Popeye Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 Well it has taken me a little while to recover sufficiently from my surgery to be able to report progress back to members, however here I am. Firstly I would like to thank Jim and those members who phoned me with personal support and best wishes prior to the surgery. I really appreciated those calls and they helped me feel not so alone, I took those wishes with me into the surgical theatre on the morning of my procedure. Here then is the final chapter (I hope) of the resolution of my gross haematuria. I mentioned in my last post that I underwent an MRI scan for an updated analysis of the bladder and what was left of my prostate gland. This MRI was undertaken on a machine that was new to the Townsville area and was not covered by medicare and the full cost had to be payed by me. This may be interesting for some as it was a 3 Tesla multi parametric MRI, The resolution and findings of which I was to find out was truly amazing. The MRI images were so clear even I could see the problems and the report indicated just how bad the condition of the bladder was. however the report also identified and graded the remaining cancer tumours from T2 to T3a in various parts of the prostate including the bladder neck. It ruled out tumours in the lymph glands and ureters. All this MRI information was confirmed as correct in the pathology report after completion of the surgery. The operation is a major surgery taking nearly eleven hours to complete and included the removal of the bladder, prostate gland, lymph glands and biopsies of the ureters and appendix. It also included the formation of a stoma using part of the ileal conduit from the bowel. Recovery is slow but I am so thankful to have been given this second chance and an escape from the fear of the blood clots and blockages I was experiencing. The fact that all remaining identified cancer has been removed gives me confidence that I will enjoy many more years of health although I recognise that there is no guarantee's against the cancer returning in the future. At least I feel like I now have a future as such. I was in such a bad way prior to this surgery and heading downward rapidly that I feel without this procedure I would have died from the complications of the haematuria in a short time. My story is now told and hopefully will remain here in this forum for any other poor soul who may be unlucky enough to be on the same road. My cancer experience and treatment with radiation is a rare experience for patients but none the less remains a possibility as I am testament to. I have been lucky enough to have found a urologist who had the skill sets and experience to successfully tackle the operation on a patient after radiation treatment to the pelvic area and to him I will be forever grateful. I am happy to discuss my little adventures to anybody who seeks any further information. Here's looking at life!!!!!! Lee aka Popeye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanbarlee Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Hey, Lee - what a fantastic story, and with such a great ending! The 3 tesla parametric MRI imaging certainly seems to be the ant's pants - and your urologist must be a real artist. Great to hear that your recovering so well from such radical surgery - and that you've had such a good cleanout of those annoying remnants of your prostate cancer. You now have a whole new life ahead of you - live it well! Best wishes, Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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