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Location: cincinnati, ohio | Well, my month long health issue has hopefully been resolved.
Around the end of August I got really sick. A blood test revealed my kidneys had just about shut down. I've had an enlarged prostate (benign, thankfully) for several years that was making it a little hard to "go," but it had apparently enlarged to the point where I wasn't going enough to empty out, and reflux urine was backing up into the kidneys and causing acute renal failure.
After four days at Bethesda North (with a catheter), my kidney function was back to normal. I voided 2.6 liters of fluid in the first 20 minutes, and after four days I'd lost 20 lbs.of fluid weight. I went home with the catheter in and was scheduled for TURP surgery (trans-urethral resection of the prostate or something like that) on September 12th.
The first thing they did on the 12th was take out the catheter and install a supra-pubic tube catheter through the abdomen into the bladder - much easier to deal with than a regular catheter. Then they did a cystoscopy, where they found there was a third enlarged lobe in back growing up against the bladder (usually there are only two on either side). Apparently all the digital exams and prostate biopsy/ultrasounds and renal sonograms I'd had over the past couple of years were unable to detect this third lobe.
So they cancelled the TURP. Instead I was scheduled for the even less invasive HOLEP laser surgery with another specialist (HOlmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate). Basically they removed the gland part of the prostate and left the shell so there wouldn't be any nerve damage or incontenence issues. That also rules out the risk of future re-enlargement and cancer. They did that Tuesday (9/25), and I came home Wednesday (9/26). I'll still have the supra-pubic tube in for a while as a backup, but I'm able to "go" much better on my own now. I feel better than I have in a long time, albeit a little worn out..
Hope that's not too much information or too graphic, but I wanted to put it out there for any of you over 50 guys here (I'm 62 myself). I think there are a few of us here. If you're not doing it, get the ol' prostate checked regularly. As you can see, there are other issues besides prostate cancer that you need to be aware of. Granted, it's no fun when the urologist says, "Bend over and play Army," but it's necessary. I see my regular Doctor every six months and my urologist every six months, and I still ended up in the hospital! A sobering statistic: 1 out of every two men (50%) is affected by prostate woes of one type or another. So try to stay ahead of it.
Everybody be well!
Rick
Edited by rick endres 2012-09-27 1:45 PM
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Location: Pueblo West, CO | Holy smokes! I'm glad you home and getting better. |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | Thanks, Dan. I'm glad it's behind me.  |
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Location: Flahdaw | rick endres - 2012-09-27 2:35 PM
"Bend over and play Army,"
Hey! I resent that. My DAD was army! |
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Location: Right now? | Wow, Rick, I'm glad to read you are OK and that you had the less-invasive procedure. I cannot imagine how sick you must have felt. Of course I am a woman and don't have a prostate, ha, but about twenty years ago I was rushed to the emergency room with a sudden onset of back pain and very high fever ... after the exam, the doctor remarked, "You have a mild kidney infection." ... I was thinking to myself, if this is a MILD infection, what the heck does a bad one feel like? So glad you're feeling better.  Willa
Edited by WillaMuse 2012-09-27 2:38 PM
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | So's my urologist, Bob. Walter Reed Hospital-trained. Thanks, man.
Thanks, Willa. Much appreciated.
Edited by rick endres 2012-09-27 2:40 PM
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Drink lots of water, cut back on salt and watch out for sports or energy drinks. That's what I painfully learned from my urologist and his nurse after kidney stone surgery last Spring. I'll spare you the details, but kidney stones are to be avoided if at all possible. |
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Location: Right now? | I had 'em. Even worse for men, fer sure. Did your doctor tell you (like mine told me) that we have a one in four chance of getting them AGAIN ... oh, my GAWD I thought I was going to die ... haven't had any since (no surgery, thank goodness).
Stay well!
Willa |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Unfortunately, yes. Once you have them, you have at least a 25% chance of getting them again. It's always comforting, when they give you statistics instead of answers. A few years ago, coffee was supposed to be a cause. Now coffee is supposed to prevent them. Few people drink more coffee than I do, but I still got them. Same with calcium supplements. One says they're bad, the other says they're good. I'm just going to ignore all health advice from now on and outlive all the health nuts. |
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | Congrats on having most of the ordeal behind you. I can fully sympathize with where you are having had 18 major grueling surgeries on my abdomen. Two years ago I was in the hospital for 6 months with horrendous complications. I couldn't eat anything for a solid year. I lived on IV nutrition and couldn't watch tv because the food commercials drove me insane. The best thing I can say to you is don't over exert yourself and try to rush your healing. Your body is stressed enough just trying to heal. Take it easy bro. |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Hope you keep feeling better every day Rick! |
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Location: Connersville, Indiana | It sure sucks getting old, I'm telling you. Welcome Home Rick so glad you feeling better brother.
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | Thanks, everybody. My sympathies to all of you folks who have had surgical issues. Up until a month ago I'd never been in the hospital for anything; now I've been there three times in four weeks. Makes up for lost time, I guess.
There's some poem about the Golden Years based on Dr. Seuss. Starts out, "I cannot see/ I cannot pee... and ends with "The Golden Years have come to pass / The Golden Years can kiss my a-s-s." I've got it somewhere; I'll see if I can find it. |
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Location: Flahdaw | DaveKell - 2012-09-27 5:12 PM couldn't watch tv because the food commercials drove me insane
This truly gave me the chills... |
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| I've had one bout with kidney stones. Not fun at all, but no surgery. Just some pain killers while they made their trip out.
Rick, I'm glad your on the mend and they found a cause. I hate the " We're not really sure ..... " diagnosis.
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Location: Route 66, just east of the Cadillac Ranch | As they say, "growing old ain't for sissies." Glad to hear your on the mend and hope you continue to feel better. |
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Location: Chicago | From one heavy surgery survivor to another: stay strong. Godspeed, brother. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Glad to read that everything turned-out alright.
Getting Old Sucks... But it beats the Alternative. 
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | Thanks all. Arthur, love your analogy - it does beat the alternative.
Just to clarify - I DIDN'T have kidney stones. My enlarged prostate was causing urine to back up into my kidneys and cause acute renal failure. They essentially took out the innards of the prostate - kind of like taking the fruit and pulp out of an orange and leaving the skin behind.
Edited by rick endres 2012-09-28 11:29 AM
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Location: Nashville TN. | Good to hear your feeling better |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | Thanks, PEZ. Appreciate the sentiment. Doin' better each day. |
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Location: cincinnati, ohio | Hi, all -
Well, we went to see my surgeon today for a follow-up visit. Everything went fine. After the procedure last week, just as a precaution, he sent tissue samples of the prostate to the lab, and there was no cancer. He also took out the supra-pubic tube in my stomach today - I don't need it anymore. The bladder, despite being kind of big and floppy from being stretched, is working normally. With the tube being removed, I feel like a normal human being again. I've had either a catheter or that belly tube in me since the end of August. Although I can't lift anything heavy for two weeks, I'm cleared to go back to work on October 15th.
So things are getting back to normal. I don't go back to see him again until January, and Vicki and I feel like a weight's been lifted off our shoulders. Anyway, just thought we'd pass along the good news.
Rick
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Location: Connersville, Indiana | Great news Rick, I know exactly how you feel. So glad to hear everything is doing well.
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OT - Rick Endres Home from Surgery
