint of cancer after what you've already been through. 717 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 5: Where's your mind at was starting a family? 718 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:08,760 Speaker 4: It's a good point. So when I went before I 719 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 4: had chemo, even back when I was twenty one, they 720 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 4: are single kids were so far from my you know, 721 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 4: my thought process of having a family. But my cologist 722 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 4: said I needed to get frozen sperm because they sometimes 723 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:26,080 Speaker 4: chemo and these these treatments can make you infertile. So 724 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 4: I remember, like literally back then, before I even had 725 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:31,320 Speaker 4: a partner, I'm going in, you know, getting the frozen sperm, 726 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 4: putting that away. And I've had that ever since. With 727 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 4: the I guess the thought of I might need it 728 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 4: one day, and then I guess years later. You know, 729 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:44,920 Speaker 4: I meet Amber. We've been together for now over ten years, 730 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 4: and when we had Teddy, our son who's now sixteen 731 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:51,200 Speaker 4: months old. You know, we're at that stage in our 732 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 4: life of wanting to have a family, and we thought, 733 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 4: like a lot of naive you know, dads to be 734 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 4: think that you just happen like that. And I think 735 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:03,440 Speaker 4: I thought, you know, a lot of my mates around 736 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 4: me who were having kids, you're here. I made as 737 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 4: soon as she used Buddy ovulating, it just happened. My 738 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:09,640 Speaker 4: bloody and hell made that the first time we didn't 739 00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:12,000 Speaker 4: use a condom, we felt she felt pregnant. So I 740 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:14,720 Speaker 4: thought that's how it was going to happen. Unfortunately, as 741 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 4: you know, you guys know, it doesn't often happen like that. 742 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:20,440 Speaker 4: So for us, it took us a while. And so 743 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:22,200 Speaker 4: the six months will go by and you'd get each 744 00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:24,520 Speaker 4: damas you know, the pregnancy test and he's all excited 745 00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:26,240 Speaker 4: and I'm can't saving it, you know, put them on 746 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:28,400 Speaker 4: the bean and Sam's that's just try and not think 747 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:30,880 Speaker 4: about it. Easier said than done. And then we were 748 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 4: told by many specialists and doctors just they said, look, 749 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 4: there's a chance that you might not be able to 750 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:38,960 Speaker 4: conceive naturally, but you've got your frozen sperm. And almost 751 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:40,880 Speaker 4: a year went by and we're going to go down 752 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 4: that passway to use the frozen sperm. And it was 753 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:51,120 Speaker 4: one random warning where we weren't even trying to conceive 754 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:54,320 Speaker 4: on the whole ovulation day. Let's go, you know, we 755 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 4: kind of put that behind us and we're heading back 756 00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 4: to Adelaide and Ambe was heading back for her best 757 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 4: friend's hens and she thought, you know what, it's going 758 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:03,320 Speaker 4: to be a big weekend. I'm just going to like, okay, yep, 759 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 4: do another pregnancy test. You get just so still. And 760 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:08,399 Speaker 4: I'm upstairs getting ready or whatever. And it's like five 761 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:09,719 Speaker 4: in the morning before I went to the airport. I 762 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:11,759 Speaker 4: came downstairs and there was the pregnancy test in the 763 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:13,840 Speaker 4: kitchen and I went to literally go put in the 764 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:16,600 Speaker 4: bin and it had the line there, and I was like, man, 765 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 4: what's this line mean? Happen to be there? And then 766 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 4: she kind of ran out and she's like, I think 767 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 4: I'm pregnant. And we're just like holy shit, Like we 768 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:28,400 Speaker 4: just weren't expecting it. Were mentally prepared for the IVF 769 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:30,640 Speaker 4: pathway and going down that side of things, and here 770 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:32,960 Speaker 4: it was were like is this right? And we're both 771 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:35,440 Speaker 4: so like so upside with this big smile. Got to 772 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 4: the airport, she got the digital one that says pregnant, 773 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 4: and like, we couldn't contain ourselves. And fortunately, you know, 774 00:34:42,640 --> 00:34:45,959 Speaker 4: things went well, and you know, the weeks and months 775 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:48,520 Speaker 4: progressed and then you know, we we've now got a 776 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:51,759 Speaker 4: beautiful sun, which is which is amazing. And I was 777 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:56,680 Speaker 4: actually just saying pre chat for pre podcast that there's 778 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:58,880 Speaker 4: a chance with this big surgery off got coming up 779 00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:00,759 Speaker 4: to get the per and in stone and have to 780 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 4: go quite deep to my prostate area, and there's a 781 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:05,400 Speaker 4: decent chance that they can get a few of the 782 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 4: prostrate nerves and it will make me infertile, which essentially 783 00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:14,240 Speaker 4: means you have dry orgasms, retrogate ejaculations, nothing comes out, essentially, 784 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,440 Speaker 4: and you can't there's nothing they can do. It's just 785 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:21,560 Speaker 4: a risk. And then so he my surgeon only recently 786 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:24,200 Speaker 4: said so if you were thinking of wanting another one, 787 00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:28,480 