Supra pubic catheter surgery

[snuffy]

Friday 2-01-13 I'm having a supra pubic catheter surgically installed. It's a minor surgery, done with a mild sedative on an outpatient basis. It'll be done at the Milwaukee VA hospital. They go through the wall of the abdomen into the bladder. This will solve the constant incontinence I suffer.

Well it's because I'm still fighting prostate cancer. The latest round in my battle.

It all began with biopsy/diagnosis of cancer back in September 2009. PSA was on a constant rise. Davinci robotic surgery came the following year oct. 2010, to remove the prostate and seminal vesicle. It didn't get it all.

The following spring of 2011 I underwent radiation therapy. That didn't work either. I DID cause damage to my bladder and rectum, which they treated with hyperbolic therapy.

Now the remaining cancer is being treated with hormones that cause chemical castration. Finally it's under control! PSA is down to almost unmeasurable levels.

Last skirmish will be the catheter which will free me from pads, diapers, external catheters and the stink.

Guys, be sure to have that PSA checked, and suffer the indignity of the digital exam. Mine was caught early, but STILL is not gone.

[skeet1]

snuffy,
I agree with you, make sure that you have the digital exam, it is how my prostate cancer was found. My PSA was normal but because my family doctor felt a bump on my prostate I went for a biopsy which turned out positive. My urologist recommended having the prostate out.
My cancer also went beyond the the prostate and affected the seminal vesicles which were also taken out. My surgery was not not the robotic type and the incision was made down near the rectum, very uncomfortable but tolerable. After I healed up My doctor sent me for 38 X-ray treatments and five years later I still have no sign of cancer. I hope that those who read this take Snuffy and I seriously about the digital exam as I believe because my doctor was very through my cancer was discovered and my life was saved.

Ken

[DLCTEX]

Hang in there Snuffy! I'll be praying for you. I hate that digital exam, but you make the point of it's necessity. Thanks.

[fecmech]

Just had the Robotic surgery myself back in December. My prostate was checked every 6 mos because my Dad died because of prostate cancer and it always felt ok. PSA started rising last summer( only went to3.7) so they did a biopsy and found intermediate grade cancer. After removal of the prostate they determined it was a high grade aggressive cancer and it had penetrated the prostatic membrane and into some of the fatty tissue they removed with it. My follow up visit showed the PSA less than .03 so I'm hoping they got it all when they took the extra tissue. Time will tell. As long as the PSA stays where it is I'll be a happy camper. If it comes back I'll be going down the same road as you Snuffy. BTW I had a Supra-pubic cath after my surgery. Now trying to regain my bladder control, hate those d&*n pads!

[BeeMan]

Thanks for posting Snuffy. You're now on my cancer warrior prayer list.

There are a bunch of us who have done battle with this beast. It is beatable for some and manageable for many more. I was fortunate to have been diagnosed early, had a successful surgery, and have a string of PSA's in the 'zeroes.'

We are pulling for you.

BeeMan

[smokeywolf]

Guys, thanks for sharing your experiences with us. The first time I got the finger wave was really humbling and humiliating. I was lucky to have an old horse & buggy doc who had a great sense of humor. I wasn't at all prepared for what I was about to feel. So, when I did feel it I let out a "OUCH". He responded with, "That'll wipe the smile off your face".
Old Doc Fingerle had seen it all and done it all. Yep, you read it right, his name was Dr. Fingerle, pronounced Fingerlee. After that first digital exam I was glad Doc Fingerle's name wasn't attributable to any unusual physical trait.
He spent 2 days a month doing housecalls for his elderly and infirm patients. He kept up with the housecalls well after he retired and up until his health started to fail.

The long and the short of it is, as unpleasant as that digital exam is, it's nowhere near as traumatic and life changing as what can result from not getting it.

Snuffy, I'll be pullin' for you on Friday. Soon as you're able, let us know that your OK.

smokeywolf

[gray wolf]

Prayer said for you and a complete recovery.

[geargnasher]

My ears are wide-open, Snuffy, and I'll add that getting a good "baseline" digital exam before 40 helps indicate any abnormalities later. That's the thing so many of us don't do, establish what normal is for each of us when we're young and healthy.

Be prepared for irrational panic attacks, hot sweats, crying fits, etc. from the hormone treatments. You will develop a whole new appreciation for what the females experience if your treatment is anything like what several friends of mine have undergone.

Gear

[Beau Cassidy]

Good luck, Snuffy.

There are 4 things that will absolutely keep your tail alive... keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol under control, getting the finger, and regular colonoscopies.

[snuffy]

Thanks guys for the responses. I've had all the talks with the VA docs about Gleason scores, life expectancy, and various therapies. Enough to make your head spin.

