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Update from Catheter #7

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Posted 7/29/2009 12:32 AM (GMT 0)
It's been a full week since I was scoped, dialated, and wearing this new catheter.  Still can't believe how much it can hurt at times a week later, no wonder the dr. wrote the prescription for 30 pain pills, he isn't one for handing out drugs like candy.

I worked Monday and Tuesday, 5 hours each day, and that's all the guy needed me for this week.  Felt good to be at my craft of accounting/finance.  The pain from sitting hunched over at a desk that long with the catheter in place with a leg bag was tough.  Felt a lot of pressure pain.  What scares me, its been almost 9 months from my surgery, and even if I had a full time job, or let's say I had one all along, not sure I could really physically endure it.

I am feeling anxious about seeing the doctor next Monday afternoon, because  I am not sure what he is thinking or will want to do next.  I do feel like there is never going to be an end ot this blockage problem.

David in SC

Posted 7/29/2009 1:50 AM (GMT 0)

David,

Wishing you the best. I recall Lance Armstrong's second book,"Every Second Counts" that I read while recovering from surgery and one thing he said that stuck is "Get back up" using a bike racing crash metaphor for the challenges we face with C. Every day, get back up.

Ted

Posted 7/29/2009 2:05 AM (GMT 0)
David,

This is where the rubber meets the road, where your character ( which I have felt so much of from your posts on this forum) takes over when David is having a hard time. No matter what goes on next Monday, I am confident you will rise to the occasion and handle it with dignity and grace. It is who you are inside.

We are all standing with you, because it could well be us. I swear every time I pee I think of you. I start to imagine my stream is slowing down.

I hope you can find some moments when you can just not think of your issues. Hopefully work will do that for you, or a good movie, or some other thing that you really enjoy.

Keep the chin up, and remember we are out here pulling for you !
Posted 7/29/2009 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
David
Since you seem low, let me tell you a story.

A Buddhist master and his disciple were walking along a muddy road when they came to a large puddle. In the center of the puddle was a scorpion struggling to get out. The master pulled back the sleeve of his robe and reached out to gently scoop the struggling creature from the puddle, but the scorpion stung him and by reflex the master jerked his hand away dropping the scorpion again into the water. Undeterred, the master repeated his action a second time and even a third time with the same result. “Master,” asked the disciple, “are you not angry that the scorpion stings you when you are trying to rescue him?” “How can I be angry?” replied the master, “To sting is this creature’s nature.” The disciple responded; “But then why do you persist in trying to scoop him from the puddle?” “Because,” replied the master, “that is my nature.”

And so -- this PC bites you again and again, but we know that to persist is your nature. We salute you and stand by your side.
Posted 7/29/2009 2:55 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Ted, Goodlife, and geezer, for some encouraging words. I just think the pain of this day is getting the best of me this evening.
Posted 7/29/2009 3:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hi David, glad to hear a report on your first two days.

I think if you managed to sit for one hour you'd be a hero! Five is fantastic. Superman and Batman combined have nothing on you.

Excellent, truly excellent.

And, as for next Monday, I don't want to seem insensitive, but I feel I know you well enough to know for sure no matter what the doc throws at you, you'll handle it like the Buddhist master Geezer and the rest of us know you to be.

Sheldon AKA Sleepless
Posted 7/29/2009 3:08 AM (GMT 0)
Hi David, glad to hear a report on your first two days.

I think if you managed to sit for one hour you'd be a hero! Five is fantastic. Superman and Batman combined have nothing on you.

Excellent, truly excellent.

And, as for next Monday, I don't want to seem insensitive, but I feel I know you well enough to know for sure no matter what the doc throws at you, you'll handle it like the Buddhist master Geezer and the rest of us know you to be.

Sheldon AKA Sleepless
Posted 7/29/2009 2:36 PM (GMT 0)
Sheldon, I think sometimes you guys over rate me by a big factor. I don't have a good threshold for pain, I have had the same fears and anixeties that the rest of the men here feel with PC, and its treatments and aftermath.

I am just trying to survive, I would like some more quality of life at this point, I have lost most interest in the things I use to enjoy. Unlike other cancers and medical crisises I have endured and survived over the years, its seems that PC is the most like the proverbial sword on a thread over your head, the entire journey so far. Perhaps it won't always be that way for me, at some point. I would like to believe that.

Sometimes I feel like I am just frittering away my life with months and months going by dealing with jsut the PC aspect of my life.

