way O/T Time to reflect on your health

I just got out of the hospital on Friday after noon with 3 days of Hell prior going through tests and them asking me how long I have had trouble with my prostrate? I never did all I can recall is about 8 months ago I had a one time discharge of brown looking fluid , no pain and had cleared up the next time I went.

Last Tue. I urinated pure blood and clots went to emergency room and was sent home with a catheter and leg bag.

I was to get appointment the next day with a urologist but during the night I had the catheter clog with clots and had to go back in They decided to flush my bladder manually and for two more days they had among other tests , scoped my bladder , and found a small tumor that they removed. I was released on Fri. Afternoon .

The urologist called today and gave me some news I wasn't wanting to hear It was a form of cancer and my 45 + years of smoking Camel non filters at a pack a day caused it. If I only had decided that the digital rectal exam wasnt as bad as the exams I have to go through now {Bladder scope} every three months for a year and yearly after that for the rest of my life.

I'm just telling you guys to let the Doctor do that rectal exam He don't like doing it any more than you like having it done. and it will save you a lot of pain.

Best of luck to your Roy.

I went through the same thing just over a year ago. Had radiation treatments with no surgery. Worst part for me was the biopsy. It was a few months of misery and worrying, but now it"s in the past. You"ll be up and dancing before you know it!

And you"re absolutely right. EVERYONE needs to stay on top of health issues. Don"t wait until it"s too late.

I agree. My wife works at the best Urology clinic in the state and she says prostate cancer is the easiest to cure if detected early. I have prostate issues, not cancer, yet, just enlargment that doesnt seem to go away. It worry's me. My uncle didnt get the " digit" until he retired, said he didnt want to feel like a "queer", he was old school, well his first exam reveiled he had practate cancer, and apparently had it for a very long time and it had spread to his back, hips and a few other areas. The couldnt cure it at that stage, just try to slow the result. He aged 20 years in 10 months. He was one of my favorite uncles and I made sure I went to see him near the end. Very sad. He told me and my boys make sure we let the doctors do the exams as we get older, so we dont end up like him. What a retirement. Only awkward thing about it now for me is that I have to attend be so social with the same dudes that know my hindend better than me. Oh well, it's their job. I pick eggs, they detect problems.
Heres the link for local friends. Dont wait till its too late.

As long as you don't get one that's digging around like he's trying to get the last pickle out of the jar.

About 3 years back for me, radiation by TomaTherapy machine as I was considered poor surgery risk. PSA had been monitored a couple years and then came biopsy-- means big spring loaded needle up the hind end to collect samples 2 of 8 showed cancer cells. Very fatigued a couple months after treatment, better now, PSA monitoring showing less than .5 past couple years. Doc says probably won"t die from prostate cancer next 5-10 years- then gives list of other possibilities if I don"t drop a 100 pounds. Oh well, already made a coffin for future use. RN

I forwarded that little bit of advice to my wife to share with her doctors. ROFLMAO. That's a good one. Gets the point across better than just asking for a doctor that has the least chubby fingers.

My doctor is a woman about my age and out of the corner of my eye I caught her smiling the last time she checked me. I think she's jealous of men and this her get-even!

I just finished 42 radiation treatments in November.The worst part for me was the exhaustion that set in after a few weeks and stayed with me for almost three months after. Just now getting some strength back. Of course I am 77 sao I guess that part of the problem. ll I can say id "get er done". Henry

an colonoscopy a short time ago, he put me to sleep and I didn't know nothing until he woke me up. Didn't feel anything or have any problems from it later either. I don't know why I never wanted to get one done, just always dreaded having it done and there wasn't a damn thing to it. I guess its all the stories you hear over the years, or at one time it was a really bad thang to go through.

Know what you mean Dave the last doctor was a female and while taking the catheter out was rather rough. I told her I was afraid to look cause I probably looked like hers after she pulled it inside out. And she Laughed at me !!

My neighbor's daughter is an MD at a Veterans Hospital and she never had and wouldn't go for a mammagram even though her doctor told her to get one. She had to have both breasts remove. Her husband is a doctor too. She was born in Syria,
but grew up here in the states. I thought that may have had something to do with it. She still smokes like a fiend and hasn't return to work fulltime. Her mother has never had a colonoscopy and is afraid to get one. Hal

I( went thru the same thing. Took a tumor (cancer) size of a quarter from the lining of the bladder. Took the 3-month scope for four years then 6-month scope for two and then once a year for four years. After ten years doc said I didn't need scope. After all those scoping even Viagra won't help--lost mostof feeling in junior. Otherwise everything is good to go. Minne happened in 1996.

WE have a free prostate screening every year here. I always go so I can visit with my friends in the waiting line. Last year I had young female doctor. As she did the exam she said "This won't hurt because I have small hands" After she was finished I told her "It'd been a lot better if you trimmed your fingernails" Wife's a nurse and wasn't impressed with my humor when she heard about it. Small towns are wonderful!! Besides, where else can you get someone to stick their finger up your butt for nothing!
Seriously, don't fail to get regular checkups. You might not like the results, but they'll be a lot better than waiting until it's too late.
Paul