Speaker 4: he said, like, I recommend that you, you know, you 788 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:31,759 Speaker 4: try because you know things could happen. And then we 789 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:34,560 Speaker 4: also know we've got the frozen spermers back up. And 790 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 4: unfortunately I haven't actually said and said, we haven't told 791 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:41,680 Speaker 4: anyone this, but I know you guys, you've been very 792 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:46,280 Speaker 4: open about it. We am. We did full pregnant recently 793 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:48,279 Speaker 4: and it was just like how good this this is 794 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:51,880 Speaker 4: meant to be the timeline. She was so happy and 795 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:54,840 Speaker 4: she's been through a lot, but then she had a 796 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,040 Speaker 4: miscarriage last week, which is not great, which when you're 797 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:02,719 Speaker 4: going through this with the surgery coming up, yeah, quite quite. 798 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:05,640 Speaker 4: Yet she was really emotional and I really felt for 799 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:08,000 Speaker 4: her because he was like finding a bit of good 800 00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 4: news for her. And now I feel like we've got 801 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:14,840 Speaker 4: the pressure now going to the surgery that you you know, 802 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:18,600 Speaker 4: she might not conceive before then, and I've seen how 803 00:36:18,680 --> 00:36:21,759 Speaker 4: much it's impacted her, and she's really going through so much. 804 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:23,680 Speaker 4: And then you throw that on there, and you know, 805 00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:26,680 Speaker 4: we've tried to be upbeat with it, but you know, 806 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 4: once you go through those shitty days and you know, 807 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 4: being beating yourself up about it, ultimately our son, who's 808 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 4: healthy and he's amazing, he just gives us that that 809 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:40,919 Speaker 4: boost and it's really helped Amber. And I really feel 810 00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:43,840 Speaker 4: for those people. And it's I know you've both spoken 811 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 4: about it, but I feel for those people who go 812 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:48,480 Speaker 4: through that where they don't have a kid as like 813 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:51,440 Speaker 4: a you know, the fallback of just that like comfort, 814 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 4: that safety blanket. We had that, but it just added 815 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:55,719 Speaker 4: this extra layer. 816 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:57,600 Speaker 1: Of like it's like a sledgeheet. It does. 817 00:36:57,719 --> 00:37:01,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, so that yeah, all the time, it was perfect 818 00:37:01,120 --> 00:37:03,359 Speaker 4: and you're finally getting like some good news because we've 819 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:05,480 Speaker 4: just had so much bad news over the years, and 820 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:08,160 Speaker 4: it's almost like we deserve that. And then you know, 821 00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:10,160 Speaker 4: unfortunately Ship then had this miscarriage and it. 822 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:13,239 Speaker 1: Was just like again, it's just like bloody hell, like 823 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:18,600 Speaker 1: really it's not it's not fair, like what you guys 824 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:20,399 Speaker 1: have had to go through as a family, Like it's 825 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 1: unbelievable and it's more than like what I think I'll 826 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:29,960 Speaker 1: ever have to deal with my lifetime. I'm just it's 827 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 1: it pisses me off that you have to you have 828 00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:33,360 Speaker 1: to go through all that. 829 00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:37,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, and it I do don't get me right, do 830 00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:40,440 Speaker 4: you have days where you really do get down the 831 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:42,880 Speaker 4: dumps and you do get like I'm a pretty positive guy, 832 00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 4: but you do get those times of even last week, 833 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:47,640 Speaker 4: I'm back in hospital for a week and you know, 834 00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 4: even now I've got this like drain in because I've 835 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 4: had this infection and that drained will be in like 836 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:54,719 Speaker 4: four weeks, and I kind of had that anxiety again 837 00:37:54,719 --> 00:37:56,480 Speaker 4: of like shit, I'm back here next month for this 838 00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:58,280 Speaker 4: major major surgery. 839 00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:02,879 Speaker 1: Can I ask that? And with Teddy, obviously you want 840 00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:04,800 Speaker 1: to try and like you said, be upbeat and be 841 00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:07,960 Speaker 1: like no, I'm going to beat this. This is not 842 00:38:08,040 --> 00:38:08,520 Speaker 1: going to get me. 843 00:38:11,760 --> 00:38:15,760 Speaker 4: But they're like, at what time do you start planning 844 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:20,840 Speaker 4: about not being around for Teddy. Yeah, it's it's a 845 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:29,160 Speaker 4: tough one. Things definitely change when you're a parent. Yeah, 846 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:33,319 Speaker 4: actually thinking about this last night, I give him a bath. 847 00:38:35,239 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 4: There's a first time I've actually really thought about this, 848 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:42,840 Speaker 4: and I haven't with Amber yet. But giving him a 849 00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:45,680 Speaker 4: bath wasn't I and he was just really happy and 850 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:48,360 Speaker 4: smiling at me. And he doesn't know what's going on. 851 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:51,880 Speaker 4: And then going into this major surgery, I think, ship, 852 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:56,279 Speaker 4: how you know things don't work out or my health 853 00:38:56,360 --> 00:38:58,920 Speaker 4: doesn't go to plan the next six months, plus how's 854 00:38:58,960 --> 00:39:01,680 Speaker 4: AMBA going to raise him? And how I'm not going 855 00:39:01,719 --> 00:39:01,880 Speaker 4: to be. 856 00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:02,480 Speaker 5: There for him. 857 00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:04,240 Speaker 4: And it was the first time I had these thoughts 858 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:07,480 Speaker 4: last night. It's a really tough one. But the thing 859 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:09,520 Speaker 4: is he doesn't know