If I don't like the doctor's option Monday, I will tell him so. If I have to, I will hold onto the catheter another week, or two weeks longer until an acceptable solution is found. Not interested in the "lets take it out and see how you do" routine again. Tried that 3 times since my surgery and it never worked. I don't want this cath pulled out at 1:30 next Monday, and be blocked up by late that night, and forced to be butchered at my local ER (again) because the doctor's practice isn't open. If my own surgeon that did my pc surgery and corrective surgery had such an almost emergency situation putting in this catheter, you can only imagine what some goofy ER person at a small town hospital would end up doing. No, my doctor has to have a real plan, or else I will wait until I am satisfied there is one in place that might actually work.

Hope you guys are all doing well. Today, go on a major, major interview. Looking forward to that part, hope my leg bag holds out and doesn't leak or embarrass me.

David in SC
Posted 7/29/2009 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
David, Best of luck at doctor's and at the interview. I know you will do well. I'll be thinking of you... Greg
Posted 7/29/2009 3:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hey, David.  OK...I willing to go with Squire, but Buddist Master is above your pay grade...LOL!

Seriously, I liked your last post a lot.  I compliment you for taking the lead on this and being assertive.  I agree that no way should you chance the wiener-reamers at the ER...yeah, make sure your doc has a real plan.

Good luck in your interview and I hope for the best next week.

Tud

Posted 7/29/2009 3:46 PM (GMT 0)
David,
You are on my list of people I pray for every day. I wish you all the best on Monday. Hang in there.
Posted 7/29/2009 4:20 PM (GMT 0)
Greg - thank you.

Ohio State - have wondered the same thing, perhaps if the bladder neck area could be seen 3 D it might show how to fix it correctly

EDC - thank you, that really means something to me

Tud - I never claimed any Buddist minister title, lol. Just plain old Squire, sovereign of the state of South Carolina is good enough for me. It's hard enough ruling over 3.5 million rednecks and hillbillies as it is.

Interview is for City Finance Directory for the small city where my daughter lives, about 25 miles from here. Be a good fit for me I think. The mayor noted that she had a particular interest in my resume, so I hope that means something in reality.

As far as my doctor's appt goes next Monday, I always know inside that he works for me, I dont work for him, and he has to have my consent to do anything to me, and if need be, and I hope it never goes this far, I can fire him from my care. He's not the only show in town. So far, he's been pretty patient with my issues, and tries to work with me on the pain issues. I would hate to start all over again with a new doctor, but hey, if he dropped dead today of a heart attack, I would have to trust and work with someone else anyway.

This weekend, we are suppose to be taking our restored 1972 Shasta Compact travel trailer on its maiden voyage since I spent the past 3 month totally restoring it. A bunch of people where my wife works have rented a group of sites at a campground on Lake Hartwell, it borders the GA and SC, about 45 miles from here. Hoping I will be in good enough shape to go and enjoy the outing. Be much nicer without the catheter.
Posted 7/29/2009 4:31 PM (GMT 0)
David,

Have you looked into a simple clamp for your catheter ? Even a pair of hemostats will do the trick. You should be able to clamp it for a couple hours at a time, and go to the bathroom and unclamp it when you need to go.
Posted 7/29/2009 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
good life, i have both heard and read that can be dangerous. not a bad idea, but no way i would do that without my doctor's ok. thanks though.
Posted 7/29/2009 5:58 PM (GMT 0)
it's no different than holding the urine with your sphincter. The only real danger is if you try to hold for more than what you normally would.
Posted 7/29/2009 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
David,
Best of luck at your interview and doc visit. Your choice to wait until he has a plan is a good one. You are the boss. As you know, I am not an expert on this subject but I believe you are.

As for your interview, just make sure to keep your credits and debits in the right columns and don't suggest derivatives as a viable investment option for the pension fund.
I'm sending you some pc karma telepathy right now - or maybe that was a bladder spasm. Wait, let me check. Nope! It was telepathy!
Good Luck.
Jeff
Posted 7/29/2009 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
David,

Why don't you ask your doc about putting in a suprapubic (SP) cath until they can figure out what is going on. This acts as a safety outlet. In fact the specialist that ended up finally fixing my bladder neck problem said he scoped from the suprapubic cath into the bladder down to the urethra as well as scoped up through the penis into the bladder. While doing this he was able to find scar tissue that no one had been able to find. Most of my scar tissue was so close to the urethral sphincter he was more concerned about removing it and causing damage to the sphincter. I told him it would be better to be dribbling all the time than being blocked and unable to go at all (know what I mean?). He was positive he could fix the scariing/blckage but really wanted to preserve the sphincter which he did, but he told me there was surgical repair and artificial sphincter if that was needed. I pray you get some answers after all you have been through. At least my initial Uro finally came to the conclusion they couldn't fix me and helped get me to the specialist. As a matter of fact I had appointments with 3 different ones before deiciding which one I would go with.

