Round Two of Three

I Can See The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

...I hope it's not a train.

Well in true New England form, we broke from the grips of the polar vortex in time for me to get my second round of BCG.  

The office at Northeast Urologic Surgery was hopping.  However, my check in was quick and I didn't even get a chance to have seat after providing my specimen.  I had the same medical professional call me in and follow her to a familiar examination room.  She went through her spiel and before leaving, she said, "You know the drill.  Torri will be with you shortly".

Not long afterward, Torri arrived and did her 'thing'.  She was quick and it was relatively painless (mostly just uncomfortable).  I was in and out in no time.  I made it home by 11:15 AM.  I had everything set up to do my two hour marination and did the full two hours.

I voided and immediately took pyridium and drank lots of fluids.  I thought it might be too late for coffee, so I decided on the hot cocoa to warm the bones and take the chill off.

I've been doing basically nothing.  I watch some videos then joined a zoom session, but I did not play. The music medicine was enjoyable and calming.

Having been through this, I was prepared to feel blah with no desire to anything but sit and watch the hours slip by. Mission accomplished.

Hoping tomorrow will show improvement as I await my last round on Christmas Eve day.

More to come! 

First Round Of Three

Well it is December and this is New England.   But, the weather cooperated this morning for my commute to Northeast Urological in N. Andover. Traffic was also cooperative.  I made it to the office parking lot a half hour early.

Check in was uneventful.  I provided a urine specimen and returned to the waiting room expecting to wait for my appointment, seeing I was more than a half hour early. I had just sat down when I heard my name called. After my grilling to verify my identity, I was walked down to yet another examination room I haven't been in.  After three years worth of appointments, I thought I had seen all the real estate.  This place is cavernous.

After doing the regular check to see if anything had changed and signing off on the consent form, I was directed to prepare myself for my BCG instillation.

Not too long transpired and Nurse Practitioner, Torri arrived.  She went through her spiel and made some small talk while she performed an effective instillation with minimal discomfort.  I've had her before.  She is really good at this. Upon completion, she gave me the follow up spiel and bid me a good day.  "I'll see you next week", I exclaimed as she left the room.

Returning to my car, I noticed it wasn't even 11 AM, yet.  The drive home was uneventful and I made it home by 11:15 AM.  I had prepared for my marination and listened to some locally grown music for two hours. At the sound of the last timer bell, I voided and immediately took some generic pyridium and made some hot cocoa.  

At this writing, I just feel blah (expected).  I'm trying to drink plenty of fluids to flush my body.  So it's going to be a do nothing-type day.

More to come! 

And It Starts Again

I was waiting for some correspondence regarding my next round of BCG.  I have a  cystoscopy already scheduled for the end of February.  In the past, I needed time to 'heal' between treatments and the cystoscopy. So, I contacted the office today.

Well, now it's on the books.  My first round of three will be December 10th.  Subsequent rounds will follow for the next two weeks.  The last one will be Christmas Eve Day,  Well I know now to prepare.

As in the past, I have to drop off a urine sample today.  They close for lunch between 12 and 1, so I'll be visiting right after 1PM. 

So the fun begins again.  

More to come! 

The Eyes Have It

Had my annual check up with Dr Song from Mass Eye And Ear in Lexington.  Traffic was light and I arrived at my 1PM appointment with time to spare.  After checking in I didn't wait too long before being called.

As usual, I have a variety of tests performed with the results ready for Dr. Song.  After the first one which didn't take too long I was asked to go into the 'special' waiting room to wait and be called.

 A reasonable amount of time transpired and I was called by Patrick.  He instructed me to go into the bowels of the building and once arrived, I was told to sit in the big chair. He accessed my case file and reviewed some things to ensure everything was up to date.  He then gave me a card with various sized printing and ask me to read the smallest print I could see.  I looked at the smallest font and rattled off what I saw.  He exclaimed, "Correct". he then turned on the screen that had more letters to read using one eye at a time.  My right eye did great.  He said, "20/20'.  My left eye (which has a reading lens implant) had a tough time.  I recall last time I had the same issues.  He gave me a 'strainer' to try and I did much better.  I thought I heard him say, "10/150".  Sounded ominous.

Finally he swung over the big eye machine and began flipping things and asking which looked clearer. He did both eyes and repeated my reading the letters.  My left eye did better, but that one is for reading, not distance.  I surmised that if I was having trouble seeing/reading, I could get a prescription.  But I don't have problems reading the newspaper, or the smallest print on my prescription bottles.

Patrick then initialed another test for eye pressure.  When he did my left eye he was hemming and hawing and tried a few more tests.  Apparently the pressure in my left eye was elevated.  He excused himself to consult with Dr Song before dilating my eyes. He returned and said the doctor wanted them dilated.  So the drops, the wait and it seemed quite a bit before Dr Song arrived.

Dr Song exchanged pleasantries and reviewed my various test results.  He said the retina and ocular nerve looked good.  He used some machines that were very bright and said things look good.  He returned to the computer file and said, "The pressure in the left eye had gone up.  Since my last visit we had it under control". Although I'm taking Timolol daily in both eyes, he wanted to prescribe Latanoprost for nightly instillation in both eyes.  He did say that there might be side effects, but the most common with prolonged use is a change in eye color (darker) and skin darkness around the eyes.  He said a way to combat this it to make sure any residual is wiped up after instillation.

So he said he would order the new prescription (which he did and I picked up).  He wants to see me in 2 months. So I'll be back at the end of January.

Given the time of the day, traffic was quite heavy coming home.  Situation normal. 

Later that day I got a notice that my medical file had been updated.  I read the visit summary and it said "routine".  So I guess the workings of the eye etc, were all routine but the pressure was elevated.  It's always something.

