Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Earle experienced the phantom penis everyday in the six months following his surgery. "It is one of the things that is not really discussed with you and the doctors at the time of diagnosis," he told me. He described the ghost of his penis as mentally, emotionally, and physically painful, saying it was one of the worst experiences of his cancer journey."As time went on, it gradually reduced" he wrote, "and [now] I just don't feel it anymore, or in my mind, I have somewhat blocked it out, as most of the muscle that help control erections are still in place."Theories about the causes of phantom limbs are ever-changing. Most researchers seem to believe that it's the result of maladaptive changes to the brain after surgery. Others think it's related to the nervous system and the spine.It only really happens if I start to think about it. Otherwise, it's more just the general shape and idea of a penis. — Matt
Advertisement
Advertisement