I’m home, feeling rather weary and very sore.
It’s been a tiring 24 hours.
I’ve seen the efficient side of our beloved NHS when I attended a cottage hospital for a routine kidney ultrasound yesterday. I’ve had no pain or discomfort so and the technician and I were somewhat shocked to find out that I was in urine retention .
Fast forward to six hours later when a testosterone filled Urology Registrar and a diffident Surgical Reg, passed a catheter through a blockage in my urethra.
I have never screamed as much as I did last night, so much so that after the deed was done and I was shown back into reception, 2.5 litres lighter, at least 10 patients sitting along the corridor eyed me with ashen looks and worried faces.
I was sent home with the catheter in situ and sometime in the night , the catheter literally snapped in half ( you couldn’t make it up) so back I went, waiting another 5 hours in order to see two more urology registrars brandishing more pain inducing catheters!
They used tons of local anaesthetic this time ( and by 2 pm I was beginning to lose some of my natural good humour) but the deed was done and I was sent on my way to pharmacy with a prescription for strong antibiotics walking like a man who looked as though he’d shit himself.
I was near dropping when the pharmacist told me my prescription was only usable for community pharmacies so resisting the urge to throttle the technician with the straps of my leg bag, I walked to Bluebell, only to find I’d lost the prescription somewhere en route.
I hobbled back to A&E where a delightful nurse , sorted things out giving me the tablets from her store.
I could have kissed her
It was nice to get home.
Nuala has been fab in phone support, even stating she would be on the next train to wales if I needed her,
😀❤️
But like I said, it’s just nice to be home
Oh john, that's awful. Glad you are home. There's nonplace like it. Get well soon. Xx
ReplyDeleteSounds horrendous! I hope you feel better today. x
ReplyDeleteOh, John! What a palaver and so sorry you had to go through it all. I (and I know lots of others) have been worried. With good reason, it seems. Still, you're home now and fingers crossed, the antibiotics work their magic quickly. Cuddle up with the furries and rest. Sending gentle hugs. xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for checking in, I was so worried. What a nightmare. I'm so sorry you had to go thru this, esp alone. Sending a hug and virtual hand holding, brow soothing.
ReplyDeletexx lizzy d
Thinking of you John, and sending best wishes for a speedy recovery! Cali
ReplyDeleteYou poor thing. No wonder you are exhausted. If not Nuala, then I hope someone is available for hands on nurturing. So many of us would be over like a shot if we were located closer to you. Feeling frustrated by it today. Still you don't need hordes of us leaping over your wall in a frenzy, however well meant.
ReplyDeleteAmazing that you could have 2.5 litres and not know it. I read your post with my legs crossed, I suspect many of us did.
ReplyDeleteI hope the antibiotics kick in and do their job.
Take care and rest up - and give my best to Weaver.
I hope you’re feeling better hour by hour as the antibiotics get to work. I hope your pets all serve as the hot water bottles you need. Cheers to you.
ReplyDeleteBonnie in Minneapolis
Oh my God, that is a lot of retained urine. Take care and get some rest.
ReplyDeleteThat really is the stuff of nightmares! I'm so sorry that you have to go through this. Whenever I've experienced difficult times such as this I have friends in my 12 step fellowship that always remind me that no matter what, this shall pass and there are better days to come. XO
ReplyDeleteCrikey. You need a G&T ... or, perhaps not 🤔 Would a hug do instead?
ReplyDeleteMy son has experienced something similar and I have so much sympathy for you. Please look after yourself. Rest up and let's hope you'll feel better soon. Jxx
ReplyDeleteOh poor you, John, a truly horrible time.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone get you cranberries in any form, dried, cranberry jelly, or juice? They are supposed to help. I hope the antibiotics work speedily.
Hi John. My husband had a tumour removed in his bladder last June. Two days later I had to rush him back into hospital as he was retaining urine. Since then he has had a catheter. Every time the catheter is changed at the hospital he has problems. Hooray for our district nurses. They are brilliant looking after him. I am so grateful to them. Good luck and I hope the catheter is removed soon.