what's going on, and I think 860 00:39:09,560 --> 00:39:12,560 Speaker 4: in a way that makes it easier because he doesn't 861 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:14,440 Speaker 4: know that Dad's sick or dad's not feeling well. He 862 00:39:14,520 --> 00:39:16,279 Speaker 4: just wants Dad to give him a bath and read 863 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:19,520 Speaker 4: him a book. And I think that joy is a 864 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:23,239 Speaker 4: good distraction. But it's something that until very recently, I 865 00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:25,759 Speaker 4: haven't really thought about. And it's not till you have 866 00:39:25,840 --> 00:39:31,120 Speaker 4: a kid, your whole everything changes. Perspective, there's more to 867 00:39:31,239 --> 00:39:33,919 Speaker 4: life than you and for me it just I guess 868 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:36,520 Speaker 4: in a way, it gives me the ultimate motivation to 869 00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:39,840 Speaker 4: get through it, to be there for him to recover 870 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:42,480 Speaker 4: as best as I can. You know, even the decision 871 00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:44,880 Speaker 4: of having this big series is a major decision. But 872 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:46,680 Speaker 4: I thought, you know what, I'm bloody good at changing 873 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:49,759 Speaker 4: his nappies. I see a change another one. You know, 874 00:39:50,280 --> 00:39:52,080 Speaker 4: one thing that doesn't where you're worrying me is poo. 875 00:39:52,239 --> 00:39:54,560 Speaker 4: So you know, I thought, you know what, it's just 876 00:39:54,680 --> 00:39:57,600 Speaker 4: a bit of a life adjustment. It's another major surgery. Yes, 877 00:39:57,680 --> 00:39:59,879 Speaker 4: there are other unknowns. I've got such a small bow 878 00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:01,680 Speaker 4: now that there's only so much bow you can live with. 879 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:04,640 Speaker 4: So there's always those risks if I keep having bow 880 00:40:04,680 --> 00:40:06,520 Speaker 4: obstructions or keep going back here and they have to 881 00:40:06,560 --> 00:40:08,560 Speaker 4: take more about there will come a time where it's 882 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:10,600 Speaker 4: like jezuz, you can only live with so much bow. 883 00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:14,320 Speaker 4: So they're things that I just have to constantly think about. 884 00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:18,319 Speaker 4: And being the father's been the greatest thing I've ever experienced, 885 00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:20,520 Speaker 4: and he does so much for me at such a 886 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:23,000 Speaker 4: young age, and he's so small, but he gives me 887 00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:26,399 Speaker 4: a boost that I can never get from anything else. 888 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:28,759 Speaker 2: There's something kids can give you that you can't get 889 00:40:28,840 --> 00:40:33,840 Speaker 2: from anything else exactly. And it's crazy to think that 890 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:38,279 Speaker 2: at some point over the whether it's the little while 891 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:40,279 Speaker 2: that he's been alive, that you've had to have those 892 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:43,080 Speaker 2: thoughts of this kid could potentially grow up without me. 893 00:40:43,120 --> 00:40:44,920 Speaker 2: And I think about that with my son, and I'm like, 894 00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:47,759 Speaker 2: I couldn't imagine Oscar having to go through this life 895 00:40:47,800 --> 00:40:52,880 Speaker 2: without me. So it's incredible that you can put, you know, 896 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,279 Speaker 2: bring yourself here and sit with us and spread such 897 00:40:56,320 --> 00:40:59,360 Speaker 2: a positive message about early detection and everything like that. 898 00:40:59,680 --> 00:41:01,320 Speaker 5: So I just wanted to commend you. 899 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:03,880 Speaker 4: No, Look, I told you I was a crier. No, 900 00:41:05,840 --> 00:41:07,880 Speaker 4: I knew it would get me too, And look, that's okay. 901 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:11,960 Speaker 4: You know I used to apologize like the natural thing. 902 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:14,279 Speaker 4: When I used to cry, when during talks and when 903 00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:16,279 Speaker 4: I'm often talk about Teddy or what amb has done 904 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:17,920 Speaker 4: for me, that'd be the real triggers. I used to 905 00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:21,480 Speaker 4: get quite emotional, and you know, the default was sorry. 906 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:24,279 Speaker 4: But then I now kind of just embrace that I 907 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:27,880 Speaker 4: never apologized for crime because it's obviously it means so 908 00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:30,440 Speaker 4: much to me, and I think it's important that guys 909 00:41:30,520 --> 00:41:32,720 Speaker 4: realize it's okay to have a cry and be vulnerable 910 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:34,680 Speaker 4: and you know, give your dad a hug, give you 911 00:41:34,760 --> 00:41:36,319 Speaker 4: made a hug. And that's the sort of the role 912 00:41:36,360 --> 00:41:38,319 Speaker 4: model I want to be for Teddy. And I think 913 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:40,080 Speaker 4: that's the other part of it, is the fact that 914 00:41:40,280 --> 00:41:44,160 Speaker 4: you know, whether it's you know, twelve months, five years, 915 00:41:44,239 --> 00:41:46,759 Speaker 4: ten years, fifty years, however long I've got left on 916 00:41:46,880 --> 00:41:50,680 Speaker 4: this this in this world, I want him to grow up, 917 00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:53,600 Speaker 4: you know, knowing these things. And I really want to 918 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:56,719 Speaker 4: instill that in him, even though he's so young. These 919 00:41:56,719 --> 00:41:58,640 Speaker 4: are the messages in the world that I want him 920 00:41:58,640 --> 00:41:59,919 Speaker 4: to gra up in and so it kind of gives 921 00:41:59,920 --> 00:42:03,080 Speaker 4: me that real drive to do more of that. Yeah, 922 00:42:03,360 --> 00:42:07,680 Speaker 4: and yeah, he's the greatest gift. And I think without him, 923 00:42:08,800 --> 00:42:11,759 Speaker 4: you know, I'd been a lot worse place mentally, even 924 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:14,719 Speaker 4: when I'm in hospital going through difficult time and you're 925 00:42:14,719 --> 00:42:18,719 Speaker 4: facetiming him and I know that he's there with my 926 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:22,080 Speaker 4: wife Amber, but also you know, he's almost like her 927 00:42:22,120 --> 00:42:25,880 Speaker 4: little guardian angel. And she often said, like pre Teddy, 928 00:42:26,200 --> 00:42:28,359 Speaker 4: those times I'd be stuck in hospital or really ut well, 929 00:42:28,480 --> 00:42:31,760 Speaker 4: she was often by herself. And it's really difficult because 930 00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:35,239 Speaker 4: the carers or the loved ones that go through this. 931 00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:39,400 Speaker 4: You know, they still go to hospital, she looks after me, 932 00:42:40,040 --> 00:42:42,480 Speaker 4: you know, she's there and trying to boost my spirits. 