Off to hospital for a few procedures

Health & Diet Health & Diet: Chat / Discussions
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I hope so. The trouble is the bladder isn’t in very good condition with prostate cancer. Not sure about the state of the bladder tumour. The walls of the bladder are thickened too. Anyway, I’ll be seeing a urology doctor on the 8th of July. See what the future holds then.

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Good luck Mart… :crossed_fingers:

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Hope it goes smoothly for you Mart - you and OGF are both troopers and an inspiration to us all :hugs:

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Good luck for tomorrow Mart, hope it all goes well for you.

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Thanks :slight_smile: No worries though, it’s in the bag. :slightly_smiling_face:

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The tube and bag are gone. No stitches involved where the hole is. I was assured that the holes in the kidney and skin would start to close up in as little as a few hours. This has been the case.

There is some emission of blood and water at first, soaked up with a padded dressing. Told not to worry about a little water coming from the hole in the kidney. The dressing was quite wet by the evening, so Mrs mart changed it. The overnight one remained dry. Just a small dressing used this morning to protect the closed hole from clothes rubbing.

Another step in the stages of mart’s malady. :slight_smile:

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That’s great news Mart, the world is your oyster now… :+1:

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I hope to be riding the bike again soon. :slight_smile:

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Glad to hear that things seem to be moving in the right direction. I hope you feel better soon.

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Prostate cancer has been 100% confirmed by the Consultant today. Inoperable but the hormone therapy should slow it down or shrink it. There’s something called ‘second generation hormone therapy’ too and this will be tried.

An appointment has been requested with an oncologist. Radio therapy might be needed. I just hope it’s Radio 2. Can’t stand a lot of this modern stuff. :slight_smile:

My bladder isn’t the muscular body part that it should be. Now just a receptacle for holding pee but not able to contract/push to expel it. No hope of improvement so I will have to do intermittent catheterisation (about 6-7 times a day) when I feel the need. Better that way than being incontinent I suppose. Men with prostate cancer can live for years. With proper treatment, I hope to die with it rather than from it.

I will need the kidney to bladder stent (fitted the last visit I was in hospital) changing in 3 months time and every 6 months thereafter.

I can ride my bike being some good news and I will try this tomorrow.

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Sorry to hear this Mart. It’s surprising how many of my friends have had the same prognosis.
It’s good to hear that you can still ride your bike and you remain upbeat… :+1:

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Thanks OGF - I reckon I’m doing OK seeing as how it was nearly 40 years ago that I lost the first kidney in a bout of cancer. I’m not expecting another 40 years of course :slight_smile: but I ain’t leaving any time soon. Blood test in the morning and an experimental bike ride in the afternoon. It’s an e-bike but I expect I’ll still be cream-crackered. It’s been a while.

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Wishing you every success in your treatment. Thinking and sending love to you and the the family.

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On the bright side, with prostate cancer, you usually die of something else.

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Thanks Kazz and Bruce. I’ll just keep going to the appointments, taking the medication and carry on as usual. I feel OK. Regarding medication, there is no option but to take it once agreed to. The latest dose (done last Friday) lasts for 3 months. Injected under the skin of the belly, it would take surgery to get it out, :slight_smile:

I actually get hot flushes as a side effect but still have a deep voice and need to shave every day :grinning:

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So sorry to read this Mart. You come across as having a positive attitude towards it all and that will see you through I’m sure.
Best wishes to you.

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Yes apart from my own situation husband’s younger brother who lives near Conferlons about and hours ride from ours…He has been through the mill something terrible and being treated in the same Hospital as myself…Can be a long dark Road but these days there are so many different treatments available, that yes your life still is indeed to be as good as it can be…
I am going to actually sue my Hospital one day…sometimes you just get one bad egg. Mostly though cannot fault the excellent medical care you ‘‘should’’ indeed get here or anywhere, deservedly.
Good Luck Mart…

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Thanks to all - I actually do feel OK though. When, the nephrostomy tube/bag was fitted, it was only a few days before I started to feel better. I didn’t even realise I felt ill but I was off my food (and beer!). Body skin was dry flaky and itchy. Mrs mart said I’d lost weight.

This was because the kidney couldn’t drain properly. It had become enlarged as a result. It had an eGFR (filtration level) figure of only 10. Normal eGFR for adults over 70 years of age is around 75.

People can be unaware of a low filtration level until a few symptoms get noticed. My eGFR is now 20. Not good but better and will hopefully improve further now that a kidney/bladder stent has been fitted. Skin condition, appetite and beer consumption are much better. :slight_smile:

Concurrent to this is the Prostate cancer. What a waterworks mess. :roll_eyes:

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Did you go out on a ride Mart? How did it go?
Sorry to hear that you were off your beer, now that’s serious… :open_mouth:
However, if you are like me, and I think you are. Some gentle exercise outside makes all the difference… :biking_man:

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I was planning on a ride this afternoon but the weather is bad. The forecast for tomorrow is much better, so the ride is postponed until then. I’ve dusted off the bike and pumped the tyres in readiness. :slight_smile:

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