23 January - Decatheterized!

Two weeks after surgery, I was back up at the hospital, this time to have the Foley catheter removed.  Having a catheter was a totally new experience to me and might be to some of you.  Here’s my take on what happened to me.  During the prostatectomy, a catheter was installed.  Basically this is a tube which carries urine from the bladder to the outside world.  Because the path the urine used to follow has been considerably tampered with when the prostate was removed, now it’s the challenge to get things working again.  And the catheter helps for the post-operative period.  Before I left the hospital, the nurse explained the requirements of dealing with this catheter when we are left on our own.  With connections and tubes and uncertainty about the process, it is somewhat daunting, but basically we have to cope with it.  During the day, the catheter is connected to a leg bag.  This is a small plastic bag which fastens with straps to my lower leg.  It is not uncomfortable and has to be changed about three or four times a day.  I could take a shower with the leg bag on.  Other than a little sloshing when walking with a nearly full bag, it is hardly noticeable.  Changing the leg bag is not an issue because it is not difficult.  The night bag is larger and is meant to last the night.  It is more awkward because it isn’t fastened to me.  Rather when I settled for the night, it was hooked to a bucket (for convenience sake).  It did mean that I pretty well had to sleep on my back with this tube extending over the side of the bed to the night bag.  Fourteen nights of that was enough.  The removal was not a big deal. The same nurse who removed my staples was on duty to remove the catheter.  I was lying on my back on the bed, down came my lower clothes, a drape was placed over the area of interest.  She removed the water from the balloon holding the catheter in the bladder.

Take a deep breath says the nurse.  That was just for practice.  Take another one and presto, the catheter was out.  It is hard to imagine the difference of not having the catheter with me 24/7.  I was told there could be some burning during urination, but that didn’t really happen.  During the two-week period when I had the catheter in place, we really had no problems.  And I’d say there is plenty of opportunity for problems to occur.  So, I’m giving full credit to Dr. Frederic Foley.  He’s the American urologist who invented this device about eighty years ago.  The design has hardly changed in that time, and this has been such a help to patients who require urinary catheterization. 

Now, of course, I have to be more aware when I need to go to the bathroom.  The next while will be spent coping with wetness, back to Kegel exercise duty- it often takes a few weeks to see improvement, but I’m fine with that.

21 January - Support Groups: How Important Are They?

Here's the notice for the next meeting of our local Prostate Cancer Support Group.

The regular monthly meeting of the Greater Moncton Prostate Cancer Support Group will be held on Wednesday, February 1, at 7 pm at the YMCA, 30 War Veterans Avenue, Moncton. Special speaker: John Staples, well known Moncton pharmacist. Topic: The role played by supplements and vitamins in cancer treatment. This meeting is open to prostate cancer survivors, their spouses/partners, and anyone interested in learning more about this disease. Everyone welcome!

This is also a great opportunity to stress how important a support group can be.  For our group, the intent has always been threefold- to provide up-to-date reliable information on prostate cancer and everything related to the disease; to raise awareness of prostate cancer in our community; and most important of all to provide a community of support for all men diagnosed with the disease and their famiies. 

The basic information about prostate cancer continues.  This disease strikes about one man out of every seven in Canada.  Research has determined new ways to deal with prostate cancer, but there is no doubt this remains a serious threat to the health of Canadian men.  In 2012, more than 4000 Canadians will die from it.  What can we do?  Encourage every man over 50 to be checked.  Being checked at the moment where we live means having a PSA blood test and having DRE (digital rectal examination).  If you are high risk, that is, if you have family members with prostate cancer or are of African-Canadian descent, you should be tested at 40.  If everything is fine, you can be checked again at 45, and then yearly after age 50.  If the PSA or DRE reveal anything unusual, you will be referred to a local urologist.  The urologist will decide whether you should have a prostate biopsy.  This is the only means we have to determine whether cancer is present in the prostate. 

If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, or if you have been living with it, we would encourage you to find a local support group which focuses on this disease.  If you don't feel you need support, you might be unaware how important your contribution to a group would be for someone completely new to the experience.  As we've said, this is not a team anyone would choose to play for, but once you're on it, then our work is cut out for us.  And having fellow team players does help.  If there is no local support group where you live, consider a cyber group- there are a number and I've provided links earlier in this blog.  I have found the tips and advice from other prostate cancer patients to be of great value to me over the past six months.

So there we are.  If you live in the Greater Moncton area (or even within driving distance), consider joining us on February 1.  The meetings are informal and we have the basis of a strong local support group.  You would be more than welcome to join us.

