A week ago I went to the ER after urinating what I thought were minnows. After closer examination I was more shocked to see that they weren't minnows at all, but blood clots. After a couple of similar results I decided that I needed to go to the ER and find out what was going on.
After spending 5 hours in the ER a doctor came in to tell me that I have a large tumor in my bladder. I was convinced that it was a fetus-in-fetu, yes my evil twin that was trapped inside me for 55 years and was trying to get out, but I guess that isn't any better then a tumor.
I was given the name of a specialist at the Cleveland Clinic to see, well the Clinic is rated #2 in the country for Urology, so that made be feel a little better. The funny thing is what goes on in your mind when a doctor tells you that you have a large cancerous growth in you. My first thoughts were, who is going to take care of the finances and the lawn for my wife, who will take care of my dad in the nursing home and who is going to walk the dog, do I have time to vote?
Wow I never thought about myself, I thought I was a way more shallow and selfish a person then that! But the worst part was yet to come, waiting a whole week to see the doctor is the equivalent to physiological water boarding after being told you have a large cancerous growth in you.
Today I saw Dr. Mike Rotch, that's not his real name, but he was way cool, about my age and he is not afraid to throw an F bomb during our conversation, which strangely put me at ease and God knows I like my F bombs and other curse worlds.
Now I will get to the point after all this rambling, the time has come for the systoscope. For those of you unfamiliar with the systoscope, the systoscope is a tube that is shoved up your penis and into the bladder so the doc can have a look see and of course your told it won't hurt a bit and takes only 3 minutes. Doctors lie more then politicians, that's the first thing I learned and anything to do with a penis other than sex is going to hurt :P
Epson,
Can't imagine your pain there. but I can say, from experience, that test ain't fun for us gals, either.
Hope everything turns out well & they caught it early enough to clean it out.
Epson just make sure that when he does the systoscope you foot is placed strategically near his bits as he is putting the scope up your bits. i guarantee he will be extra careful. And if that doesnt work then throw in a few of his f bombs and several other choice adjectives to curl his hair.
Im sorry to hear you have your evil twin lodged in your bladder.i hope they can do something to get the feto out feto rather than bbeing in feto.
Keep us posted and as bad seed said it aint great for us girls either. Its just that you boys have a longer passage way. At least you can have some lidocaine.
Goodluck. i'll be thinking of you
Pud
Hi Epson
I can't imagine what the waiting must be like. Once you have results - you deal with them - right? I'm really sorry to hear what's going on with you right now - as though you didn't have enough to deal with.
It's good you like the doc and that the place has a good reputation. I hope you get the whole systoscope thing over soon and that whatever treatment is necessary can begin.
Thinking about you. Make sure you keep in touch. We're all rooting for you.
Take care - Scottie :)
Epson, This is a very timely note from you as my hubby was to ER yesterday with urinary bleeding. Had a cat scan with and without dye and has a mass in his bladder that is probably cancer.
He is going to urologist tomorrow at 8AM to have his cystoscopy and he is not looking forward to it. They put a catheter in his bladder in ER because he was passing clots so that they can irrigate the tube. This way he will not get a bladder full of clots and not be able to "pee". He hates catheters with a passion.
Needless to say we have been on pins and needles. We just got back from ER because he broke out in a rash and hives over much of his body. He has been known to do this from time to time but I am betting it is the stress that is causing it.
I have had a strange "nursey" feeling that all was not well with him for several months but just couldn't put my finger on it. Time will tell and of course I will be thrilled if it is some benign "thing". Keep us posted on yours. Irish ;D
To both Epson and Irish:
Our very good friend (male half of a couple) had bladder cancer about 15 years ago and has been just fine every since. I won't go into any more detail as things might be different as treatment now. But, if anything things have gotten better. He was P---ing blood and that was his only symptom. Lucy
Epson and Irish,
I will keep you all in my thoughts and pray like crazy that this is al something easily resolved. I can't imagine the worry you are going through right now. Keep your hopes good my friends
Pud
Irish,
I was shocked to find out that I could pass a blood clot larger then a silver dollar, I think it was the thought of a catheter that gave me the will to squeeze them out. Trust me, it was not easy and I was on the road when it first happened. Bad timing :P
Epson - can't imagine your worry at the moment, it must fel like the sword of damacles over your head waiting for the results. Same for you too Irish, I pray that the necessary treatment can start real soon.