933 00:42:42,840 --> 00:42:45,279 Speaker 4: But then when they leave, you know, they're still living 934 00:42:45,320 --> 00:42:47,320 Speaker 4: their life. You know they can't just that they're not 935 00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:49,520 Speaker 4: living in that little bubble like I am. And I 936 00:42:49,560 --> 00:42:51,560 Speaker 4: often say it can be a lot harder for those 937 00:42:51,680 --> 00:42:55,080 Speaker 4: cares and those support people because she's it's emotional for her, 938 00:42:55,120 --> 00:42:56,640 Speaker 4: and she would stay often, and she would leave hospital 939 00:42:56,719 --> 00:42:58,160 Speaker 4: see me in such a bad way, and she would 940 00:42:58,160 --> 00:43:00,960 Speaker 4: burst into tears. She then has to go home, has 941 00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:03,239 Speaker 4: to clean the house and you know, now cooked dinner 942 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:05,320 Speaker 4: for our son, and then she's then got work and 943 00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:07,680 Speaker 4: you know she has to do all of that whilst 944 00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:09,800 Speaker 4: then caring for me, and then not having the support 945 00:43:09,880 --> 00:43:13,080 Speaker 4: from me when I'm not there. So's she probably probably 946 00:43:13,080 --> 00:43:16,920 Speaker 4: doesn't get the recognition or the you know, like the 947 00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:19,680 Speaker 4: holy shit, you do so much like she deserves. And 948 00:43:19,719 --> 00:43:21,799 Speaker 4: there are a few people that probably realize how much 949 00:43:21,840 --> 00:43:24,040 Speaker 4: she actually does. You know, a lot of her friends 950 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:28,360 Speaker 4: or you know, even family probably don't really understand what 951 00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:31,279 Speaker 4: it's like for her to have to be in the 952 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:35,120 Speaker 4: position she's in. Looking after me, being there for me, 953 00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:38,960 Speaker 4: recently having a miscarriage, herself, going through some really difficult 954 00:43:38,960 --> 00:43:42,320 Speaker 4: emotional times, herself being an amazing mum to Teddy, and 955 00:43:42,440 --> 00:43:45,080 Speaker 4: then trying to then live her life like it's a lot, 956 00:43:45,840 --> 00:43:48,800 Speaker 4: but it's something that I'm so grateful for, And I 957 00:43:49,000 --> 00:43:51,160 Speaker 4: just hope, you know, I say it to her, but 958 00:43:51,160 --> 00:43:54,120 Speaker 4: I just hope she knows how much I'm proud of her. 959 00:43:54,239 --> 00:43:54,839 Speaker 5: Yeah, for sure. 960 00:43:56,239 --> 00:43:59,680 Speaker 1: What's it like when you do have those moments where 961 00:43:59,680 --> 00:44:01,719 Speaker 1: you're in and you're like, I just want to be home. 962 00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:02,920 Speaker 1: I want to be with Annie, but I want to 963 00:44:02,960 --> 00:44:07,640 Speaker 1: be with Teddy and children are amazing. But at the 964 00:44:07,719 --> 00:44:11,040 Speaker 1: same time, you can have a situation where one second 965 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:13,840 Speaker 1: it's pure bliss and you love it and there's no 966 00:44:14,480 --> 00:44:16,279 Speaker 1: better feeling than the love you get from being with 967 00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:19,799 Speaker 1: your child, But then at the same time, an hour later, 968 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:22,280 Speaker 1: it can be the total end of the spectrum because 969 00:44:22,280 --> 00:44:25,759 Speaker 1: they're tired, they're grumpy, they're hungry. So then how do 970 00:44:25,880 --> 00:44:28,960 Speaker 1: you deal with the emotion of the moments where you're 971 00:44:28,960 --> 00:44:31,880 Speaker 1: trying to be a parent and you're getting frustrated, But 972 00:44:31,920 --> 00:44:34,760 Speaker 1: then you have the guilt of thinking, well, I shouldn't 973 00:44:34,760 --> 00:44:36,279 Speaker 1: be frustrated because I've got to make the most of it, 974 00:44:36,440 --> 00:44:38,160 Speaker 1: of every single second that I spend with my son. 975 00:44:38,440 --> 00:44:42,279 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's it's such a good point. I have those 976 00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:45,160 Speaker 4: moments and exactly what you've said where you're like, I 977 00:44:45,239 --> 00:44:47,040 Speaker 4: shouldn't be letting this get to me, but I am. 978 00:44:47,400 --> 00:44:50,160 Speaker 4: And I think any dad or parent has that, let 979 00:44:50,160 --> 00:44:53,720 Speaker 4: alone going through significant health challenges. But there are times 980 00:44:53,760 --> 00:44:56,360 Speaker 4: where like especially if I don't have the energy or 981 00:44:56,400 --> 00:44:58,600 Speaker 4: I'm not feeling that well and goes like Teddy, just 982 00:44:58,800 --> 00:45:01,440 Speaker 4: give me a bit of space, and you just kind 983 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:02,759 Speaker 4: of then you kind of get it, like sho, I 984 00:45:02,760 --> 00:45:04,879 Speaker 4: shouldn't really be feeling that, and you kind of beat 985 00:45:04,920 --> 00:45:05,440 Speaker 4: yourself up. 986 00:45:05,360 --> 00:45:09,440 Speaker 1: About the guilt from many frustrations as it eats you up. 987 00:45:09,560 --> 00:45:11,960 Speaker 4: You do you feel that sense of guilt like I 988 00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:13,919 Speaker 4: don't want to bloody play with you right now, mate, 989 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:16,560 Speaker 4: Like I'm just not feeling great. Can you just bloody 990 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:20,040 Speaker 4: piss off and go understanding? And like that, that of 991 00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:22,640 Speaker 4: course happens, like it's you know, I'd be lying if 992 00:45:22,680 --> 00:45:25,040 Speaker 4: I said, you know, you know every second I have 993 00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:28,399 Speaker 4: with him the best bah blah, because it's just not true. 994 00:45:28,440 --> 00:45:30,480 Speaker 4: And I think it's important to talk about that that 995 00:45:31,120 --> 00:45:33,760 Speaker 4: even going through all this, you know, there are times 996 00:45:33,800 --> 00:45:35,960 Speaker 4: where you kind of you just need space from him. 997 00:45:36,560 --> 00:45:38,239 Speaker 4: He's just going to that age now of just being 998 00:45:38,320 --> 00:45:41,520 Speaker 4: that terror and he's quite an active, young, young lad, 999 00:45:42,280 --> 00:45:44,600 Speaker 4: and sometimes I just need a bit of that space 1000 00:45:44,640 --> 00:45:47,640 Speaker 4: to say, mate, like I can't deal with this right now. 1001 00:45:48,040 --> 00:45:51,360 Speaker 4: But that's okay too. I think it's early days with 1002 00:45:51,520 --> 00:45:54,360 Speaker 4: the guilt. I probably didn't talk openly enough about it, 1003 00:45:54,520 --> 00:45:57,440 Speaker 4: whereas now I'll talk openly to Amber and say, like, Amber, 1004 00:45:57,480 --> 00:45:59,480 Speaker 4: I can't deal with this right now. I'm just I'm 1005 00:45:59,520 --> 00:46:01,640 Speaker 4: not feeling well. Or if he comes into the hospital 1006 00:46:01,719 --> 00:46:04,239 Speaker 4: like he's done recently. It's funny from when he was younger, 1007 00:46:04,280 --> 00:46:06,560 Speaker 4: he would come in, he would line the bed with me. 1008 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:08,840 Speaker 4: He was the best. He was a little chiller. Then 1009 00:46:09,000 --> 00:46:09,680 Speaker 4: nurses would come in. 1010 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:11,279 Speaker 1: Isn't he just a perfect little thing? 