What I learned Today

[SeaBreeze]

PATZE...He is handsome isn't he... That's Cashmere... part Coon, 22 lbs... spoiled rotten and a Cheeze-it addict... 

[Sandra]

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

[Patze]

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! ).


Patze

[JannaLee]

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

[Collie]

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

[irish]

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

[SeaBreeze]

Epson... How are you doing today ?  Just wanted to say I'm thinking about you today and hope your hanging in there... 

Irish... That is very good news...

[Dolly Dimples]

 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

[Reenie]

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

[Patze]

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

[pudmott]

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

[Epson]

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

[irish]

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

[Epson]

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?

[JannaLee]

Epson,

You are hilarious!

Thinking of you,
Janna