ReplyDeleteI have no words that have not been said by the above comments - okay, wait - I do have something I can say which is something you taught me "BLOODY HELL!!!!"
ReplyDeleteGet well soon, John - you have my deepest sympathy, having suffered the pain of kidney stones myself in the past.
ReplyDeleteGood grief John, your ordeal brought tears to my eyes. Can’t imagine how happy you were to be home. And minus over 2 litres of urine, amazing. Wishing you better, Mariet
ReplyDeleteOh John - What a ghastly experience! 2.5 litres ! That’s huge! But I think you escaped a much more serious emergency- - although the treatment was pure torture. Hopefully the bladder settles down with the antibiotics and the Waterworks functioning returns to normal. You’ll be very tired so my prescription is a scotch egg, a bowl of chicken soup and a cuddle with the critters. XX
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you had to go through all that. Hugs. xx
ReplyDeleteYou've been to the wars. xo
ReplyDeleteHugs and quick healing wishes. DH went through a similar experience a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteOh My GAWD, what a horrible ordeal. I don't know how you got through it, but hats off to you. Thank goodness you're home and may there not be one single more issue as you heal up quickly and completely, I hope.
ReplyDeleteOh my dear squire , you did all this on your own, how terribly hard is that? I’ve done the same and my heart broke for me , just a little so I feel for you, even though you try and make light of the whole experience.
ReplyDeleteI wish I lived nearby mr gray, I would be leaving a sneaky vodka martini on the kitchen wall .
Sending u luve
Lee
So painful for you. I sympathise and hope the specialists can find a solution.
ReplyDeleteGood that you have antibiotics. Take extra care and a huge hug. Josie ( )
Oh, John, I’m so relieved you’re OK (sort of). A catheter is bad enough but a catheter snapping off is awful. What a little shop of horrors. Damned testosterone-filled urologist. I’ve been there. The last time, I had the most amazing nurse who inserted and removed the catheter without my feeling a thing. It can be done! (Try a little tenderness, maybe?) May you heal quickly. Any idea what caused it or is it just one of those things? Whatever it is, know that you are loved and thought of.
ReplyDeleteMy deepest sympathy as there is nothing more painful than what you've endured. And without anesthesia, mores the pity. BTW, letting more than 1000cc of urine out in a short time can drop your BP so you faint. Yep.
ReplyDeleteTake good care of you!
Hugs!
OMG and WTF Couldn’t they have given you the ‘whistle’ anaesthetic?! Coming from the US I am finding the NHS to be less than I expected. Hugs and healing thoughts coming your way.
ReplyDeleteweavinfool
Why would a procedure like that be done without anesthesia? Unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteCeci
Oh my! Wishing you a quiet and healing weekend. Hugs to you, Mary, Roger, Bun and Weaver.
ReplyDeleteHorrendous! If they found a blockage, does that mean that once things have settled down, you should suffer fewer problems? Hope you feel better very soon.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds torturous.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your ordeal, John. Hope you are feeling better soon. xoxo
ReplyDeleteI don’t really understand the NHS.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness. not something I would wish on anyone...least of all you! Calculi? spasms? why the retension?...and ugh..cathether insertion w/ a blockage.? I worked in medicine for over 40 years..seen it, done it.. men with blockages or stones are (in my experience) had worse pain than women during childbirth.... I am so sorry for what you are dealing with. I hope it can be resolved (or disolved) soon....as in ASAP
ReplyDeleteSusan M/ Calif.
You poor guy! Sending you soothing thoughts and hoping this clears up so many issues. Olivia
ReplyDeleteNo wonder you are exhausted. This was a nightmare ordeal. Hopefully the antibiotics resolve things for you. That said, the root cause of these issues needs to be identified, and some preventative care must be provided. If Nula can be with you for a few days, I think that would be very helpful.