1011 00:46:12,200 --> 00:46:14,480 Speaker 4: He would just like me, crawling around and he could 1012 00:46:14,480 --> 00:46:16,160 Speaker 4: be in there all day. Now he's like got a 1013 00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:21,520 Speaker 4: five minute window basically like the other. The other that 1014 00:46:21,640 --> 00:46:24,400 Speaker 4: last week, he goes into the toilet and the bathroom 1015 00:46:24,440 --> 00:46:27,120 Speaker 4: he's quit the emergency buzzer in the hospital and the 1016 00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:32,000 Speaker 4: nurse runs in, like, is everything okay? I'm yeah, I 1017 00:46:32,080 --> 00:46:36,879 Speaker 4: look over and ten that sort of stuff now where 1018 00:46:36,880 --> 00:46:39,840 Speaker 4: it's just like he comes in and it's that first 1019 00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:42,120 Speaker 4: five minutes, ten minutes, whatever it is, it's so good 1020 00:46:42,160 --> 00:46:44,480 Speaker 4: to see him and it's like it's the best thing ever. 1021 00:46:44,560 --> 00:46:46,319 Speaker 4: And like when he opens the hospital and he sees 1022 00:46:46,320 --> 00:46:48,920 Speaker 4: his dad in there, he sees big smile and he 1023 00:46:49,080 --> 00:46:51,200 Speaker 4: runs in. Then he knows exactly who I am, and 1024 00:46:51,600 --> 00:46:53,600 Speaker 4: you know, he walks down the hospital aisles and it's 1025 00:46:53,680 --> 00:46:56,160 Speaker 4: really cute. But then after that period it gets a 1026 00:46:56,200 --> 00:46:58,600 Speaker 4: little bit like you got to take him home. Yeah, 1027 00:46:58,960 --> 00:47:03,279 Speaker 4: they run out, But even that's something we've identified for 1028 00:47:03,360 --> 00:47:06,120 Speaker 4: this big up coming up. You know, Amber's mum is 1029 00:47:06,160 --> 00:47:08,000 Speaker 4: going to be staying with us for a bit and 1030 00:47:08,040 --> 00:47:10,440 Speaker 4: supporting Amber and supporting Teddy, which is amazing for me. 1031 00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:12,880 Speaker 4: But it's the sort of thing. You know, they'll come in, 1032 00:47:13,400 --> 00:47:15,960 Speaker 4: Teddy will have his five minutes running around terror yep, 1033 00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:18,440 Speaker 4: give down a little cuddle, and then Amber's mum will 1034 00:47:18,480 --> 00:47:20,040 Speaker 4: sort of take him home and then it just means 1035 00:47:20,080 --> 00:47:22,520 Speaker 4: that Amber can then spend a couple of hours with me, 1036 00:47:23,239 --> 00:47:26,239 Speaker 4: you know, without the worrying about Teddy, and she can 1037 00:47:26,280 --> 00:47:28,360 Speaker 4: actually just be with me, which is so important for 1038 00:47:28,480 --> 00:47:32,000 Speaker 4: her and then knowing that Amber's mum's then looking after him. 1039 00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:33,799 Speaker 4: So we've kind of have to think about those things, 1040 00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:36,920 Speaker 4: you know, all our foundly living live in Adelaide, so 1041 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:39,239 Speaker 4: we're just it'll be like a tag team rotation of 1042 00:47:39,280 --> 00:47:41,600 Speaker 4: people just coming out and helping helping Amber out. And 1043 00:47:41,719 --> 00:47:43,520 Speaker 4: it's it's true, they're not really there for me. It's 1044 00:47:43,560 --> 00:47:46,000 Speaker 4: they're there for Amber and they're for Teddy, which then 1045 00:47:46,080 --> 00:47:46,879 Speaker 4: makes me feel better. 1046 00:47:47,120 --> 00:47:51,200 Speaker 1: It's unbelievable hearing what other people have to go through, 1047 00:47:51,239 --> 00:47:54,279 Speaker 1: and your story is so important for me as a 1048 00:47:54,320 --> 00:47:56,839 Speaker 1: bit of a wake up call to just how lucky 1049 00:47:56,960 --> 00:47:59,560 Speaker 1: I have it. Like this morning, for example, Laura was 1050 00:47:59,560 --> 00:48:01,440 Speaker 1: out the door really early, and I was trying to 1051 00:48:01,480 --> 00:48:04,040 Speaker 1: get both kids ready for daycaaren first day of school, 1052 00:48:04,200 --> 00:48:07,040 Speaker 1: and it was tricky and I was getting frustrated. And 1053 00:48:07,080 --> 00:48:08,880 Speaker 1: then at the same time, I'm sitting here as I 1054 00:48:08,920 --> 00:48:11,759 Speaker 1: hear your story, going holy fuck. You know, it really 1055 00:48:11,840 --> 00:48:15,960 Speaker 1: does put into perspective the minor inconveniences that I have 1056 00:48:16,040 --> 00:48:17,919 Speaker 1: to deal with it in the morning with my kids, 1057 00:48:17,920 --> 00:48:19,960 Speaker 1: there's nothing compared to what you're currently going through. 1058 00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:25,239 Speaker 4: It's a great point to reflect on. If people are 1059 00:48:25,280 --> 00:48:27,520 Speaker 4: listening to this is that you're allowed to have those 1060 00:48:27,640 --> 00:48:31,120 Speaker 4: times of I'm not enjoying this. This is a lot 1061 00:48:31,280 --> 00:48:33,560 Speaker 4: like That's that's really healthy to have that, but it 1062 00:48:33,719 --> 00:48:36,719 Speaker 4: is also a great opportunity to have those times where 1063 00:48:36,719 --> 00:48:38,440 Speaker 4: you can reflect on it and if you can if 1064 00:48:38,480 --> 00:48:40,480 Speaker 4: you can see that in the moment and go, you 1065 00:48:40,520 --> 00:48:43,480 Speaker 4: know what, yes, this is a lot, but geez, I'm 1066 00:48:43,480 --> 00:48:46,520 Speaker 4: pretty lucky that both my kids are healthy or my 1067 00:48:46,719 --> 00:48:50,440 Speaker 4: health is pretty good. And that perspective piece is really important. 1068 00:48:50,960 --> 00:48:53,040 Speaker 4: It's not to say you can't have those bad days, 1069 00:48:53,440 --> 00:48:55,800 Speaker 4: but sometimes just sitting there and I still even have that, 1070 00:48:56,120 --> 00:48:58,360 Speaker 4: you know, we just spoke about the what is I 1071 00:48:58,520 --> 00:49:02,480 Speaker 4: wasn't here? You know, I've connected with these amazing people 1072 00:49:02,880 --> 00:49:06,560 Speaker 4: who have had the really tragic stories and guys I 1073 00:49:06,719 --> 00:49:09,200 Speaker 4: was kind of close with who have passed away from 1074 00:49:09,239 --> 00:49:11,360 Speaker 4: things like cancer, and these single mums having it to 1075 00:49:11,480 --> 00:49:14,000 Speaker 4: go through this, And that's what I often now think about. 1076 00:49:14,640 --> 00:49:19,040 Speaker 4: When I can be present to Teddy and I can 1077 00:49:19,440 --> 00:49:22,399 Speaker 4: bar him and play with him, and you know, whether 1078 00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:25,200 Speaker 4: it's you're packing your kid's lunches for daycare or school, 1079 00:49:25,760 --> 00:49:28,399 Speaker 4: I now start to appreciate those moments so much more. 1080 00:49:28,600 --> 00:49:31,040 Speaker 4: And if I hadn't gone to what I've gone through, 1081 00:49:31,040 --> 00:49:34,000 Speaker 4: I'm sure I wouldn't be appreciating those little things as 1082 00:49:34,040 --> 00:49:37,040 Speaker 4: much as I do, Like the bark last night, the 1083 00:49:37,160 --> 00:49:40,399 Speaker 4: reading the book, those little special moments which a lot 1084 00:49:40,440 --> 00:49:42,760 Speaker 4: of dads, a lot of parents probably take for granted. 1085 00:49:43,960 --> 00:49:48,560 Speaker 5: Yeah, feeling that one look. 1086 00:49:48,680 --> 00:49:51,600 Speaker 4: Like I said, I'm not always you know, super positive 1087 00:49:51,680 --> 00:49:53,920 Speaker 4: and like happy all the time, but they are moments, 1088 00:49:53,960 --> 00:49:58,000 Speaker 4: those little gifts of when I'm healthy enough that I 1089 00:49:58,080 --> 00:50:01,319 Speaker 4: can be with Teddy and be in that And if 1090 00:50:01,360 --> 00:50:04,399 Speaker 4: I think about it, that's the real gift, because like often, 1091 00:50:04,440 --> 00:50:06,080 Speaker 4: if you don't think about it, then you won't do it. 1092 00:50:06,440 --> 00:50:09,080 Speaker 4: But if it comes into my mind to go, Jesus 1093 00:50:09,200 --> 00:50:10,719 Speaker 4: is so nice that I'm here with him now, not 1094 00:50:10,800 --> 00:50:13,520 Speaker 4: in hospital, you know what, I'm going to give be 1095 00:50:13,640 --> 00:50:15,359 Speaker 4: another ten minutes. I'm going to read next a little 1096 00:50:15,360 --> 00:50:17,600 Speaker 4: book and just enjoy that little special moment. And it's 1097 00:50:17,600 --> 00:50:19,960 Speaker 4: such a small moment that can be such a boost 1098 00:50:20,040 --> 00:50:21,560 Speaker 4: my mental health. And I think you don't have to 1099 00:50:21,680 --> 00:50:26,080 Speaker 4: go through these significant health challenges to still have that 1100 00:50:26,200 --> 00:50:28,200 Speaker 4: thought process. You know, you can have those moments so 1101 00:50:28,280 --> 00:50:31,160 Speaker 4: when you feel yourself getting a little bit agitated or frustrated, 1102 00:50:31,200 --> 00:50:33,320 Speaker 4: to just have that step back and go, you know what, 1103 00:50:33,719 --> 00:50:35,919 Speaker 4: this is just part of it, and how bloody lucky 1104 00:50:35,960 --> 00:50:38,440 Speaker 4: I am to have this little terror there because I 1105 00:50:38,520 --> 00:50:40,920 Speaker 4: love him so much. And if we start thinking that 1106 00:50:41,000 --> 00:50:43,200 Speaker 4: way more, I think it will make those moments a 1107 00:50:43,239 --> 00:50:45,399 Speaker 4: little bit easier and they're still going to be there. 