MEDICAL MATTERS

[Tizer]

Sorry to hear you got an unwanted result on the offending specimen, Stanley, but don't let it get you down. Next step is to see what the scan shows so keep your fingers and toes crossed. Keep your spirits up and look after your health in general so that your immune system can function on full power. Don't forget, it's not just the doctors and nurses who can sort you, your own body will be fighting back against any interlopers.

[Stanley]

Good advice and noted Tiz.
I have just had a call from my dedicated nursing team asking about my general health and life-style and she is perfectly satisfied I am OK. The CT Scan is on the 20th of November so I am booked in and have 11 days with no hospital appointments. Yippee!! They are concentrating on lungs, kidneys and bladder and moving fast, with purpose, I am impressed and confident in them.
Let Janet know I am fine please and give her my love.

[chinatyke]

That's a bugger. Kick its ass...

Ditto.
Good luck with your future tests and treatments.

[LizG]

As usual I'm playing catch up. Sorry to hear your news Stanley. Stay strong.

[Stanley]

Thanks all of you.
Liz, I am remarkably sanguine now that I know we have a plan, CT scan and then set out a treatment. This was reflected yesterday in my BP figures which have been running a bit high for me in the 150/80 range. They are showing signs of falling (In the 140/80 range now) and I have an idea it was stress....
I am perfectly fit, no symptoms, free of pain and enjoying my usual routine..... That'll do for the time being! So far so good..... Wycliffe Sunday School kicks in; "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" ( Matthew 6:34.)

[Marilyn]

So...when you say "there is cancer in the system", Stanley, is this based on results of blood tests or the pathology taken from your bladder growth?
I can't think of any other way they could know that bladder cancer could have spread prior to the CT. ( localised low grade tumours don't spread beyond the bladder. Aggressive ones do). I'm just wondering what prompted them to suggest it was "in your system". Aggressive tumours generally grow through the bladder wall into direct adjoining structures such as bowel or hip/pelvic bones.
Hubby had his CT before the tumours were removed the first time. So he knew things hadn't spread right off the bat. That was peace of mind indeed.
But he never had any blood tests, apart from those anyone has before an anaesthetic. They didn't do any blood tests to "search" for cancer...and never have done in the two years since.
He is in for another check cystoscopy on the 19th. The last one was CLEAR, so we are expecting the same again. I think they leave him alone for 6 months if this one is clear.

[Stanley]

I wish Dave the best Maz. The phrase 'cancer in the system' is mine because at the moment that is all I know, the tumour in my bladder was certainly cancerous so I have cancer in my system and my consultant will not make any decisions about ongoing treatment until he has assured himself that he knows whether there are any abnormal cells anywhere else. At the moment then they will not rule anything out. It may well be that I have a clean scan and the tumour they took out was just an aberration but as you well know they will not raise your hopes until they are sure, until then they work on worst case.
All I go on at the moment is that I am fit, pain free, have no symptoms and I'm enjoying myself. I know what's going on and have nothing to worry about until November 20th. That will do me!

[Marilyn]

Oh..ok...( I don't mean to push a barrow)...but they must know from pathology what grade cancer it is!
I'm just wondering if we are more "up front " here in OZ and don't shroud things in any kind of mystery fog. Because I would hate to think they are causing you undue stress, when it's not necessary. ( we prefer they just " hit us with it" and not pussy foot about).
( could be part of our culture that we don't regard doctors and specialists as Gods either. We desire they talk plain English and don't mystify anything.)

[Wendyf]

That's slightly more reassuring Stanley. Like Dave, Colin hasn't had a scan or blood tests that would check for cancer in the system even though the bladder tumour was his second experience of cancer. I wonder if it is due to your age or the smoking that they are checking you over so thoroughly?

[Stanley]

Probably both Wendy...... Deep Joy!

[Marilyn]

I think we ask more questions here ( possibly) because health care is so costly. We just want to cut to the chase quickly! We can't afford to have a battery of tests unless they are absolutely needed...because it is our wallets on the line
Hubby did have a CT ( prior to the first bladder cancer surgery because his urine test had revealed the cancer. He noticed his urine was odd and took a sample to the doc. We were Christmas shopping 2 days later when his mobile phone rang asking him to come to the clinic immediately. We went straight there and he was told he had bladder cancer on the basis of the urine sample. ( I saw the sample before hubby submitted it and it was very odd indeed...but then, as a former nurse, I knew my urine!!!!)
He never needed an Ultra Sound though.

[Stanley]

I'm grateful for the NHS and am just going with the flow Maz. But don't mistake that for complacency, I shall be asking questions!
Feeling fit, well and perfectly normal.

[Wendyf]

I can report that Stanley is looking as good as he feels!

[Marilyn]

So long as you can't report he feels as good as he looks!

Colin! She's been spotted down Barlick way again!

[Wendyf]

So long as you can't report he feels as good as he looks!

Colin! She's been spotted down Barlick way again!

