Would not be the same without you, keep it up, Sarah my winch girl is like you, I would ask her to find something in my barn (you have to see my barn) and she usually comes up trumps, sadly she is not very well (mentally) at this time so we are caring for her, but at least she is out of the horrible mental care unit, words cannot describe, Rick
Wow Rick, glad to here there is some progress, but sad to hear about her condition. I wish her well, and of course you for giving her support.
In fact, this last month, many members on this site have actually come forward with what they are facing, I wasn't aware of all what goes on at home.
But I will say, that the support from this club, to members and their families at times like this are remarkable. I thank you all for your support that you have given me, since being diagnosed with advanced Prostate cancer.
Just a quick update, mine is uncurable, it has spread to the lymph glands and my spine, and my bladder. On Monday at my visit with the oncologist, he suggested I had a catheter, to save me getting up 13 times a night, I couldn't walk far during the day, due to Urgency... so I am virtually house bound, the catheter and leg bag, with a night bag at least allow me to sleep.
For anyone who has had a catheter, they can irritate the bladder, and I regularly suffer from painful spasms that try to eject the catheter. A few day ago I thought I can now start to get a normal life, go out, sleep, I was starting to get some hope...then disaster, during one spasm, I had a bypass, urine leak, fortunately I was at home, so a shower and change of clothes were to hand. This destroyed my only hope... I was wrecked... I went back to the hospital to discuss it, one option, remove the catheter... I couldn't face that... or start to wear a pad... So far having kept the catheter, I haven't had a bypass.
I don't wear a pad at home, but I will when or if I have the confidence to go out.
I have volunteered to go on the "Stampede Trial" which mean additional hormone treatment which is given early, as tests have shown, when given this way, they think it can extend life. As these drugs are not licenced for use in this way, that's why it is a trial.
I had to ask the obvious question, how long? his answer is, he didn't know, as it depended on how the response to the treatment goes, but so far the hormone treatment has started to shrink the cancer, and I am no longer on the morphine, just a couple of codeine at bed time, so it looks like progress.
What they are hoping, is that in 10 weeks time, they will remove the catheter and I will stay in hospital close to a loo, and I will drink pints of water, wished it was beer lol... and they will monitor my bladder control.
It is hoped that my bladder will allow me to extend my time between visits to the toilet, then I could live without the catheter.
When pushed, the oncologist said you are likely to have years rather than months. I went into that meeting thinking it was the other way around.
To add insult to injury, I was informed that there were some replacement night bags in the post, I was told they will arrive on Wednesday... they still haven't arrived. So my wife is driving to the local A&E to see if they will kindly let me have a few to tie me over to my next hospital vist on Wednesday.
I would like to thank "Parcel Farce" for this latest, "below the belt" blow.
So guys, I again ask you to get yourself checked out, if you have urgency, difficulty in starting, or dribbling, or frequently getting up at night, you might catch it earlier than I did.:doh
Take care,
best regards,
Uncle Rustic
