Sunday, October 31, 2010

Hope For Less Worry Soon.




Scatterlings.

Jacquelyn Berl.
http://jacquelynberl.blogspot.com/

Since Friday I have been taking the Urispas tablets, they are to stop the bladder having spasms.

It seems to be working already to a certain extent, but of course it is early days, have only taken them now for three days, believe it is about two weeks before it works well.

My op is on the 26 November, which will come around quickly enough now; I know that the op to have the SP catheter is the only way to go,

Sadly it is the only way to go, seems a weird idea to have an op to make life easier that gives me a perpetual open wound that needs special care and attention.

But it is the only other option, seeing as I have had the Foley since August 2007, I now need to move no to the SP catheter.

Know that I have had the Foley for long enough now so have to make the switch, am actually in lots of ways looking forward to it being done.

Just wish that at night at the very moment I put my head down on the pillow and am just about to drift off and then each time, I think about the SP op and am wide awake right away.

Shame that there are no other options, wish there were research as to whether there are better ways to facilitate urination.

Another way so that there is not an open wound which has to be managed carefully and kept clean and sterile at all times.

Years ago I worked briefly at The Dairy Research Institute in Reading, where my job was to look after calves that had canulas with lids, in their stomachs so fluid could be taken out for investigation.

It was not pleasant looking after these animals; the whole project was to find out if calves could live on artificial milk so that cow’s milk would be for human consumption only.

I know it is not the same but keep seeing the unhealed calves flesh around the canula.

And the stomach fluids that would ooze out and dry rock solid which I had to clean off without causing too much pain.

Not a nice job hurting animals and killing them off once they were between 6 to 10 months and getting a new batch to feed artificial milk to.

I left after 6 months as I would not believe the official line that animals have no feelings and could no long bear hurting them daily.

That was 1974 and here it is 36 years later I too will have an open wound in my lower stomach.

All I hope is that it will be less worry than the Foley catheter is right now.   















8 comments:

steve said...

Happy Halloween, Herrad! Just think. Next year you can dress up as a fetus, complete with umbilical cord!

Herrad said...

Hi Steve,
Happy Halloween to you too.
Your greeting is the sweetest I have ever had!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Love,
Herrad

Anonymous said...

Hi Herrad:

I know you can't stop thinking about it, but Nov 26 is a long way off and if you don't try to put it aside, you will work yourself up badly.

Maybe you should ask the doc for 1 mg of Ativan for the next few weeks to calm you down a bit. Esp for 2 hours before you go to bed. Might help with all the thoughts that run amuck when you are trying to go to sleep.

In the past, I've taken care of patients with SP catheters and most have remarked on how much better they feel not having it the other way (ahem!). If you sleep on your belly, that's the only obstacle! The nurse will tell you how to take care of it (flushing,etc.) and will replace it as needed (don't know what the regs are there, but here in USA it is every 3 to 6 months, unless it poses no problems/infections).

Take care, and oh, BTW, I love that pink cape!

Anne

Herrad said...

Hi Anne,
Thanks for your visit and very helpful comment, what is Atavan?
I am looking forward to it feeling better.
Richie will learn how to look after and change the catheter, he has been looking after the Foley.
Here the Foley is changed every 6 weeks to 2 months, think the same for the SP.
Will find out on Thursday at my first appointment with the urologist.
Love,
Herrad

Webster said...

RELAX Herrad, It's a piece of cake. I have even heard of some people having it done with a local anesthetic, though it probably was a spinal block.

But you do need to stop fretting over the procedure. I would ask your doctor for an antibiotic to take for three days prior to the operation, just to ward off getting a full blown infection. With any catheter, there are more bad bacteria in the bladder than usual, and the procedure can "stir it up" a little. You don't want to end up with a fever, and doing three days before you go in will help with that. Just remember to ask the doc, Okay?

I almost hate to admit this, but I don't take hardly any special care of mine. So I'll just tell you to follow your doctor's orders.

I won't be held responsible!!

Herrad said...

Hi Webster,
Thanks for your visit and helpful comment, I presume I am one of those having a local anesthetic.
Will ask the urologist about taking antibiotics three days before, the courses here are for 5 days.
I have a list of questions for her already and its growing too.
Love,
Herrad

Anonymous said...

Ativan is to reduce anxiety. We all need a little bit of that in our lives. I take it two hours before bed and it helps me unwind from the day and keep awful thoughts away.

I also use it for my tremors during the day. I've been on it so long that I do not get the drowsiness effect other people get. But for you, two hours before bed, it might just be the ticket you need to relax you and your thoughts.

A t i v a n also called
l o r a z e p a m (generic name)


I hope you can find some peace in the weeks leading up to 26 Nov.

Take care,
Anne

Herrad said...

Hi Anne,
Thanks for the info about Atavan, will ask my doctor.
I think I will be ok now that I have decided to stop worrying about it all.
Love,
Herrad