Dammit Maz I can't get away with anything when your all seeing eye is switched on.

[Stanley]

She misses nothing Wendy...... I hope you had a good widdershins walk despite the light rain.
Wendy is right Maz, but it's nice to hear it. P said the same thing. In fact I feel better than at any time in the last five years, breathing good, absolutely no pain ancient or modern, walking easily..... It's surreal! Oh, and by the way, I am taking daily BP readings for Hassan and yesterday I was down at 130/83, best result for over 4 weeks, that cheered me up no end! I put it down to uncertainty...... Sort of 'White Coat Syndrome' in Spades.

[PanBiker]

Emma will be coming after lunch for my next session of neuro physio. Laura from LGI should have rung her and she should have formulated her plan for me since my assessment last week.

[Marilyn]

How are you going, Panbiker? Any improvement in the past week?
I bet it is doing you the power of good just to be home and in your own bed at night.
Have you planned any walks for yourself and the physio?

[PanBiker]

It's hard to say Maz as the changes are very subtle. I have noticed that I can move my toes on the right a little easier. Probably due to the last lot of exercises Laura gave me. These are stretching up as far as you can on a wall and raising your heels to bring you onto the balls of your feet, hard not to let the left leg take dominance. I'm supposed to do the routines through my right leg predominately but it's hard as the left has been compensating for the last 20 or 30 years and now has to take a back seat. They are very tiring as well, if I can do 10 reps I am doing good. The physio's are looking for minute changes and have a better seeing eye than even you Maz. They look at your overall stance which I know has improved as well as my framing, my turned out right foot is a lot straighter but may not come fully back into line even in the long term but it is much improved. My controlled standing from a sitting position to a correct posture is almost perfect and controlling the reverse back to sitting is also good. Sometimes you don't even notice that you can do a little bit more or there has been a subtle change until you have actually done it and it hits you that there is a change. I feel that the main thing now is strength and stamina build up.

I have dozens of walks that I can do at the drop of a hat, it depends what she want's from me.

[PanBiker]

Update now that I have had my hour with Emma and Asad. Emma is lead and Asad is in training but being encouraged to lead my recovery program. He started by a full set of strength tests to get a reference point and the plan now is to start on my hamstrings with a view to increasing range of movement, strength and endurance. I have series of six exercises which we worked through that I should do two to three times a day. These are targeted specifically at my hamstrings which are what actually send the electrical signals back to the brain. Build up quality repetition here and eventually the brain should take notice. Some of the exercises can be done sat down others using the kitchen worktop which is just the right height for hand support. Most start with 10 reps held for 5 seconds with a goal of building to 15 or 20 reps on some of them.

Emma did a scoring survey of my balance, which turned out to be a lot better than expected, standing on alternate legs with eyes closed and standing with one foot in front of the other, these were timed until I became unsteady, anyway I scored 53 out of 56.

I will be reviewed again next week to check that I have the routines off pat and on track, but a bit later in the week. I am at LGI next week at this time to see Mr Anderson which is a day of a job. Morning appointment for the next physio session but at the civilised time of 9.30am.

We have Samantha who is from the Occupational Therapy department calling tomorrow. She will be looking to get a couple of hand rails installed. One at the back door as we have a step up into the kitchen and a high thresh to negotiate, would be handy for entrance and exit. The other, a vertical rail to help getting in and out of the shower which at the moment is over the bath. We intend to rework the bathroom at some point and replace the bath with a walk in shower which will be better for both of us in the long run. I would relocate the washbasin at the same time which would create more open space in the bathroom.

Anyway doing better than expected so I must be doing something right

Oh, I have knocked the painkillers on the head so am completely medication free now.

[Wendyf]

It all sounds promising Ian.

[Stanley]

"
Oh, I have knocked the painkillers on the head so am completely medication free now."
That's a giant leap forward Ian!

[Nolic]

Great news Ian. Well done. Nolic

[plaques]

I can't understand this reluctance to use pain killers. If the pain is giving you discomfort that you would be better off without why not use them. The only caveat being if the pain killers are masking pain that could be aggravated by continuing that action then proceed with caution. Used sensibly pain killers are very useful but as always they can be addictive so long term users should always take medical advice.

[PanBiker]

I have no problem at all in taking any medication prescribed as long as I can see the need for it. When I was in hospital post op I started on about 16 tablets twice a day plus anti-coagulant injections in my stomach and IV fed anti-biotics. I was gradually weaned off them as the need reduced and was discharged on two Paracetamol four times a day. I still had some tightness and irritation in the wound site from my op as it knitted up. The situation now is that I have no pain at all, still some slight numbness down the right side but that is improving hence I don't need the painkillers.

I find it amazing that during the whole procedure I have never needed anything stronger. Some of the neuro patients were on Paracetamol, combined with an added codeine based drug and then Tramadol on top. One lad who was in severe pain with his back broken in three places had morphine injections as well. Needs must, horses for courses, I was lucky, never even had a headache.