Nobody likes having tubes inserted into them where they shouldn't really go, myself included. Before, during and after my dx of bowel disease I had more cameras up my a** that a porn star. Shame I didn't get their money.
Take care you guys and please keep us posted as to how you're doing.
Wen x x
Hi Epson. Have you ever had a problem with your bladder before? Do they think this is related to SJS? I was told maybe 6 years ago that I have polyps in my bladder. I, too, had blood in my urine but nothing I could actually see. I haven't been dx with SJS yet but will see the reumatologist on the 28th for results of labs. He told me my parotids were swollen so I guess it's looking that way. I have been wondering if my bladder thing and the problem with my pancreas could be SJS related. What is your Dr. saying about it? Thanks and good luck. Dale
DMargo,
I was told by several doctors that bladder tumors are rare in people my age (56 on Oct. 31) unless they are smokers, which I am not and never have been or have worked around chemicals, which I have in the past.
More than one doctor and several nurses have told my that hair dresser have a higher number of bladder tumors then the general population, due to their exposer to toxic chemicals, so I don't think we can blame SS for this one.
Hi Epson, I'm sorry to see that this has happened to you, and I sure hope that your doctors will be able to resolve this soon. Hang tough my friend, and I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Hi Irish, wow, you and your hubby must be reeling, after all you've gone through and now this. Please tell him that I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers too.
Please y'all take care -
Patze
Thanks to all the well wishers, it's nice to know people care.
Irish, how is your hubby getting along? I'm still drinking lots of water and producing lots of baby clots.
My goodness... I'm praying for all of you...
Hi SeaBreeze,
A bit off topic, but your fur buddy sure does look a bit like mine! ;D
Patze
PATZE...He is handsome isn't he... That's Cashmere... part Coon, 22 lbs... spoiled rotten and a Cheeze-it addict... ;D
Epson dear i am so sorry for this bit of misery. it's just not fair. i have some experiance with bladder cancer that I hope will help with the wait. First when my dad was diagnosed he was told if there is a good cancer, bladder cancer is the one to have. There are really good not so painful treatments available. As far as your scope please understand that there are different size cathiders,scopes. My dad's first urologist, not such a great guy used to use one that ended up causing bleeding and many times after the fact bladder infections. His second urologist changed the size. Much better with far fewer problems.
My dad started out like you will with the scope. Then for us another scope/surgey was done to scrape the walls of the bladder. Dad's tumors were fairly small. This surgery was necessary but afterwords there might be a cathider for a bit. What we learned regarding this is that after surgery there can be some bloodclots passing. My father was a sweet little quiet man who would not "curse" or even peep when he was in pain. So if one of these bloodclots got "stuck" in the cathider the blader naturally would fill and become very painful especially a newly surgeried one. What's worse in order to fix the "clog" a nurse would have to backwash the cathider flushing the clott back into the bladder with a large shringe full of saline I suppose (more liquid more fullness more pain) where it could I don't know break up and eventually drain. It's the only time I ever saw my dad like that, he shooed me out of his room as he didn't want me to see him hurt. This little tail is not to scare you it is to let you know up front if you do have this kind of surgey and begin to feel pressure or notice your cathider not draining or dripping, curse loud and fast. My dad's treatment after that was the BCG treatment, or tubuculosis virus. Apparently the virus kills this type of cancer cell. He'd go in and they would put it in his bladder and then he was let go home to lay flat on his back for 15 min, then on his side for 15, on his tummy for 15 and finally on his otherside for 15. Like a rotisserie chicke! Then he could go pee and was told to have a cup of bleach in the bathroom to add to the toilet as this is a live bug.
My sister in-law's mom also did the routine. The only thing that is a nusiance is that you have to go every 3-6 months for a scope so they can keep tabs on it. feel free to ask any questions, hope it eases your thoughts a little. Will be thinking of you, Sandra
Wow, mine is 20 pounds and I thought he was a horse! I call my fur buddy mainly handsome - as he is and he knows it! Mine is part child and he's all mutt!
Cashmere is a great name for him, get it from the song by chance? Cheeze-it, eh? I've not heard that one before, but then my goofy guy used to eat souse too (he's a southern cat! ;) ;D).
Patze
Holy Moly Epson,
Somehow I missed this thread till just now!!!
I'm thinking of you buddy and wishing for a real good result after all is said and done!
When I was in high school I was a ward clerk in a hospital surgical recovery room. One day I was yanked into a treatment room where they were doing one of those scope procedures....I fainted dead away when I saw it....Very un-natural thing to do to a man in my opinion.
