UPDATE

The most recent entry here was a year ago - October 2021, in fact - and a lot has happened over the past year so I thought it worthy of updating the blog.

Perhaps the most significant thing is the fact that very recently (17th. - 28th. November) I spent eleven days in John Flynn hospital at Tugun, on the Gold Coast. This is where my wife had her heart operation in 2018.

I was admitted as an urgent case - my kidneys were failing as a result (unknown by me) of my enlarged prostate severely restricting urine outflow.

Over time I had just become accustomed to it and had no reason to know that it was placing my kidneys in danger and that it was distending my bladder to the extent that it was.

My GP picked up on the fact that the kidneys were not good, had me undergo blood and urine tests and at the same time had my kidneys and bladder scanned by ultrasound.

Results came back on the 15th. of November and through an amazing chance she happened to get me a consultation the next morning (Wednesday 16th.) with a urologist at John Flynn Private hospital.

 

I drove up to see him, he said he wanted me into hospital immediately, I said I needed to get back home first (to Yamba) so drove back that afternoon and then up to Tugun again the following morning - Thursday the 17th. of November.

 

Before having anything done to the prostate they had to do what was possible to get kidney function improvement and to get that underway I immediately had a cather inserted and 1.2 litres of urine was drained from my distended bladder.

Yes, you read that right - 1.2 litres.

An over-full bladder in an adult may hold 600 ml or so, but according to my urologist and the renal specialist, what I was retaining was exceptional.

Over the next five days I drank lots of water, got very little sleep (maximum was about a two-hour stint), had water intake vs urine output measured, ate very little and gradually the kidney function improved, until it plateaued - but it was an improvement and was below the critical level at which dialysis would have been considered necessary. There may even be further improvement over time but they will never be "normal" for a man of my age.

Once the kidneys had stabilised the urologist was able to do a TURP procedure (the urethra is "re-bored") on the prostate; it didn't need to be removed as it was small enough to enable a TURP to work.

That procedure should see me out (usually about ten or so years) but a checkup in January will indicate how it's going.

So the following six days were spent being constantly monitored, particularly for water consumption, urine output and urine retention. Gradually my appetite picked up and I was able to finish a meal without feeling queezy.

Finally, on Monday the 28th. of November, I received the all-clear from both doctors and said goodbye to the nurses and staff who had cared for me over the previous eleven days.
The care, kindness and attention given to me by more than 25 nurses over that period was amazing and I felt overwhelmed by emotion when saying goodbye. Nurses are really very special people.

I would like to say a public "Thank You" to each of them. I recorded their names on my phone each time they changed shifts. My apologies if any spelling is incorrect:-

Nadia, Chrissy, Krystle, Aly, Kathy, Jacque, Bec, Julie, Belinda, Jessa, Sundi, Andrea, Wendy, Yvonne, Jacquie, Michelle, Cathie, Tara, Emma, Saraya, Rachel, Darinda, Amanda, Liz, Honey, Annelyse and Greg.

Very special people, indeed.

There is still a chance that the prostate may require removal. The check and tests in January, particularly on the PSA level and the scan of the prostate, will determine whether it should be removed.
If so, then whether cancer plays a part will not be known unless a biopsy is taken.

UPDATE:
Pathology report was received by the urologist, who spoke to me on the phone on Wednesday 14th. December.
A biopsy was taken during the TURP and cancer was found. He stressed that it was a small 'c' and no action was needed at this time. The check in January will help determine if anything further will be required.

Que sera, sera.......as the saying goes.

Whatever way it turns out, right now I am just so thankful that by some miracle of timing I was able to be seen virtually immediately after my GP contacted the urologist. Someone had phoned in just minutes before to cancel their appointment and that time was available when my GP phoned. Incredible.
An earlier call to a urologist in Lismore resulted in a "not until February" response; my renal specialist said that I may not have lasted until February.

Miracles really do happen.