1108 00:50:45,480 --> 00:50:46,600 Speaker 5: Yeah, But it's funny. 1109 00:50:46,680 --> 00:50:49,480 Speaker 2: I like, yeah, I have the same obviously, the same thing, 1110 00:50:49,640 --> 00:50:53,200 Speaker 2: like frustration for the little things, and you go, you're 1111 00:50:53,520 --> 00:50:57,080 Speaker 2: at that moment, you're really just you can't see the 1112 00:50:57,160 --> 00:50:59,600 Speaker 2: perspective in the moment because you're so caught up in 1113 00:51:00,680 --> 00:51:04,120 Speaker 2: the frustration. But I know for me, like with days 1114 00:51:04,200 --> 00:51:07,520 Speaker 2: that are really really bad, the thing that you know, 1115 00:51:07,560 --> 00:51:10,520 Speaker 2: the kids that which bring on the frustration sometimes if 1116 00:51:10,560 --> 00:51:12,120 Speaker 2: I will lay down and do books with them at 1117 00:51:12,160 --> 00:51:14,399 Speaker 2: the end of the night and actually on a bad day, 1118 00:51:14,560 --> 00:51:17,320 Speaker 2: it actually completely changes the whole day for me. And 1119 00:51:17,560 --> 00:51:20,320 Speaker 2: I subconsciously do that because I'm like, I'm not feeling 1120 00:51:20,400 --> 00:51:22,920 Speaker 2: my one hundred percent today mentally, I'm not all here. 1121 00:51:23,080 --> 00:51:25,240 Speaker 5: I'm feeling bit down in the dumbs. 1122 00:51:25,280 --> 00:51:28,080 Speaker 2: But like we said, there's something that they can give 1123 00:51:28,160 --> 00:51:30,680 Speaker 2: you that nothing else can give you, even though they'll 1124 00:51:30,719 --> 00:51:32,279 Speaker 2: put you in that really. 1125 00:51:32,080 --> 00:51:34,759 Speaker 5: Bad mood anyway, it's such a weird relationship. 1126 00:51:35,080 --> 00:51:38,080 Speaker 4: Do you notice yourself, you know, not feeling like that 1127 00:51:38,239 --> 00:51:41,560 Speaker 4: every time, but do you notice that, like that, that 1128 00:51:41,760 --> 00:51:44,440 Speaker 4: shift in how you're feeling, where you've kind of just 1129 00:51:44,680 --> 00:51:46,600 Speaker 4: you know, sitting down with that book and you just 1130 00:51:46,680 --> 00:51:49,600 Speaker 4: have this calmness or this It just almost everything else 1131 00:51:49,640 --> 00:51:51,640 Speaker 4: that's happened before that moment, it's all gone. 1132 00:51:51,719 --> 00:51:55,400 Speaker 2: So I'll know I'm I'll know I've really had a 1133 00:51:55,480 --> 00:51:57,600 Speaker 2: bad day mentally when I'll lay down on one of 1134 00:51:57,640 --> 00:51:59,560 Speaker 2: their beds and they're both next to me, and I'll 1135 00:51:59,560 --> 00:52:01,680 Speaker 2: have the book out, and then all of a sudden, 1136 00:52:01,719 --> 00:52:04,800 Speaker 2: then I'll feel that perspective and go, Okay, well I 1137 00:52:04,960 --> 00:52:08,080 Speaker 2: have this and some people don't. Yes, they've pissed me 1138 00:52:08,120 --> 00:52:10,560 Speaker 2: off all day, but there's no one else who's going 1139 00:52:10,600 --> 00:52:12,520 Speaker 2: to sit with me right now, and I could I 1140 00:52:12,560 --> 00:52:14,359 Speaker 2: could tell them how exactly how I'm feeling, and they're 1141 00:52:14,360 --> 00:52:16,120 Speaker 2: just going to give me a cuddle for it, And 1142 00:52:16,200 --> 00:52:17,400 Speaker 2: that changes everything. 1143 00:52:17,760 --> 00:52:19,560 Speaker 1: When you pick up a book, oscars like, oh, Dad's 1144 00:52:19,600 --> 00:52:20,160 Speaker 1: at a shockup. 1145 00:52:23,880 --> 00:52:29,719 Speaker 4: It's a really short book. I'm here for your but 1146 00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:33,920 Speaker 4: that that is mindfulness, right, Like I think people sometimes 1147 00:52:34,000 --> 00:52:36,400 Speaker 4: over complicate things and I don't do enough for my 1148 00:52:36,560 --> 00:52:39,200 Speaker 4: mental health or you know, I don't bloody do anything 1149 00:52:39,239 --> 00:52:42,800 Speaker 4: for my mindfulness, and don't bloody meditate or do hot yoga. 1150 00:52:42,920 --> 00:52:47,239 Speaker 4: But even those moments of reflection in yourself and being 1151 00:52:47,280 --> 00:52:50,520 Speaker 4: in that present moment and just not thinking about the 1152 00:52:50,560 --> 00:52:52,920 Speaker 4: other things that's happened before then, or thinking too far 1153 00:52:53,040 --> 00:52:55,040 Speaker 4: into what's going to happen tomorrow, you're in that present 1154 00:52:55,120 --> 00:52:58,319 Speaker 4: moment like that is mindfulness. And that is a really 1155 00:52:58,360 --> 00:53:00,480 Speaker 4: great thing that often people don't even know doing it 1156 00:53:01,280 --> 00:53:03,759 Speaker 4: and they go, that's a really great tool to have. 1157 00:53:04,080 --> 00:53:07,040 Speaker 4: But I think people people do that sort of stuff 1158 00:53:07,080 --> 00:53:08,160 Speaker 4: and they just think like, oh, it's just. 1159 00:53:08,160 --> 00:53:08,520 Speaker 1: What I do. 1160 00:53:08,920 --> 00:53:11,680 Speaker 4: But that's a really important thing to do more of 1161 00:53:12,080 --> 00:53:14,840 Speaker 4: than if you're in a situation where you find yourself 1162 00:53:14,880 --> 00:53:17,520 Speaker 4: starting a spiral, if you're thinking of you know, well, 1163 00:53:17,560 --> 00:53:20,000 Speaker 4: we've just gone through a miscarriage, I've got this upcoming 1164 00:53:20,360 --> 00:53:23,040 Speaker 4: treatment which is really high risk, and you know, I 1165 00:53:23,120 --> 00:53:25,000 Speaker 4: can't spend time with Teddy like I want to. 1166 00:53:25,560 --> 00:53:27,839 Speaker 1: If you are spiraling, how do you put yourself out 1167 00:53:27,880 --> 00:53:28,400 Speaker 1: of the dumps? 1168 00:53:29,000 --> 00:53:31,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, and this it takes it takes a bit of practice, 1169 00:53:31,560 --> 00:53:34,360 Speaker 4: Like it it takes time to get to a stage 1170 00:53:34,400 --> 00:53:37,799 Speaker 4: where you can actually firstly acknowledge that it's happening. That's 1171 00:53:38,000 --> 00:53:40,600 Speaker 4: that's the key. If you could acknowledge it's happening, You've 1172 00:53:40,640 --> 00:53:42,960 Speaker 4: then got that choice in that moment to do something. 1173 00:53:43,040 --> 00:53:45,800 Speaker 4: It's when you can't really notice it happening and it 1174 00:53:45,920 --> 00:53:47,960 Speaker 4: just gets worse, worse than its spirals. So for me, 1175 00:53:48,080 --> 00:53:49,799 Speaker 4: I've got a lot better at noticing when I can 1176 00:53:49,880 --> 00:53:53,600 Speaker 4: feel the mood. I can feel the anger, the y 1177 00:53:53,760 --> 00:53:56,680 Speaker 4: me this sucks, the frustration, and I can really feel 1178 00:53:56,719 --> 00:53:58,600 Speaker 4: that coming the two things I do. Now I'm more 1179 00:53:58,640 --> 00:54:00,879 Speaker 4: open with Amber about it. I used to just kind 1180 00:54:00,920 --> 00:54:03,279 Speaker 4: of keep it to myself. Would go for our morning walk, 1181 00:54:03,320 --> 00:54:04,759 Speaker 4: so we get the coffee, and like, I'd just be 1182 00:54:04,920 --> 00:54:07,319 Speaker 4: in this just not a really pleasant mood, and I'd 1183 00:54:07,360 --> 00:54:09,640 Speaker 4: often use my anger and what I was feeling. I'd 1184 00:54:09,719 --> 00:54:12,720 Speaker 4: often take it out, you know, on her in ways 1185 00:54:12,760 --> 00:54:14,120 Speaker 4: of where it was just me just being a bit 1186 00:54:14,200 --> 00:54:19,239 Speaker 4: you know, I guess angry and short and just frustrated. 