The main reason for posting this is to urge men to get a physical which includes a PSA blood test and a digital exam. Even though mine was caught early, I still have the cancer somewhere in my body. It hasn't made it's presence known yet, hopefully the hormone therapy will keep it stalled.

[snuffy]

My ears are wide-open, Snuffy, and I'll add that getting a good "baseline" digital exam before 40 helps indicate any abnormalities later. That's the thing so many of us don't do, establish what normal is for each of us when we're young and healthy.

Be prepared for irrational panic attacks, hot sweats, crying fits, etc. from the hormone treatments. You will develop a whole new appreciation for what the females experience if your treatment is anything like what several friends of mine have undergone.

Gear
Yup, hot flashes, depression, loss of muscle mass, just a few of what I'm going through. AND it won't get better. The shot is given once every 6 months. Just under the skin in the belly. Hurts like HEdouble hockey sticks. It forms a mass about the size of a popcorn seed, slowly dissolves over the 6 month period. One good thing, I'm saving money on the heat bill, those hot flashes keep me warm![smilie=1:

The SP catheter will eliminate the need for pads or diapers. Because I've had 6 cystoscopes the dilate the scar tissue in the bladder neck. Once the cath. is in, that scar tissue will heal shut! After 3 years of a wet crotch, it'll be like getting out of prison!:mrgreen:

[BeeMan]

Bump - keeping Snuffy in our thoughts and prayers.

[snuffy]

Well, it's over and done with, a complete success. Already working, no drainage out the old spigot.:mrgreen:

Some pain, feels like somebody sucker punched me in the lower abdomen. Kind of a dull ache. If that's all the worse it gets, I'll be very happy. I was in and out of the surgery room in 1 hour, I guess they have done a few of them before.

Thanks again for the well wishes and prayer.

[Sweetpea]

Glad to hear it!

[smokeywolf]

snuffy,
That's great that everything worked out as planned. Sounds like life will get better for you now.

smokeywolf

[Blacksmith]

Removed post that offended BeeMan.

[BeeMan]

Glad to hear it went well and that you finally have some relief.

[snuffy]

I'm feeling much better today, AFTER a nice nap in the recliner. Actually got some sleep last night, belly pain is now tolerable with 2, 5-325 vicodin pills. Best part is NOT having to get up 3-4 times in the night to pee. Gotta figure out how to attach the floor bag to the bed so I have the whole bed to use. Never have been able to sleep on my back, hurt too much to roll on my side Friday night.

It's draining just fine. I can actually get my lazy butt out of a chair without having to head straight for the Bat-room or a urinal. Just that small thing is a BIG +++. Had a ceremony Friday night, tossed the last of the pads out, the urinal, used catheters, the pee measuring container, stowed the remaining pads and diapers, and the catheters I had left. I doubt I will ever need them again.

Super bowl party today, then a poker game while they're playing at my brothers house. Haven't missed a game there in 5 years, I'll make it, just may not stay too long.

Thanks again for the support. It felt like you were all out in the waiting room!

[RNyogi]

Regular colonoscopies do save lives. One in 19 people will get colon cancer in their lifetime. Have a colonoscopy, they remove the polyps = no colon cancer. The prep is the worst part, and people delay or defer the procedure because of the thought of a procedure which is more invasive than a digital rectal exam.
bottom line is it saves lives and isn't as bad as you might imagine. Ask someone who has had one.
then talk to someone with colon cancer.
QUOTE=Beau Cassidy;2030587]Good luck, Snuffy.

There are 4 things that will absolutely keep your tail alive... keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol under control, getting the finger, and regular colonoscopies.[/QUOTE]

[snuffy]

Regular colonoscopies do save lives. One in 19 people will get colon cancer in their lifetime. Have a colonoscopy, they remove the polyps = no colon cancer. The prep is the worst part, and people delay or defer the procedure because of the thought of a procedure which is more invasive than a digital rectal exam.
bottom line is it saves lives and isn't as bad as you might imagine. Ask someone who has had one.
then talk to someone with colon cancer.
QUOTE=Beau Cassidy;2030587]Good luck, Snuffy.

There are 4 things that will absolutely keep your tail alive... keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol under control, getting the finger, and regular colonoscopies.[/QUOTE]

Good post RNyogi! My dad died of colon cancer. So I'm VERY concerned for myself. Because of that I have had 3 screenings in the past 15 years. They find the same 4 polyps, remove them, they're completely normal. My brothers also get regular tests as well.

That's one part of me that works as it should. Along with my lungs, the anesthesiologist said I had very clear sounding lungs for a 67 YO.:mrgreen:

[RNyogi]

Good post RNyogi! My dad died of colon cancer. So I'm VERY concerned for myself. Because of that I have had 3 screenings in the past 15 years. They find the same 4 polyps, remove them, they're completely normal. My brothers also get regular tests as well.

