Shea Theodore's offseason took a turn he didn't expect.
In a piece published Thursday in the the Golden Knights defenseman revealed he was diagnosed withtesticular cancer andunderwent succe sful surgery to remove a lump in the last three months.
Theodore learned about the disease following Las Vegas' elimination from the playoffs and after playing with Team Canada in the IIHF World Championship in May when adrug test came back positive Earl Thomas III Jersey for hCG, a hormone that normally appears in women during pregnancy that can also be an indication oftesticular cancer.
"I was finally ready to come home and relax after such a crazy Alex Lewis Jersey few months.And then my whole life changed in the blink of an eye,"Theodore wrote.
But he had a strong support system not only with his family and girlfriend, but with his teammates and their significant others as well.
"In Vegas, were extremely tight," Thodore wrote."Were close in a different way than most teams. Kenny Young Jersey We actually have this ma sive group text for all the wives and girlfriends, and its really like its own news organization."
He also got support from former Penguins and current Coyotes winger Phil Ke sel, whoalso overcame testicular cancer. Ke sel even calledTheodore the night before his operation to try to help calm his nerves.
"A big source of my anxiety was getting put under for the surgery, because believe it or not, in 20 years of playing hockey Id never had to go through that before. Thankfully, it could not have been easier," Theodore wrote.
"I woke up like Id just taken a really good nap, and the doctors told me that the lump was succe sfully removed. I felt (sic) O.K., but the only problem was that it really, really Marlon Humphrey Jersey hurt to laugh."
Theodore had abiopsyafter the procedure and has since made a full recovery, but said he will continue to check in with his doctors and do his best to create awarene s.
"The whole James Hurst Jersey butterfly effect of what happened is pretty mind boggling, honestly," Theodore wrote. "You never think that something like this could happen to you. But the reality is that testicular cancer actually has an out-sized effect on my age group.
"I know how fortunate I was to be able to come through this experience with my health, and be able to continue playing the game that I love."
Theodore, 24,was traded from theDucks to the Golden Knights at the 2017 expansion draft andsigned a seven-year dealwith Las Vegas last September thatcarries an average annual value of $5.2 million.
In an effort to stre s knowing the symptoms and being open about screenings, he has pledged todonate to early detection causes for every Kenneth Dixon Jersey point he tallies during the 2019-20 season, and the Golden Knights Foundation will match Theodoredollar for dollar.
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