Whatever you do....don't watch.
Janna
Epsom,
My prayers are with you, I have had several scopes done; and I cannot imagine how it would be for a man. While working as a nurse, I have cared for several patients who had bladder cancer, and it does seem to cause less havoc to the body then other types of cancer, but I know it does not make your diagnosis any easier. Just know there are people out here praying for you!!!!
Collie
Epson, Hope that you are able to drink enough to keep those clots moving on out. Also, hope that you find out the cause and get it fixed.
My hubby was lucky. We went for the cysto and the doc was irrigating the bladder out and watching on the screen and said"well, what have we here"? It was a very large bladder stone. That is what showed up as a mass on the CT. Hubby is on coumadin and has been plowing. The vibration of the tractor was causing the stone to bounce around and scrape up the inside of his bladder.
On November 11th he will have a cysto under anesthesia and have lithotripsy to break up the stone and flush it out. He also needs to have furthur exam as he has an outpouching of his bladder and the doc needs to have better visualization of that area to give him the total clean bill of health.
This is such a nice and good urologist and we feel very comfortable with him. We also feel very blessed to have gotten off "this time". My main thought was how I was going to have the strength and endurance to take care of hubby if he got bad. Had everything all planned out. Nurses are like this, ya know!!!! Always thinking ahead and having a contingency plan. Irish ;D
Epson... How are you doing today ? Just wanted to say I'm thinking about you today and hope your hanging in there... ;D
Irish... That is very good news...
Irish, am so pleased to hear that you haven't got another worry to add to your lifestyle, you have way too many to cope with as it is... Bet hubby is so relieved too! Dolly
Epson. I hope and pray that you will soon have this worrying ordeal sorted, Blood in urine is quite a regular problem on this site I've had this 4 times in the past few years, and it should always be checked out soon as it appears..Every good wish my friend, praying for you, Dolly
Epson, I am sorry that you have to go through all of this. I will be sending positive thoughts and prayers your way. Also, I wanted to let you know that I find your sense of humor very refreshing and admirable (peeing "minnows"--the visual was priceless!). Your positive attitude, great humor, and outlook will take you a long way.
Irish, I'm so happy to hear that your husband's blood in the urine was due to a stone. I hope that the procedure to crush up the stone wasn't too uncomfortable, and that he recovers quickly.
Hugs,
Reenie
Hi Irish, boy that is such good news! Never thought I'd be happy about someone with a stone before!
Hi Epson, how ya doin tonight my fine toothy friend?
Patze
Hi Irish,
I'm glad you got some good news. My other half has had two lithotripsies this year. I hope it breaks up the stone.
Epson, How ya doin buddy. Hope you're hangin in there
Pud
Thank you everyone, for your word of encouragement.
I finally stopped with the bleeding and blood clots this afternoon. I hate the thought of even having to pass urine, but when you have to drink a lot of water, it's inevitable. I am just waiting to hear from the doctor, what day my surgery will be and which hospital. I told them that if we needed to push it off a week that would be fine with me. I am just not mentally or physically prepared for this. ???
They better give me 4 days worth of strong narcotics when I go home. I had back surgery 2 months ago and never needed any pain pills, I just dealt with the pain, but this is way different. :'( I told my wife that she just might have to pick me up some Maxy pads ::)
Epson, Hubby has been through the maxi pad bit when he had his prostate microwave treatment. He also had the blessed catheter for about 1 week. He is a man that can take a lot of pain and endures and keeps on going but put a catheter in him and he turns into another person. Told our doc today that if he ever had to have a catheter for a long time I thought I would have to be medicated.
Hope and pray that your procedure goes well. Tell your wife that Walmart has products that are appropriate for these kind of procedures. Even have the "chux" like products to protect the sheets. Of course they all cost money!!! Irish ;D
Irish,
The whole catheter thing has caused me to grow feathers, yes I am a chicken, a little girl, a Nancy boy. I don't mined needles or cutting a stitching, but once you move to the nether regions, you crossed a line of pain that just shouldn't be crossed. It just ain't natural :'(
Hasn't the medical field heard of nano technology? ??? Why is every thing so big, wouldn't you think that the scope would be slightly larger than a human hair by now?
I wonder if they have a urologist at Gitmo, forget the water boarding, don't you think?
Epson,
You are hilarious!
Thinking of you,
Janna
Irish:
I'm so glad your husband's diagnosis and treatment went better than expected! Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best!