That's one part of me that works as it should. Along with my lungs, the anesthesiologist said I had very clear sounding lungs for a 67 YO.:mrgreen:[/QUOTE]
Good for you Snuffy, you're a smart man.
I wish you continued good health. :drinks:

[DLCTEX]

Well, it's over and done with, a complete success. Already working, no drainage out the old spigot.:mrgreen:

Some pain, feels like somebody sucker punched me in the lower abdomen. Kind of a dull ache. If that's all the worse it gets, I'll be very happy. I was in and out of the surgery room in 1 hour, I guess they have done a few of them before.

Thanks again for the well wishes and prayer.
I'm hitting the "like" button Snuffy, and thanking the Lord.

[spunky5180]

Snuffy, I'm new here, But kind of an expert on the SP catheter. Got shot twice about 40 years ago. Paralyzed from the chest down. Was a LEO. Ended up with a SP. Was the best option I could have asked for. With proper flushing twice a day with saline, one of those things will last a month without changing once your body adapts to it. At first your body wants to reject it like everything else but it will accept it and it becomes no problem. Leg bags attached to the SP let you go anywhere you like with no problem.
Glad it's all working out.

[snuffy]

Snuffy, I'm new here, But kind of an expert on the SP catheter. Got shot twice about 40 years ago. Paralyzed from the chest down. Was a LEO. Ended up with a SP. Was the best option I could have asked for. With proper flushing twice a day with saline, one of those things will last a month without changing once your body adapts to it. At first your body wants to reject it like everything else but it will accept it and it becomes no problem. Leg bags attached to the SP let you go anywhere you like with no problem.
Glad it's all working out.

Spunky, thanks for the reply and welcome to the forum. Thanks for your service to your community and so sorry to hear that you're paralyzed.

Saline huh? I've been having some clogging issues due to bleeding in the bladder. Some may be coming from the insertion site not being healed, but I think most is from bleeding caused by the radiation I underwent 2 years ago to try to kill the cancer.

Anyway, I've been using sterile water and a 70 CC syringe to clear blood clots from the catheter. It's worked well, the bladder spasms tell me when it's plugged. They can get real intense, for those with no bladder problems, it feels like ya just gotta go soooooo bad!!!!:mad:

I go down to the Mil. VA hospital 05-03 to get the new catheter installed. They'll do it every 30 days, give or take 5 days. They said I could eventually do it myself,,,--- umm well--- I can't see where it goes through my belly,,,---somethings in the way,,,---my TANK! Yeah, I know, gotta loose some weight.[smilie=1::coffeecom I ain't worth a damn doing something it the mirror, so that's out!

If not for the blood clots and bleeding, I would be well on my way to the new freedom. Just around the house and a couple of trips downtown for supplies have been great. No more------am I leaking, oh it-shay yes, but does it show?----I gotta hurry, it's getting full! NO MORE!

[spunky5180]

The clogging is a natural reaction by your body to a foreign object being inserted into it. It will tend to build up a sandy grit like substance that will eventually clog the tube. Good regular flushing will keep that mostly cleared although eventually it will clog no matter what you do. I learned early on to change my own and keep all the stuff here to do it with at a moments notice. The Drs will take 30 minutes laying out all the supplies and removing the old one and replacing it with the new ones all the while wearing sterile gloves and following the proper protocols. Afte 40 years it takes me 5 minutes at tops and sometimes I don't even remove all my clothes. They say necessity is a mother......or something like that. And I too cannot see the hole where it's supposed to go but I can feel it with a loose finger. You'll get quicker as you go farther. Perhaps it won't be that long an ordeal for you. If you get this other stuff whipped hopefully the catheters go away.
Good luck and if I can help, give me a shout.

Glen

[snuffy]

Just an update and TTT. Last Monday was cath. change #3. After the initial change, there's been little pain associated with the old one coming out and the new one inserted. The first one was very painful.

Except for the minor bother of a 160 mile round trip, the catheter has made a huge difference in my life. It gets plugged much less now, and the freedom it gives me is priceless.

The only fly in the ointment is, I just got word that my older brother has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. His PSA jumped markedly in the last 6 months up from normal for a 80 YO, 7.0 to 16.5 in the last 2 months. A biopsy confirmed a 20% reading in one of the 6 hollow needles. He's meeting tomorrow with the urologist, his wife and his son and daughter will decide which path to follow. Anything from watchful waiting to robotic surgery to remove the prostate. He does not have any trouble with flow or frequency, so he may just wait for a while.

Prayers would be appreciated. I'll let him know there's some shooters praying for him. That'll get a chuckle out of him! He's the man that lead me to Jesus, so I don't want to loose him.:D

[birdadly]

Hi Snuffy, I missed this thread first time around, sorry about that. I read thru though and am very happy you're doing well. Prayers for your whole family will be coming. Hollar if there's anything ya need from Appleton! -Brad