More to come! 

End Of July "Look-See"

The heat wave we've experienced these last few days had a 'real feel' heat index of 100 to110 degrees, and extremely humid.  We've also had drought conditions since early June so today's forecast of heavy rain and lower temps was most welcomed.

This morning I was scheduled for my in-office cystoscopy. As I left my house this morning it was overcast, but no rain.  However, as I got onto the highway, The skies open up, albeit briefly.  Entering the parking lot at Northeast Urologic, it seemed that every space was taken.  I drove further to the end and snagged a spot.  Walking to the office, the skies decided to open up again. I didn't get soaked, but I felt damp.

The office was really packed.  It didn't take long to check in and provide my 'sample'.  I waited for my name to be called and did some people watching.  Finally, my name was called. 

The nurse grilled me on my vitals and upon acing the verbal, I was directed to an all too familiar examination room.  Having damp clothing and a chilling AC blow on my, I felt cold.  (Must complain about something, but it does cause 'shrinkage'.)

I signed some paperwork and readied myself.  Wearing summer garb, I had no jacket to use to hold my wallet, keys, etc.  So I left everything in my pockets of my shorts.  

Doctor Previte arrived and provided a recitation of all my procedures and results finally getting to today's task.  He mentioned that my 'three years' of treatment will conclude at the end of October and I'll have another in-office cystoscopy in February.  That is if all goes well today.  After February, he'll see me every 6 months.  So that's the plan.  Now let's see if everything looks good.

The insertion of the apparatus doesn't hurt, but it is uncomfortable. I heard him instruct the nurse to release saline and we all looked at the monitor.  His first utterance was, "Look how clean that is".  I was elated to hear this.  He said, "There's the diverticulum.  Let's see how that is doing." Again he said this looks really clean.  "More saline", he said.  He pointed out some anatomical features (urator) and was pleased to see clear urine being emitted. "Let's look around again since I won't be seeing this for another 6 months", he said.  Finally, he proclaimed, "Everything is clean!"

He mentioned that the office will contact me for my next round of BCG.  He bid me a good day and shook my hand.

I readied myself to leave and made a visit to the facilities to rid some of this saline.  I was there where I discovered my keys were missing.   I walked back to the exam room and was met by the nurse who had the keys.  Phew!

More to come! 

Third Round Of Three

I had a dose of BCG this morning.  For this round, it was the third.  I'm happy that this round is done and grateful I don't have 6 rounds as I had in the past. As my body reminds me, this is cumulative, meaning the side effects get exponential with each subsequent dose.  For my first two rounds (other than having to deal with vertigo during number one) up until today, the side effects and recovery time had been quite manageable. However, the side effects have been quite pronounced today.  

After having an uneventful commute and in-office instillation by Jenna, I proceeded to do my two hour marination.  First hour was tolerable, but the second hour what quite uncomfortable.  Despite my preparations and 'eating light' yesterday, Mother Nature had a large deposit that needed to be released.  I tried to soldier through, but the pain of my colon pressing on my inflamed (and full) bladder was too much.  I barely made it to the 1 hr 35 minute mark.  In quite a bit of internal pain, I made it to the throne and did my business.  I took some UTI medicine immediately in hopes that it would start providing relief for the burning. I did note that I got home and 9 and by the time I gave up, it had been 11.  Two hours there, but shy of the last two roll arounds. The pain was just too much.

Since 11, I've not been far from the toilet.  Pretty much every 10 minutes, I had the urge and yielded very little (thimble full).  This time I could feel all my lymph nodes screaming and providing my body with what felt like electrical shocks. As visits transpired, I began to notice my passing clots (expected and normal reaction).  I was still waiting for the urine to start changing color (fluorescent orange) to indicate that the medicine (relief) was kicking in.  3 hours and very little orange tinge, but lots of clots, but at this point no blood.

I'm hoping the UTI meds begin to kick in and the clots clear up.  I have been drinking lots of water to flush out the system.

Other than these symptoms, I'm feeling pretty blah, the weather is really nice, so I haven't had any chills.  I hope things begin to calm down so I can take my walk.  We'll see.

So, my next step is to heal.  Then on July 31st, I'm scheduled to have an in-office cystoscopy.  Fingers crossed.

More to come!

Love It When Things Go Smoothly

Round Two Of Three

Made sure my alarm was set and turned on today.  Got up made black tea, read the paper, left early and got to my appointment with time to spare.  Check in was uneventful.  They collected my co-pay (even got a receipt).  I hardly waited anytime when I heard my name.

A 'new' guy escorted me to a familiar examination room.  Quizzed me on some vitals, then told me to drop trow to my ankles, cover up and wait for Jenna.  I don't recall having her before.

A few minutes transpired and Jenna arrived. (She looked familiar, but I wasn't certain). While looking at her file, she said, "You are here for your second BCG, right?" After my confirmation, she began to prepare her implements.  She was quick and there was very little discomfort.  Upon her completion, she asked if I knew about the two hour hold in.  I said, "All too well."  She chuckled and said she'll see me next week.

Ride home was uneventful and I did my two full hours of marination.  I needed to be close to the bathroom since I had the urge to go about every ten minutes (normal).  I had taken over-the-counter UTI medicine (AZO) and it usually takes about an hour to produce florescent orange pee.  This medication eases some of the burning and reduces the 'need to go' time.  I noticed that my supply needed replenishing so I bought more on eBay.  It should arrive early next week.  (Monday is a holiday, so Tuesday?)

So today was a blah day.  I did some recycling, loaded the dish washer, made blueberry muffins then a sandwich. I waited until later in the day to take my walk, but it wasn't as long, since I wanted to be close to home in case I had the urge.

More to come!