Kbars

49 yo @ diagnosis, 51 yo now

DaVinci 01/2008

Gleason 3 & 4

PSA now 0

Numerous cystos/dilation for strictures/scarring over an 8 month period

Finally fixed 08/2008    

     

Posted 7/29/2009 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
Always thinking of you, David...Your attitude is amazing...

Tony
Posted 7/29/2009 9:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hope your interview went well for you this morning. As always I am thinking of you and your journey. Sure isn't one that most men have to travel, but a journey that needs to be shared for others. Keep us posted how things went today and hopefully next Monday will deliver some good news for a change.

Take care my friend
Posted 7/30/2009 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
Jeff, trust me, I am not an expert at this PC stuff, just a fellow sufferer.

The interview went great, the City Hall was just 4 blocks from my daughters house. The City Administrator said he started with 140 applicants, I was #8 of 9 that were being interviewed. My interview lasted over 1 1/2 hours, from my point of view it went well. They are suppose to narrow it down to 3 next week. I would be happy to make the cut. By the time the interview was over, my leg bag was about to burst, could hardly walk right to the bathroom to empty it.

kbars, thanks for the great post and some new ideas if I need them, I may print off your post and take it with me Monday.

tony, thanks as always, brother of mine

thank you too, les for your kind words, nice to find at the end of a hard day
Posted 7/30/2009 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
Hi David,

I've followed your posts since I discovered this site last January. They have been very informative and encouraging and I know they come from a man that clearly has the strength to beat this demon. Just add my voice to all the rest that are praying for you and wishing you well.

Good luck with your job interview,
Bob
Posted 7/30/2009 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
bob, thank you for your care and concern, well aprreciated by me. looks like you had your surgery about a month after mine, how are you currently doing, don't see any recent psa tests, hope you are holding your own against the monster pc.

david in sc
Posted 7/30/2009 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
Today starts day 11 on Catheter #7, I can report that I seem to be no longer flushing out little nasty looking red things, and the urine is a real light clear color. I wake up pain free, but the more active I am, the worse it will get through the day. The longer I am on the leg bag, the worse the pain becomes. With yesterday's interview, visiting my daughter, and taking care of some other busines while I was out and about, I was on the leg bag for about 8 hours. By the time I got home yesterday evening, couldn't hardly work.

Taking 2 ditropans spread out during the day is keeping the worse of the bladder spasms and their pain at check. I say again, its a great and inexpensive drug for that problem if any of your ever suffer from it. Got a 90 pill refill for $10 at CVS.

After 3 busy days in a row, I plan to take it a bit easier today, and hopefully won't need to go anywhere so that I don't have to use a leg bag.

Still dreading the dr. appt. Monday afternoon, mostly because I don't know what will happen or what he is thinking of trying next. Then one week later, I will be getting my 9 months PSA test, the one that may determine whether or not I should be entering salvage radiation. So still a lot on my mind, another benefit of having PC, the way it controls your thoughts and actions.

David in SC
Posted 7/31/2009 12:46 AM (GMT 0)
Evening update, kept busy today doing house work, getting to be quite the maid staying at home so much. I know how to make kitchen floors gleam!!

After going to run a couple of local errands, which meant I had to put on the leg bag, came home and it was filled with very bloody looking urine. Kind of freaked me out, being 11 days since the horrible dialation procedure. Seems like the more I walk with the leg bag, the worse it makes things. So was forced to take it easy the rest of the day.

I may not be making the camping trip this weekend, it is a group thing with a lot of people i don't even know, and its so hot here, not sure how comfortable I would be with strangers staring at my catheter bags wearing shorts. My wife will still go for sure, as they are mostly her friends. I will wait and see how I feel tommorow. Just didn't expect this much trouble after the last dr. visit.

David in a hot and steamy SC
Posted 7/31/2009 1:33 AM (GMT 0)
Hi David,

I will be thinking of you on Monday. Wishing you the best of luck. I had my catheter removed about three weeks after surgery. I wore the leg bag for my doctor's visit the day the catheter was removed. Somehow it started leaking during the drive to the doctor's office. Very embarrassing to say the least!

My PSA results to date have been undetectable (whew). I took them out of my signature to cut down on the line count since that is a concern. The most recent was on July 18th.

Praying for you,
Bob
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