18 January - Destapled!

Yesterday was the day for the removal of the staples.  After a couple of low days at the end of last week, by Sunday I was somewhat perkier and ready to cope.  That’s always encouraging.  So the next appointment in the drill was up to the hospital for the removal of the staples.  There was no wait and the whole process took maybe ten minutes.

Questions you may want to ask-

How many staples were there?  17, I got the nurse to count as they came out.

Did it hurt?  I was told there might be some pulling or a bit of discomfort but it shouldn’t be bad.  It wasn’t and maybe I was just lucky.  None resisted coming out and it was very much like having staples removed from paper.  I think in times past, stitches might have been more of an issue.  Anyway this went fine, I thought.  The nurse applied steri-strips to the incision and they stay on until the first of the week.  My thought was that after five prostate biopsies, having staples removed should be easier for me.  And it was.

What’s next?  On Monday morning, I go back up to the same clinic for the removal of the catheter.  And then it’s just up to me to do whatever it takes to get back in good shape, or as good a shape as is likely!

I see a difference now in energy level- I’m able to walk through the halls of our building for a half hour at a time and don’t mind it.  I rarely take a daytime nap, but I wasn’t used to that anyway.  I sleep well although it’s not quite as carefree as not having a catheter as part of your existence.  I’m only up once at my usual time in the morning.  I’m not lifting anything, was told not to lift more than 5 pounds (or was it 10?) for the first four to six weeks.  I’m able to enjoy my meals and happy hour (with red wine included) is part of our day!  I haven't driven the car yet and may wait another week. 

Barb has been wonderful through all of this and has met every challenge (and there have been a few) successfully.

Life is good- I’m blessed!

14 January - Five days post-op

It’s Saturday afternoon, five days post-op.  How am I?  That’s the question that comes most often our way.  Let’s see.  Monday was surgery day.  Tuesday was good, still on the happy meds and surprised by energy and general condition.  Wednesday not as perky.  Got home around supper time and that about did me in.  Thursday and Friday were okay- I thought I would have more energy than I do.  Here’s the inventory.  I can walk a bit, but not for long without getting fatigued.  We have room to walk in the apartment and I haven’t ventured out yet.  I was quite crampy the last couple of days and that made life quite uncomfortable.  My abdomen was distended, but that seems to be improved today.  The catheter is working and output is respectable.  We are coping with leg bag and the night bag and the connections (just a few oaths here and there).  I made a better effort at getting cleaned up today, change of pyjamas etc.  I shaved so I’ve given up the possibility of a Hemingway look.  Today for lunch I had a peanut butter sandwich and two clementines.  I’m drinking lots of fluids, but haven’t reinstituted wine for happy hour yet.  Why not, I hear you ask?  We thought it might be wise to be off the heavy painkillers first and I’m okay with that.  We are encouraging people to give us another week before visitors (unless related by blood J ).  Same with phone calls- I’m still not up to conversations but I’m sure next week will see even more improvements.  I go in on Wednesday to have the staples removed from my incision and then on the 23^rd, I have the catheter removed.  Big changes then!  My general impression to date- they weren’t kidding when they said it would take a while to recover.  Healing takes time.  I’m  very fortunate to have this much behind me and that things are going well to date.  If there is some improvement each day, I’ll be happy with that.  I’m pretty good at pacing myself.  I sleep well and that helps.  I’m not much of a television watcher, so I’m getting my year’s supply at the moment.  Did see the premiere of my favourite show, CBC’s “The Republic of Doyle”.  It was on the evening I got home, beautiful scenery of St. John’s, Newfoundland, and great to see Russell Crowe as a guest star.  Barb and I also watch “The Big Bang Theory”.  No doubt we’ll watch The Golden Globes on Sunday.  There are a few other retirees like me who have new iPads, so I’m looking forward to trying that out soon- maybe we’ll have a little beginners’ group going.  We had 16 cm of snow during the week, but that's mostly gone now.  Tomorrow we are expecting a cold snap, sub-zero temps.

