The 4th April 2016 arrived and I duly rocked up at Constantiaberg Mediclinic with mixed feelings.
Firstly ,this was not what I'd originally envisaged (i.e. a one-off brachy exercise) but was essential to prevent complications in the after effects of the subsequent brachytherapy procedure.
And secondly,......I'd obviously read up in detail .and followed "threads" of recent patients who'd undergone similar operations and,as per usual,there were many "horror" stories of the after effects.
As my urologist always says though........."don't pay too much attention to 'doctor google' Tony!"
I reckon he's right as proved to be the case in my instance.
After around 2 hours of surgery I was wheeled out and came to soon thereafter with a catheter up my you know what but no pain to speak of.
Well I guessed that they'd been administered in the drip (which i was still on) during the procedure ,and I'd feel something later,when the anaesthetics wore off totally?
I was also hooked up to an aqueous drip which was clearly flushing water through my system at a rate of knots as they were replacing the 2 x 3 litre bags every hour or so.
At this point there's no need to take in much liquid (by mouth) as the "flushing" process was due to continue during my entire stay,which was expected to be 2 to 3 nights.
So, no pain ......no problem "peeing"....all good so far.
I was surprised to see that the stuff being flushed through ,which had initially been pretty red with blood,started clearing quite quickly and soon became a pinot noir.
As it turned out I was eventually in for 2 nights and,on the 3rd day (after some 300 litres of flushing),they came to extract the catheter.
Still no need for any painkillers since the operation,and I'd (unusually) elected not to take the FLOMAX (or any generic) as the side effects of these drugs ,which I'd tried before the operation,were absolutely terrible.
My worst fear was that it'd be necessary to go onto them,medium to long term,as is often the case in such ops.
They invariably made me feel fluish ,with a head that felt like someone had stuck a beach ball over it and not allowed for any breathing holes!General dizziness and fatigue were two other side effects I wished to avoid at all costs!
Quite strange having a complete stranger fiddling around with one's nether regions as if she were a plumber who's come to clear a blockage.
She assured me that there would be no pain............%$#@ing liar!
As she pulled the last bit out (it extends right through the urethra into the bladder which has just been sliced and shaved to bits!) a hell of a sharp pain and then all good.
So now ,the next problem, if I was to avoid be re-catheterised (which is apparently often the case) was to be able to pass a certain amount of bloody urine (of an appropriate rose hue) before they'd allow me home.
I'd experienced something similar with the previous 2 biopsies,where the 1st few were extremely painful,so I knew more or less what to expect.Or so I thought!
Difference here was that this op is done completely via the urethra (don't ask me how) and included some cutting where the bladder meets the prostate,as well as what amounts to the "shaving" of some prostate "meat" around the urethra.
Well 1st of all I found it almost impossible to pass any fluid at all......and the "dribbling" bit that I did manage was literally like peeing razor blades!
I had probably drunk about 2 litres (at least) in the past hour and,if I were to be allowed home I was expected to pass around a minimum of 300ml ,which was expected to now be more of a light rose in colour (i.e. very little blood).
Well shit man......as hard as I tried (I had visions of that catheter being re-inserted) I managed a mere 70ml and it appeared that I was doomed to spend another night eating inedible hospital food.
But worse still,not being able to pee and having that thing shoved up my dick again (they'd inserted the previous catheter whilst under anaesthetic).
I eventually manage to convince the sister to let me go home and she warned me that she'd probably see me sometime that night,back in emergency to have a catheter inserted.
With all of these procedures initially one is faced with a very weak flow,blood in the urine,a bit of pain (burning really) and an inability to empty the bladder resulting in very frequent urination (anywhere between every half hour and an hour or so initially).
And the "catch 22" here is that it's absolutely imperative that one is constantly taking in gallons of water which is impossible to release very quickly,in the normal manner.
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| BUENOS AIRES |
Anyway,we made our way home where I lay on the couch in front of the TV alternately shoving liquid down my throat,and shuttling back and forth to the toilet to allow a dribble or two to pass even though my bladder felt continuously full.
Eventually the burning subsided somewhat but the frequency continued,so I spent the first few nights sleeping on the couch in front of the TV,with my dingly bit dangling in a plastic glass which I emptied from time to time through the night.
My urologist had warned me of these initial effects ,but had assured me that they were likely to eventually subside and disappear over time.He said I'd curse him initially ,but eventually thank him!
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| LAKE DISTRICT SOUTHERN CHILE |
Well he was absolutely right on both counts.
A month later my flow was probably at the level it'd been before the op.
Two months down the line 90% and quite a bit better than it'd been before the procedure.
After 4 months I was peeing like a 25 year old ,and inviting my mates to peeing competitions......with no side effects whatsoever.
No ED ,no problem peeing (I hadn't realised how restricted it'd been) nothing.....NADA!
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| PUERTO MERINO GLACIER |
I've come to the conclusion that,knowing what I now do,I'd certainly have opted to carry out this exercise anyway,even without the cancer and brachy as motivation!
Since then I've realised (through discussing with mates) that many of them have had such procedures (due to enlarged prostates),some in their 40's and have landed up improving their quality of life immeasurably.
None of them however....ever.... discuss such matters out in the open without prompting??
Strange, but that's how guys think?
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| PERITO MERINO |
Surely any intelligent being would realise that he's not going to learn a hell of a lot about such afflictions (and their resolution) without intelligent dialogue in the matter??
I don't get it!That's why I set up this blog.
Ironically,in the week or so since beginning this blog,absolutely no one has yet commented on a post?
Oh well.....perhaps one day my grandsons will take note and eat their tomatoes?
