It was some weeks ago when I had the first segment of it and that was most of it done. It was a bit uncomfortable before the treatment. Now it is OK.
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Thanks 
I’ll hope for the same result.
Yesterday was just a scan to get my body marked up for the Radio Therapy. Today is an early appointment to hopefully get the bladder catheter removed. They could choose to just change it but removal would be preferable for me. The drawback being that I would would need to start the intermittent catheterisation again (maybe twice a day).
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Not an easy time for you, Mr Mart, Just hang in there.
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Well, the catheter is out. More of a procedure than might be thought. Bringing it out is quick enough but then I was sent away into the waiting room again with a brown paper bag containing a measuring jug and a flow chart to fill in. I had to have 6 cups of fluid, go into the loo a few times and measure/log what came out of the nephrostomy bag over a few hour period. The contents of the jug get flushed down the loo. Not much point in trying to empty the bladder at those times though.
I explained that hardly anything gets into the bladder but rules is rules. Finally, I had to insert a catheter and let the staff see that I could do it to get this minimal amount of pee out. A little embarrassing. The whole procedure took 3.5 hours.
While there, we noticed several other older chaps sitting around with their brown paper bags with contents. A little worrying and painful to self-catheterise but it has to be done about a couple of times a day.
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I can feel your pain Mart, just thinking about it. I hope the discomfort soon passes and so does the urine. Take care mate…
I was going to post an emoji of a penis, but I don’t think Azz would take it in the spirit it was intended.
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I’m pretty sure that you shouldn’t be filling in your own flow chart. They must be short of staff.
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As I understand it from young uns, the emoji equivalent is an aubergine
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A day off today but we must get Mrs mart to a pharmacy to get her flu jab.
Yesterday’s flow measuring may have been an done an OK way Annie. The 3 hour period between drinking the water, the subsequent trips to the loo and use of the measuring jug seemed to be a fairly good way of doing it. I visited 4 times I think. The amount is noted and then flushed away. Then the record is handed to the Urology Nurse when re-called into the treatment room.
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But some people will struggle filling in a chart, particularly if they are older or unwell. This could lead to inaccurate results being recorded. I hope they assist people who find this difficult.
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Yes that could be so. A few men were there with their partners or carers. I expect assistance could be asked for if needed. I was there with our daughter but I spared her coming into the loo with me It was a bit difficult for me because I’m directing into the jug from a tube on my thigh (from the Nephrostomy). I couldn’t hold the jug while turning the bag’s valve on. The loo was too low and unstable stand it on. Managed by standing it on the hand towel waste bin. Life takes some working out sometimes.
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Goodness! We are lucky you didn’t have a fall.
It’s always puzzling why they make such low loo seats. Particularly in a hospital. It’s a very able-ist design.
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I had the first session of Radio Therapy. It was a bit more than sitting with a pair of headphones on listening to Radio 2
It is an impressive bit of machinery that does it. The procedure involves the body being extremely precisely positioned. Then the whole lot of the machinery revolves around the body and target area. Almost a space age look to it all. I hardly dared breathe for fear of upsetting the positioning.
It took about 10 minutes and the whole think is repeated for the next five sessions (weekend excluded). I don’t know if it will be just the same or if the treatment intensifies with each session.
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Hopefully you’re feeling ok afterwards
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Good for you, Mr Mart !! I get mine from 22 December. It’s a bit of a hike from here but we get free transport to and from the hospital. And, like yourself, Christmas is excluded.
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I was OK straight after the treatment but pain set in a few hours later. It got so intense that I went to bed. I couldn’t stop the family phoning 111 later in the evening. I’ve had this pain at night on and off since the two tumours were removed from my bladder. I think the site of the removal is still pretty raw and bleeds easily. I can only think it was so intense last night as a result of the Radio Therapy but I could be wrong.
I took 3 co-codamol tablets and after a few hours groaning and writhing the pain subsided. It was pretty tolerable by the time the medics called here at 4.a.m. I was able to face inserting a catheter about 3.30 a.m. it was very bloody. I think the degree of pain is associated with the amount of bleeding. The Medics were unable to give any strong pain relief because the pain had subsided. A more regular solution must be sorted out with the GP today. I honestly would be glad to fade away when this particular pain builds up.
Even more blood this morning but there’s nothing like the groan-worthy pain in the Bladder and Urethra that was there last night. Behind the calls and the concern are my wife and daughter to whom I can’t be grateful enough.
The next Radio Therapy Session is today at 11.00 a.m. I want to get there for it and to all the other sessions. I hope I can face it. I don’t mind if they dope me up silly for them as long as I can complete the course. We’ll talk about it to the staff at the Cancer Centre when we get there today.
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Sorry to hear about your painful night Mart, ask the nurses if this is a normal reaction to the therapy, and if not, it wants investigating. Sleeping is the most important part of your recovery, so use any means necessary to relieve it. I do hope you have a pain free night tonight…
As always Mart…All the best…
…Man Hug…
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That’s not good Mart…( Foxy is right - ask the nurses. Have you had the swallowing exercises ? That is three a day and that may help…
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Oh Mart, I feel so sorry for you I hope the pain eases off a bit for you for today. Good luck. xxx
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I have had the second session and feel OK. Just a mild ache. There is now a prescription for a pain killer waiting at the GP’s Pharmacy. Also, the GP has booked an urgent call from Phyllis Tuckwell, who are specialists in the management of cancer pain (amongst other things). I had a review at the Cancer Centre regarding the pain and they say that some pain might be expected and it can last for a couple of weeks after treatment. Just a question of properly managing any pain, which seems to be in hand now.
An interesting condition. All the times I have been laying in bed with the bladder/Urethra burning pain, a similar pain has been in my left heel. No way to get it comfortable. I thought it not worth a mention but we idly researched that while waiting for things to happen this morning. It turns out it is all part of the same nerve system. Who’d have thought it?!
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Alright, Mart. That’s two down and by now the painkiller is starting to work. It sounds like you are surrounded by a good medical team and an even better family team! I hope you get some rest though; time and sleep are the best medicine right now.
That is indeed fascinating about your heel pain being related to your issues as part of your peripheral nervous system. I just wish you didn’t have to learn about it in such an annoying way. Information is power; I am glad you pushed through to have that symptom examined.
March on; you’ve got this!
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