11 January - I'm home!

This will be a quick update for the blog.  The surgery took place on Monday morning at 8 as planned.  It took about two and a half hours and Dr. Dwyer was in to talk to my wife and son by 10:30.  By noon I was up in my room and spent most of the rest of that day in la-la land, dozing off from time to time.  The doctor felt that everything went well, there were no surprises.  Now my job is to heal.  Tuesday was a busy day.  I have a Foley catheter and that seems to be working well.  It will stay in for two weeks and then will be removed at the hospital.  There was also a drain from a point near the incision, but that was removed yesterday.  I was on IV with a morphine pump, but I seemed to be doing okay on pain meds by mouth, so I  only used the pump a couple of times out of curiosity more than anything else.  I’m getting antibiotics and will have those while I have the catheter.  To prevent blood clots, I was getting a shot in the stomach while I was in the hospital.  There was a lot of coming and going on Tuesday and I was able to get up and walk the loop of the floor six times with the nurse.  I sat up in a chair most of the morning.  Apparently all the happy medications were having their effect, because yesterday I wasn’t quite as perky.  I was on a full diet yesterday although I’m not overdoing that- need stool softeners now so that there is no strain on the incision.  My doctor gave me the choice of coming home on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning, so I opted for Wednesday.  Around 4, son Eric came and collected Barb and me, drove us home with a stop for the various prescriptions.  It’s always good to be home and although the catheter bags (leg bag for the day and larger night bag) took a bit of getting used to, we did okay.  I’m sleeping on a recliner which seemed to help last night, and we have a raised seat on our toilet (recommended by a fellow veteran of the procedure) and that seemed to help today.  This is all for now.  Barb and I have both been overwhelmed by the support and concern shown by so many – you are much appreciated.  I’ll try to add a photo taken one day after surgery.  Stay tuned for new updates.

4 January - PCCN Prostate Cancer Support Group Meeting

It was a cold night, but we were pleased to have a good turnout for our third prostate cancer support group meeting.  There were 21 in attendance, including six spouses.  We are getting to know each other a bit better and have the basis for a strong support group.  We showed the video of the Olivia Chow luncheon meeting in Halifax where she described how important support groups were to Jack Layton when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  Anyone can check out this video on YouTube or the Prostate Cancer Canada Network website.  Dr. Rob Rutledge from Halifax had planned to be in Moncton on Saturday, the 7th, to give a talk on cancer and healing.  However, due to family illness, he isn't able to make it.  We did show his book "The Healing Circle" and discussed the work he is doing on healing and cancer in Halifax.  We are hopeful he will be able to get to Moncton later in the year.  If you visit http://www.healingandcancer.org/ , you can check out some of the work he is doing.  We also mentioned a program in Halifax where a free nine-week course in resistance training/yoga for prostate cancer patients is about to start.  Following a break for cookies and water (our coffee source was on vacation), we spent some time sharing introductions to the various people attending.  They were willing to share stories of their journey with prostate cancer- very worthwhile and we learned a lot.  This emphasized how many different stories abound in this experience, and we can derive strength from each other.  Our next meeting is scheduled for February 1. 

4 January - Preoperative Stuff

Today I had an appointment at the Moncton Hospital at 10.  We went to the Admitting Office first where they got the required information.  Then I went to a clinic where I had an ECG (electrocardiogram).  That was quick and effortless.  I know I had one before, and the nurse checked and found it was in 2002.  My last stop was for blood work and then we were good to go.  In and out in about a half hour total.  My next arrival there will be on Monday, the 9th, at 6 a.m.  My prostatectomy is scheduled for 8.

For the record, here's what they've got to work with.  I'm 67 years old.  I am in good health.  The only other surgery I've had is the removal of tonsils and adenoids about 60 years ago.  I take only one pill a day, Losec, for a stomach problem which caused several gastric bleeds back in the 90s.  I was told at that time I'd be taking this medication for the rest of my days.  The only other health problem I've had is recurring urinary tract infections caused by a urethral stricture.  These caused high fevers, chills etc, but antibiotics usually did the trick.  I am about 6 feet tall (my sons say I'm less than that now as I've aged- they are both taller than I am) and weigh 190 pounds.  We follow a healthy diet, lots of chicken and fish, vegetables and fruit, very little red meat.  I use skim milk and avoid white bread.  I drink a glass or two of red wine every day.  I go off it for a week every once in a while to be sure I can!  I sleep well, and often don't get up in the night to use the bathroom.  I go to bed around 11 and get up around 6.  I go to the YMCA three days a week and there I do four miles on the treadmill (walking not running) and six weight machines.  Two other days a week I walk outside with a group of retirees- we walk about an hour.  In my career I was a teacher of high school mathematics for 33 years and loved it.  I retired almost 15 years ago.  Retirement is great and we are busy with a wide variety of activities, our choice.  My wife Barb and I have been married for 43 years.  We have three adult children and seven grandchildren.  We enjoy our family and see them often.  We enjoy travel and have taken tours to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, cruised to Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, enjoyed Elderhostel (now Routes to Learning) programs in Stratford, Ontario, Quebec City and les Iles de la Madeleine, taken winter vacations to Jamaica, Mexico, Florida, Barbados, and Anguilla.  We have taken the Rocky Mountaineer through the Canadian Rockies and last June visited Iceland.  Barb and I were the New Brunswick reps for CARP (A New Vision of Aging for Canada) and now we are involved as coordinators of the Greater Moncton Prostate Cancer Support Group. So that's me in a nutshell!