Hello everyone, hope you're ready for a long-winded one.
New Story:
Long and hard bicycle ride after Thankgiving dinner '06 had me bleeding big time. Like all of us, it raised an eyebrow...but, I have had blood in my urine twice in my younger days from physical altercations, so it didn't freak me out like it would most people.
The blood was a serious red, not pink, but it did dissipate after the second day. No reoccurrence for a couple of weeks until after a hard one-hour workout. Couple of days passed then light yellow urine, almost clear, just like the doctor would want.
Then, the week between Christmas Day and New Years Eve, I spent the week in the mountains at a favorite river location on a solo canoe trip. This is a regular outing I have done for years so no abnormal strain...but the blood again appeared in my urine.
No need to go into more details on this part as I'm sure even if our stories are somewhat different...the end result is much the same.
Personal Background:
Sixty-one, retired ( sorta-will explain later ), 6'4", 205-pounds, flat-bellied and healthy - except for this new plumbing problem...
Prior to this new episode in my life,
I worked out 2-to-three times a week with light weights ( strength training not to attain bulk ), every day of my life I started with ten-minutes of stretches and a minute of deep breathing then I did 100 crunches with a 35-pound dumbbell on my chest, plus 30-pushups, and every other day I did at least 15-minutes on a stair stepper.
Wife, with a smile, teased that I worked out too much...
BTW, she is a champion...32-years together and I love her more now than when I met her...we truly have one of those 'almost' storybook love relationships. More on that, and her, later...she's worth talking about, and as I'm certain each of you know...a good partner when facing cancer, well, what else could we need or use more unless it was the proverbial 3-wishes...
9 February, 2007 was the first day I could get in to see my regular family MD, who BTW has been my doctor for soon to be thirty-years.
Physical, including prostrate ( digital and PSA ), blood tests, urine test...
all perfect. In fact, doc even wrote across my blood and urine sheets
" Absolutely Perfect" .
Urine sample was 'cloudy'. That was the worst remark of all the tests.
I had red urine two-days before the physical, mostly clear the day of the tests, bloody again two days later.
More Personal Background:
Although technically retired, I do still teach three each, two-hour hand-to-hand self-defense classes most weeks. My 'Basic' and 'Advanced' classes are fairly strain-free, but I also have a number of "Master" students who have trained with me for some time, and their training in much more strenuous including throws, etc. Seems my urine would clear up for several days, then, a strain and or serious bending, like the crunches or demonstrations with my students would cause the bleeding to reappear.
Medical Questions for me and my MD...were, after the physical,
why was the blood appearing when all other signs were so positive?
Doc has stated several times the last few years that I am healthier than any 35-year old patient he has...
He did suggest I see a specialist and I agreed...
AFTER I would complete a couple of annual solo wilderness canoe treks I have done for years. These are season specific, so if I did not go, I would miss the entire year. May seem silly to you guys but this is how I live my life. At this age, and the severity of the conditions, there will soon come a time when I will no longer be able to stand up to the hardships of the trips.
I made two one-week 'physical conditioning' trips to toughen me up as I do each spring, and of course the bleeding just got worse. The next trip...the main deal, was to be 18-days solo, and it is a killer even if you are in top physical condition. No roads to cross, no humans to run across, me, the river, rock-gardens, and rattle-tailed snakes... and bleeding like this...it was obvious the buzzards would have had me before the body was found.
I reluctantly canceled the planned trek.
Made an appointment with the Urologist, fully expecting he would give me another blood and urine test and then prescribe a handful of pills for my 'infection' and that would be it.
9 May it was before I could get in to see the Urinologist.
Again, expecting to leave with a prescription... bleeding still off and on with a little burning sensation... but, I really still felt physically fit and strong.
Short visit with him and the next thing I knew...I was on my back with a camera inside me and him saying I had 'several' tumors which had to come out.
More BS here guys...but it's part of my personal story...
All my life, I have been a guy who pours Hydrogen Peroxide on 'severe' cuts, followed by Iodine, and then a band-aid or two-feet of tape if that was needed, to stop the bleeding. Yes I have had a number of stitches...a bunch in fact, but should have had many, many, more...but these self-doctored cuts always healed.
Not being able to reach inside my gut and do something about this new problem is one of the hardest things for me to accept. At 61, I truly still felt 'almost' bullet-proof.
Wife says it best...
"this is the very first time in my life I have had my ass whupped"
But,
I am the type to fight back obviously.
We will overcome whatever it is, however we have to.
Okay,
if you're still here reading this diatribe...
I want to say thanks for allowing me to start the 'venting' part here.
This site, as you all know, is fantastic.
My lady found it and directed me here. I have read a large amount of the posts, my best wishes to each of you, victim or loved one. I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge with your help and the sharing of your own personal situations...although as you would expect, I'm still confused on a bunch of it.
Thought I would get the background out to this point, make friends and say hello, and then start with the questions after we get to know each other.
I have had the first surgery on 23 May...did not go very well.
Biopsy shows T2, could be much worse of course, so I've got a good attitude.
Bladder removal is a given...per the Urologist.
I have a meeting scheduled with him day after tomorrow,
so, I'll be asking you old pros to guide me with info for myself and my wife,
and just as important, questions I will need to ask the doctor.
When you've absorbed all this 'background' stuff...
I'll explain the overnight procedure that turned into a five-day hospital stay...
Hugs to all...