Epson:
I'm sending healing prayers and thoughts your way. I hope your recovery is as quick and as painless as possible.
Sue
Epson honey,
think yourself lucky that you only have this to do once. Us girls have to have things stuck in our nether regions the size of duck bill that gets clicked open every two years. not to mention spitting out the odd child or two the size of a watermelon from a whole the size of a golf ball.
I do agree with one thing tho. In this day of modern technology when everything is getting smaller, why cant they make the things that go in the orifices microscopic as well. Some of the things i've seen as a nurse.......lets just say you'd be begging for the cystoscope.
I will still keep up the positicve thoughts for you buddy. i hope all goes well.
Pud
Pud,
You're just to funny!
Patze
Pud, I wish I was only a one time procedure, unfortunately it's not. It would be nice to know that the worst the is over, instead of just starting.
Hopefully the neurologist won't find any thing serious in my MRI and EEG, I have enough on my plate.
Good luck Epson,
Pooh
i will keep my fingers crossed for you epson. i hope they can find what is happening and get it managed for you.
pud
Epson and Irish,
Do you have an update? I send healing vibes and all good thoughts and prayers your way. :( Tinker
Hi there my toothy friend,
I'm keeping my fingers crossed too!!!
Patze
Epson:
I had a bladder catheter inserted once and it was done by a very skilled nurse. It didn't hurt a bit. Just try not to laugh at the nurses and doctors when they invariably tell you to "relax" before they are about to embark on something the patient finds terrifying.
Actually it's good advice.
Sue
Epson and Irish-
There's not much I can add to what everyone else has said except to add my best wishes and prayers.
And I'll add a prayer for a REALLY good sedative for both, as I know catheters all to well and would much rather go to sleep and forget...
Tracy
Hi Epson... Just thought I'd pop in and say hello and hope it was a decent day for you... Hang in there... You have all of us here...
Well guys and gals, surgery is set for November 11th, wish me well :o
Hi Epson,
I'll keep my fingers, and my eyes crossed for you!
Take care and try not to worry, I know, easier said than done.
Patze
Hi Epson...
I'm glad you have a surgery date... I guess trying to keep busy will help a bit, but I can relate to the 'worrying' I'm a professional worrier... I hold a Master's in Worrying... and PhD in What If ?... Do you or would you want to learn meditation or doing a relaxation tape/CD... There are a lot of great ones out there... ? Amazon.. I listen to "Letting Go of Stress" by Emmett Miller.. I love it and it does help take my mind off of things................. Hang in there......
Epson,
I have every possible bit of me crossed that the surgery goes well for you. Hopefully you can keep yourself busy until then and not worry too much. Funny i know. its the same as when someone is about to stick a dirty big tube in your privates and they say relax. Yeah sure.
Hang in there my friend. i will send as many positives as i cn your way
Pud
Epson - I have my fingers crossed and just thinking about it makes my legs cross all by themselves. Thankfully 11th Nov isn't too far away although it probably seems like that to you right now.
Take care - Scottie :)
Epson,
I am so sorry that you have had to endure so much. Life is not fair. Epson I went to The Cleveland Clinic for over 7 years, saw a neurologist there. I think I owe my life to him. I had a good friend who had bladder cancer that had spread to his kidneys. He went to The Cleveland Clinic. They got the cancer! He survived! They are the best and they are in your backyard. I lived in Akron, Ohio for 30 years. I felt very fortunate to have The Cleveland Clinic so near.
I am pulling for you Epson. You can do this!
Care
Epson:
I have been praying for you. I have a friend (she is 80) who just had her bladder removed because of cancer and she is home and doing remarkably well.
Sue
Epson, How ironic that you and my hubby(who had bladder bleeding and the dreaded catheters around the same time) are now scheduled for surgery on November 11th. Hubby is having a bladder stone removed under anesthesia. Hope he doesn't need a catheter again.
Also, I will be praying that your surgery goes well and that it will be a less complicated procedure for you. There is always something that gets dumped on us and people with autoimmune disease seem to attract these things. Must have something to do with the immune system not being able to sort out the bad and good cells etc. Good luck Irish ;D
Isn't November 11th the date of the big snowstorm in the 1940's?
Epson, former Earl of Popsicle........can't remember your new scary name.
We will all be thinking of you on November 11th. I will be standing at the end of your bed when you come out of the anesthetic with a whole package of multi-flavor popsicles. Lucy