ReplyDeleteA day to remember.... or better, to forget. x
ReplyDeleteWow John, what an awful day. 2.5 litres!!! I'm imagining a 2 litre + bottle of cola, good grief!!!
ReplyDeleteNot surprised you screamed with that procedure.
Your description of the journey of the day is very clear, but when you got to the bit about strapped to your leg, I couldn't help but think of the Billy Connelly sketch about the disco. In real life it's not funny it's awful and I feel sorry for you having to go through that.
Hope you feel better soon.
Jean.
How absolutely awful. The pain of that procedure! I know of the catheter experience and also the pain that can be involved in urine retention. I am grateful for the NHS but have no trust that there is pain relief available for me with something really painful. Your scenario was the stuff of nightmares and am so sorry you had to go through it.
ReplyDeleteOh my days! You've really been through it.
ReplyDeleteRest up, and perhaps you should consider taking up Nuala's kind offer of support. X
Oh John, what a nightmare, sounds truly horrific. Doctors are often rather gung ho in their approach. I really hope the antibiotics kick in soon and you have the catheter removed very soon. Sending all good wishes to you.
ReplyDeleteOh no! That's a trauma you dont need
ReplyDeleteI do hope your problem will clear with the antibiotics and that you will be free of the leg bag soon. You have had a traumatic few hours. My son in law just had 11 thats eleven litres of fluid drained from his belly yesterday. I think he has liver problems. No wonder he couldn’t do up his pants. He was in hospital for about 20 hours. It really sucks when you don’t have a partner to hold your hand and be there when you are unwell. Hugs from over here John. Gigi
ReplyDeleteHope you are feeling better soon. x
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so awful. I have had a catheter and a stent and I hated it all, every moment. I hope the antibiotics do their work and that you feel better soon. Take care.
ReplyDeleteThat all sounds truly awful. I hope you will be feeling better soon. x
ReplyDeleteMy guy has had bladder cancer for over 35 years. It is treatable so long as you keep up with it. He had a surgical procedure two days ago to remove more growths. Not fun but at least he had anesthesia. He is very sore. So …
ReplyDeleteHere in the states, you can get an OTC medicine called Azo that helps with the pain. I myself have used it when I had a UTI. It does work but you pee orange 🙄 It might help.
Oh you poor sweet man. Big hugs from me!! -Jenn
ReplyDeletePlease, please accept Nuala's kind offer of onsite support. Healing from this ordeal will require your full attention -- and some household chores may need her temporary help.
ReplyDeleteThat's me, Beth in Indiana, still unable to register my ID...
DeleteThat was rough especially when not expecting all that to happen. I guess the silver lining is you may have found the cause of recurring UTI's and may feel a lot better later when retention cause determined and things calm down. Best wishes getting back on your feet. Jen
ReplyDelete❤️❤️❤️
DeleteOh, Lord, John! So sorry you went through all that. The catheterization sounds miserable. I'm so glad Nu is there to help out if needed.
ReplyDeleteShe’s always been my touchstone
DeleteBlummin' heck John, what an awful day for you, do hope you are feeling a bit better xx
ReplyDelete😫
DeleteGet well soon John ! Get some rest after that awful night .x Bernie
ReplyDeleteI did sleep with Valium
DeleteBig hugs xx
ReplyDeleteXx
DeletePoor thing, what an awful time you've had. I hope it is one the way to straightening out.
ReplyDelete❤️❤️
DeleteGood grief, what a tale of woe and misadventure! Get well soon - by being kind to yourself. Medical professionals are the worst kind of patient (I should know, all my family are with the NHS) so be deliberate in stepping back and taking the proper time and input to recover. Getting better is not a race, it is a process, And caring for other people does not mean you should not be able to find time to care for yourself.
ReplyDeleteAll the best!
I hope you feeling somewhat better and on the mend. Catheters are no fun...mind you never had one, but I have heard the stories and even that's enough to make a male say ouch!
ReplyDeleteI’m not but your comment brightened me
Delete