1187 00:54:19,360 --> 00:54:21,320 Speaker 4: You know. It was never anything you know, physical or 1188 00:54:21,320 --> 00:54:23,120 Speaker 4: anything like that. It was more just the that the 1189 00:54:23,200 --> 00:54:25,480 Speaker 4: how I was my mood. And now I'm a lot 1190 00:54:25,520 --> 00:54:28,919 Speaker 4: better at saying Amber, I'm just feeling this. I don't 1191 00:54:28,960 --> 00:54:32,920 Speaker 4: know why. I'm just feeling this this vent, this built 1192 00:54:32,960 --> 00:54:35,279 Speaker 4: up frustration with everything. I'm just over it all. I 1193 00:54:35,320 --> 00:54:37,440 Speaker 4: don't want to have this surgery. I'm just And then 1194 00:54:37,520 --> 00:54:39,680 Speaker 4: it's just even just talking to her about it does 1195 00:54:39,800 --> 00:54:42,239 Speaker 4: so much. It's a simple thing like that. So now 1196 00:54:42,320 --> 00:54:44,879 Speaker 4: I just talk to her, communicate and our big one 1197 00:54:44,960 --> 00:54:47,520 Speaker 4: for us is trying to start the day off with 1198 00:54:47,719 --> 00:54:51,400 Speaker 4: something that's really simple that can just distract me a 1199 00:54:51,480 --> 00:54:53,440 Speaker 4: little bit. And for us, it's going for that morning 1200 00:54:53,560 --> 00:54:56,839 Speaker 4: walk and just keeping the routine. Because even when you're 1201 00:54:56,880 --> 00:54:58,600 Speaker 4: going through I've had a really bad night, I've got 1202 00:54:58,680 --> 00:55:00,680 Speaker 4: up ten times throughout the night, a lot of pain. 1203 00:55:01,719 --> 00:55:03,839 Speaker 4: You know, an analysis, You're sure you're up for a walk, 1204 00:55:03,880 --> 00:55:06,360 Speaker 4: and I said, yeah, absolutely. We take our dogs. We 1205 00:55:06,480 --> 00:55:08,520 Speaker 4: take Teddy in his little trick or his little Pram, 1206 00:55:08,600 --> 00:55:11,160 Speaker 4: and we get little baby China, and the Bristol knows 1207 00:55:11,200 --> 00:55:13,279 Speaker 4: your coffee order and she smiles at Teddy, and you 1208 00:55:13,400 --> 00:55:15,160 Speaker 4: go to the park and you throw the ball around 1209 00:55:15,200 --> 00:55:18,960 Speaker 4: for the dogs. In that fifteen minute little period, I've 1210 00:55:19,040 --> 00:55:21,080 Speaker 4: just kind of escaped for a bit. It's just made 1211 00:55:21,120 --> 00:55:22,720 Speaker 4: me feel a little bit better, a bit more calm. 1212 00:55:23,080 --> 00:55:25,000 Speaker 4: And I get home and I'm just that little bit 1213 00:55:25,160 --> 00:55:27,839 Speaker 4: better mood than I was before we went for that walk. 1214 00:55:27,840 --> 00:55:29,480 Speaker 4: And it's such a simple thing, but for us that 1215 00:55:29,600 --> 00:55:30,120 Speaker 4: really helps. 1216 00:55:30,160 --> 00:55:33,879 Speaker 1: It really is, And it's annoying because it's the things 1217 00:55:33,920 --> 00:55:36,520 Speaker 1: you take for granted, you know, and it really it's 1218 00:55:36,640 --> 00:55:39,239 Speaker 1: just like what keeps you going, going for a walk 1219 00:55:39,239 --> 00:55:40,520 Speaker 1: and getting a coffee with my family? 1220 00:55:42,239 --> 00:55:43,160 Speaker 5: What's so minor. 1221 00:55:43,320 --> 00:55:45,520 Speaker 4: It has such a big impact, But it's not until 1222 00:55:45,520 --> 00:55:48,279 Speaker 4: you go through. Like I said, I've recently been in 1223 00:55:48,360 --> 00:55:50,000 Speaker 4: hospital about to go and again when you're there for 1224 00:55:50,360 --> 00:55:53,439 Speaker 4: quite a long time. The things that I love most 1225 00:55:53,520 --> 00:55:55,760 Speaker 4: in hospital is like the hot, hot shower for example, 1226 00:55:55,920 --> 00:55:58,880 Speaker 4: Like majority of people that you guys have a shower 1227 00:55:58,920 --> 00:56:02,040 Speaker 4: this morning and just stand there and just like enjoy 1228 00:56:02,160 --> 00:56:04,080 Speaker 4: every second of that shower and just thought, this is 1229 00:56:04,160 --> 00:56:06,239 Speaker 4: the best shower in the world. And you took an 1230 00:56:06,280 --> 00:56:08,400 Speaker 4: extra five minutes in there because you're liking it so much, 1231 00:56:08,440 --> 00:56:10,200 Speaker 4: and it's all you could think about was that shower. 1232 00:56:10,560 --> 00:56:13,000 Speaker 4: Probably not like sometimes we do have those mornings and 1233 00:56:13,040 --> 00:56:14,800 Speaker 4: it's a bit cold, and you do think for the 1234 00:56:14,880 --> 00:56:17,200 Speaker 4: most part, we just kind of you have the shower, 1235 00:56:17,320 --> 00:56:19,160 Speaker 4: you think about something in the shower that's annoying. You, 1236 00:56:19,239 --> 00:56:20,800 Speaker 4: you get out, you have a shave or whatever, and 1237 00:56:21,360 --> 00:56:23,160 Speaker 4: kids are doing something and you just let those little 1238 00:56:23,200 --> 00:56:25,520 Speaker 4: moments just we have lots of little moments about the day. 1239 00:56:25,640 --> 00:56:27,400 Speaker 4: They just escape us. But it's not until you're in 1240 00:56:27,480 --> 00:56:29,960 Speaker 4: hospital and you're in a lot of discomfort, and the 1241 00:56:30,040 --> 00:56:32,520 Speaker 4: one thing I look forward to in that morning where 1242 00:56:32,560 --> 00:56:35,759 Speaker 4: I'm just sitting in the chair having that shower and 1243 00:56:35,880 --> 00:56:38,160 Speaker 4: this like the warmth goes on me and I just 1244 00:56:38,400 --> 00:56:41,759 Speaker 4: escape for that little period and I feel I'm paying free, 1245 00:56:42,320 --> 00:56:45,040 Speaker 4: I'm warm, and often ambers like go on hard you've 1246 00:56:45,040 --> 00:56:53,600 Speaker 4: been in there for a while. It's like I just 1247 00:56:53,719 --> 00:56:56,400 Speaker 4: want more of that. But like it's like they're things 1248 00:56:56,440 --> 00:56:58,600 Speaker 4: that everyone does daily, they take for granted, but it's 1249 00:56:58,600 --> 00:57:01,239 Speaker 4: not often until you go through something or something's taken 1250 00:57:01,280 --> 00:57:04,000 Speaker 4: away from you where you start to appreciate things more. 1251 00:57:04,440 --> 00:57:06,320 Speaker 4: So for me, it's like, how can I still have that, 1252 00:57:06,880 --> 00:57:09,359 Speaker 4: you know, that same level of thinking, that mindset when 1253 00:57:09,400 --> 00:57:11,279 Speaker 4: I'm not in hospital, And I can start doing that 1254 00:57:11,320 --> 00:57:13,280 Speaker 4: when I'm home and just doing more of those little 1255 00:57:13,320 --> 00:57:15,640 Speaker 4: things because you do enough of them and they start 1256 00:57:15,680 --> 00:57:17,920 Speaker 4: to add up and you realize, like, holy shit, this morning, 1257 00:57:18,280 --> 00:57:20,400 Speaker 4: I had that beautiful shower. I did get the coffee 1258 00:57:20,400 --> 00:57:21,840 Speaker 4: at the brist I was able to go for that 1259 00:57:22,000 --> 00:57:25,360 Speaker 4: walk and didn't have too much discomfort or pain. Like already, 1260 00:57:25,440 --> 00:57:28,040 Speaker 4: there are things most people rush through or they don't 1261 00:57:28,040 --> 00:57:31,320 Speaker 4: really enjoy that, But rushing right through all that, you 1262 00:57:31,400 --> 00:57:34,600 Speaker 4: rush remember any of it. So next time tomorrow morning, 1263 00:57:34,880 --> 00:57:37,040 Speaker 4: I will when you're having a shower, feeling your balls, 1264 00:57:38,440 --> 00:57:40,600 Speaker 4: any lumps or bumps, maybe while you're in there, just 1265 00:57:40,920 --> 00:57:43,800 Speaker 4: having that reual that five minutes to yourself and going 1266 00:57:43,840 --> 00:57:45,760 Speaker 4: how nice is this hot shower and you see the 1267 00:57:45,880 --> 00:57:48,920 Speaker 4: steam go up and it's really nice, and just enjoying that. 1268 00:57:49,120 --> 00:57:50,800 Speaker 4: Try that tomorrow and just see. 1269 00:57:50,600 --> 00:57:52,000 Speaker 5: That until it's the knock at the door. 1270 00:57:53,280 --> 00:57:53,840 Speaker 4: That's amazing. 1271 00:57:54,360 --> 00:57:55,000 Speaker 5: What are you doing? 1272 00:57:55,440 --> 00:57:57,560 Speaker 1: I know that so many people listening as well, off 1273 00:57:57,600 --> 00:57:59,840 Speaker 1: the back of this conversation really going to appreciate the 1274 00:58:00,120 --> 00:58:02,400 Speaker 1: really find a simple things in life for. 1275 00:58:02,440 --> 00:58:04,000 Speaker 5: Sure which they would have overlooked. 1276 00:58:04,080 --> 00:58:08,360 Speaker 1: And one question that we end on, Hugo, is one 1277 00:58:08,400 --> 00:58:10,360 Speaker 1: that I'm going to throw at you right now, when 1278 00:58:10,440 --> 00:58:12,720 Speaker 1: Teddy is all grown up and he's no longer living 1279 00:58:12,760 --> 00:58:14,800 Speaker 1: at home, what would be the one thing that you 1280 00:58:15,120 --> 00:58:16,680 Speaker 1: you want him to remember about the house that he 1281 00:58:16,760 --> 00:58:19,520 Speaker 1: grew up in. I love that question. 1282 00:58:20,880 --> 00:58:23,479 Speaker 4: I want him to always look back at the house 1283 00:58:23,520 --> 00:58:25,200 Speaker 4: that he grew up in and being where we are 1284 00:58:25,280 --> 00:58:29,960 Speaker 4: now with just that love in the household and the 1285 00:58:30,080 --> 00:58:33,920 Speaker 4: happiness and the laughter and that you know, playing with 1286 00:58:34,000 --> 00:58:36,920 Speaker 4: his dogs or you know that the memories that we're 1287 00:58:37,000 --> 00:58:40,600 Speaker 4: making now that seem pretty trivial. I want him to 1288 00:58:40,640 --> 00:58:43,560 Speaker 4: look back at those times is you know, really enjoyable 1289 00:58:43,640 --> 00:58:45,240 Speaker 4: times for him. And I want him to grow up 1290 00:58:45,280 --> 00:58:47,120 Speaker 4: in that. You know, even now if I'm not there 1291 00:58:47,200 --> 00:58:50,320 Speaker 4: for periods of time, to just wake up each day 1292 00:58:50,840 --> 00:58:52,840 Speaker 4: and have a smile on his face and lots of 1293 00:58:52,920 --> 00:58:55,320 Speaker 4: laughter and giggles, and we try to give that to him. 1294 00:58:55,360 --> 00:58:57,360 Speaker 4: The dogs give that to him. But you know, there's 1295 00:58:57,400 --> 00:58:59,360 Speaker 4: nothing better when you can just see him in such 1296 00:58:59,400 --> 00:59:02,080 Speaker 4: a happy me And I want him to always remember that. Yes, 1297 00:59:02,160 --> 00:59:04,120 Speaker 4: there are times in this stage of his life that 1298 00:59:04,200 --> 00:59:06,520 Speaker 4: he probably can't remember, but there might be times that 1299 00:59:06,600 --> 00:59:08,760 Speaker 4: he does remember. They're not so good, parts of Dad 1300 00:59:08,840 --> 00:59:11,400 Speaker 4: not being there or Dad's in hospital, and you know, 1301 00:59:11,640 --> 00:59:14,040 Speaker 4: instead of looking at as a negative, actually really focusing 1302 00:59:14,120 --> 00:59:17,439 Speaker 4: for him looking back on a really memorable time for him. So, yeah, 1303 00:59:17,440 --> 00:59:20,520 Speaker 4: the happiness, the laughter, That's what I want him to 1304 00:59:20,520 --> 00:59:21,120 Speaker 4: always look. 1305 00:59:21,000 --> 00:59:21,960 Speaker 5: Back on HUGO. 1306 00:59:22,240 --> 00:59:24,240 Speaker 2: I want to say thank you for coming on and 1307 00:59:25,280 --> 00:59:29,160 Speaker 2: being brave and everything you do for mental health, being 1308 00:59:29,160 --> 00:59:32,400 Speaker 2: an advocate, getting people to talk about it, getting people 1309 00:59:32,480 --> 00:59:33,800 Speaker 2: to think about their health as. 1310 00:59:33,760 --> 00:59:34,800 Speaker 5: More than just mah. 1311 00:59:35,080 --> 00:59:35,240 Speaker 4: You know. 1312 00:59:35,920 --> 00:59:37,640 Speaker 5: So I want to thank you for spending some time 1313 00:59:37,720 --> 00:59:40,360 Speaker 5: with us and making that cry. I really appreciate that. 1314 00:59:42,520 --> 00:59:45,440 Speaker 4: I love what you do. It's such an important podcast 1315 00:59:45,480 --> 00:59:47,880 Speaker 4: because you know, you have that humor. You know, you 1316 00:59:48,000 --> 00:59:50,640 Speaker 4: have a really great way of communicating the things that 1317 00:59:50,720 --> 00:59:54,000 Speaker 4: often we don't talk about as parents. And for me 1318 00:59:54,200 --> 00:59:56,959 Speaker 4: being a little part of this, you know, hopefully people 1319 00:59:57,040 --> 00:59:59,960 Speaker 4: listening can take something away from it. So I appreciate 1320 01:00:00,280 --> 01:00:03,600 Speaker 4: you guys giving me the opportunity, especially with a lot 1321 01:00:03,640 --> 01:00:06,360 Speaker 4: going on at the moment. It's even this chat's given 1322 01:00:06,400 --> 01:00:08,280 Speaker 4: me a bit of a boost to think, how good 1323 01:00:08,360 --> 01:00:10,080 Speaker 4: is that. You know, I was in hospital last week, 1324 01:00:10,200 --> 01:00:12,920 Speaker 4: I'm sitting here chatting to you two guys, you know, 1325 01:00:13,040 --> 01:00:15,280 Speaker 4: opening up, being vulnerable, having a bit of a laugh. 1326 01:00:15,800 --> 01:00:17,479 Speaker 4: It means a lot to me too, So thanks lads, 1327 01:00:17,520 --> 01:00:17,720 Speaker 4: you go. 1328 01:00:17,840 --> 01:00:20,160 Speaker 1: I mean every word when I say you are an 1329 01:00:20,280 --> 01:00:22,760 Speaker 1: incredible human And I can't tell you how much I 1330 01:00:22,880 --> 01:00:25,280 Speaker 1: appreciate your time this morning. I love chatting with you. 1331 01:00:25,280 --> 01:00:27,520 Speaker 1: Your surgery coming up is when? 1332 01:00:28,200 --> 01:00:30,560 Speaker 4: So I'm not sure when this party will be released, 1333 01:00:31,000 --> 01:00:34,560 Speaker 4: but nineteenth of August, in four weeks today from the recording, 1334 01:00:34,720 --> 01:00:36,920 Speaker 4: is that the big op. So I don't know when 1335 01:00:36,920 --> 01:00:40,080 Speaker 4: this will come out. I might be in hospital, but yeah, 1336 01:00:40,080 --> 01:00:41,760 Speaker 4: I've got four weeks now to just try and get 1337 01:00:41,760 --> 01:00:43,520 Speaker 4: myself in a pretty pretty good place. 1338 01:00:43,600 --> 01:00:45,240 Speaker 5: You'll wake up at matt Night were there with the mic. 1339 01:00:48,480 --> 01:00:51,280 Speaker 1: We're thinking of you and we'll definitely keep it a 1340 01:00:51,280 --> 01:00:53,600 Speaker 1: listeners updated post surgery. So thanks again. 1341 01:00:53,720 --> 01:01:03,080 Speaker 6: Thanks what a man, Matthew, What a man, and what 1342 01:01:03,240 --> 01:01:04,120 Speaker 6: a chat and. 1343 01:01:04,200 --> 01:01:07,240 Speaker 1: The great charity as well. Twenty five stay Alive dot 1344 01:01:07,360 --> 01:01:09,600 Speaker 1: com is the website. Their mission is to make health 1345 01:01:09,680 --> 01:01:12,560 Speaker 1: checks from twenty five a normal part of life through prevention, 1346 01:01:12,800 --> 01:01:14,280 Speaker 1: early detection, and action. 1347 01:01:14,560 --> 01:01:16,680 Speaker 2: If you want to get involved or donate, we'll leave 1348 01:01:16,880 --> 01:01:19,400 Speaker 2: the link in our show notes of the episode. 1349 01:01:19,480 --> 01:01:22,040 Speaker 1: There's some great undies that you can buy on the 1350 01:01:22,120 --> 01:01:24,680 Speaker 1: website and a few hoodies as well. You might see 1351 01:01:24,760 --> 01:01:26,480 Speaker 1: us wearing the hoodies. They're not yet available, but as 1352 01:01:26,480 --> 01:01:28,080 Speaker 1: soon as they are we'll let you guys know. 1353 01:01:28,480 --> 01:01:32,120 Speaker 2: If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review, subscribe, 1354 01:01:32,320 --> 01:01:34,800 Speaker 2: join us. On social media, we're at Matt. 1355 01:01:34,720 --> 01:01:37,120 Speaker 1: Two Doting Dads. There is a Facebook group, there is 1356 01:01:37,120 --> 01:01:43,080 Speaker 1: an Instagram account, and there is also TikTok. Well said, hey, 1357 01:01:43,160 --> 01:01:46,320 Speaker 1: there is there is the chance. Not right now, not 1358 01:01:46,480 --> 01:01:47,760 Speaker 1: next week, but maybe the week after. 1359 01:01:48,080 --> 01:01:48,320 Speaker 5: Wow. 1360 01:01:48,680 --> 01:01:49,440 Speaker 1: Yes, Jess is. 1361 01:01:49,440 --> 01:01:52,400 Speaker 5: Looking at me going for God's sake, boys, let's let's 1362 01:01:52,440 --> 01:01:52,600 Speaker 5: do it. 1363 01:01:52,680 --> 01:01:55,920 Speaker 1: Let's get it together doing long form video on YouTube. 1364 01:01:56,000 --> 01:01:57,440 Speaker 5: Oh yeah, that's right. 1365 01:01:58,120 --> 01:02:01,000 Speaker 1: We're working on it. It's not able just yet, but 1366 01:02:02,160 --> 01:02:02,680 Speaker 1: it will be. 1367 01:02:03,120 --> 01:02:04,000 Speaker 5: We're working tirelessly. 1368 01:02:04,080 --> 01:02:05,920 Speaker 1: That just relentless. 1369 01:02:06,040 --> 01:02:09,440 Speaker 5: I know we are relentlessly working, just doing nothing. Can 1370 01:02:09,480 --> 01:02:10,680 Speaker 5: you please keep the game? 1371 01:02:11,800 --> 01:02:12,600 Speaker 4: Okay, bye bye. 1372 01:02:19,520 --> 01:02:23,080 Speaker 1: Two Doting Dads podcast acknowledges the traditional custodians of country 1373 01:02:23,160 --> 01:02:26,800 Speaker 1: throughout Australia and the connections to land, see and community. 1374 01:02:27,120 --> 01:02:29,600 Speaker 5: We pay our respects to their elders past and present 1375 01:02:29,680 --> 01:02:32,760 Speaker 5: and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torrestraight Islander 1376 01:02:32,800 --> 01:02:33,520 Speaker 5: people's today