My dad passed away May 18th, 2012

gemini66

My dad was diagnosed with invasive bladder cancer in December 2011. He had his bladder, prostate and surrounding lymph nodes removed February 28, 2012, 3 days after his 71st birthday. He attempted chemotherapy in December and January, but was unable to tolerate. He was very weak, so they decided to go ahead with radical cystecomy with iliad conduit. Since his surgery, the ostomy bag leaked constantly every day. The Urologist wanted to move the stoma when he was stronger. He was in and out of the ER, hospitalized with infections, he had a staph infection in the wound where they opened him up, had a wound vac, home health care. In April after numerous visits from home health care nurses and recommendation from the oncologist, dad was placed in a nursing/rehab facility in Pensacola, Florida. He was there just shy of two weeks. We were visiting him on a Saturday, planning on bringing him home on Tuesday. He was complaining of stomach pain and had been having diarrhea for over two weeks. I noticed he did not each much of his lunch. My mother finally asked the nurse to call the doctor. He was then taken by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital where he was admitted with dehydration, infection and they said he had a bowel blockage. By Sunday evening they were prepping him for a colonoscopy with GOlytely, magnesium citrate, fleet enemas. He never moved his bowels. He was throwing up. By Wednesday, still the same, still giving him magnesium citrate. He wouldn't really open his eyes, when he did, it would be for a very short time, and he was looking up at the ceiling. He was still urinating in the stoma bag. They placed an NG Tube and were suctioning a black fluid from him. When they finally took him back for the colonoscopy Wednesday late morning, they punctured his colon. We heard over the intercom "Rapid Response Team" to Endoscopy. It was my dad. He went into cardiac arrest. They did emergency surgery and he had a colostomy and iliostomy as well. The next time we saw him, five grueling hours later, he was on life support in CCU. He died two days later. I will never get over this. What he went through.

sunlover_56

So sorry
(((((( gemini66 and family ))))))))

lilyturno

Very sorry to hear that,
Very sorry to hear that, gemini66.
Your description is very useful for us. - pain under left rib cage Thanks for sharing with us despite of such depression! - stomach pain after eating

ronica_ann

Empathy for you
I'm so sorry to hear about your father's passing. I lost my mother this past June to bladder cancer as well. She also had a difficult time and I was her primary caregiver. With the holidays being especially tough, I can only imagine how you feel. They tell me it'll get better with time, but I can't honestly say that I believe that. It may become more bearable, but I don't feel it'll get better because my best friend, my everything is gone and I still needed her for so much at 28 years old. But we have to maintain our hope; for without it I think I just might die myself. And sometimes I feel like I'm not really here the grief gets so intense. I'm sure your father loves you very much and is still with you. I know my mommy is. We have to believe this.

roseclare

Keep Your "Radical Cystectomies"
"We the caring people" need to stop this madness. RC's only harm patients. My husband of 38 years died a slow suffering death 10 months after RC. He was only 64 and very healthy until a radiologist saw a "mass" in his bladder. The next morning his bladder was perforated by a urologist whom we had never met before. Within 2 months after his bladder was removed he had severe lower back pain which no doctor would even try to diagnose or treat. Would have rather he died of the "bladder mass" itself rather than the inhumane treatment he received from these "specialists." I will never forgive or forget. I have lost my faith in doctors and God.
He loved cats and fed strays and had been bitten by one which got infected (2 weeks before the mass was found.)The Dr. who treated the cat bite wrote on his report "likely bacterial pathogen" but never ran a urinalysis or blood test to find out what pathogen that may have been. The whole year was unbelievable and unbearable. I am still a basket case just trying to understand what the hell happened to our life so near retirement. I am left alone in this big house unable to sort through anything. There was never a "cancer team" at Chicago or St Louis. It was just crazy.

roseclare

roseclare said:

Keep Your "Radical Cystectomies"
"We the caring people" need to stop this madness. RC's only harm patients. My husband of 38 years died a slow suffering death 10 months after RC. He was only 64 and very healthy until a radiologist saw a "mass" in his bladder. The next morning his bladder was perforated by a urologist whom we had never met before. Within 2 months after his bladder was removed he had severe lower back pain which no doctor would even try to diagnose or treat. Would have rather he died of the "bladder mass" itself rather than the inhumane treatment he received from these "specialists." I will never forgive or forget. I have lost my faith in doctors and God.
He loved cats and fed strays and had been bitten by one which got infected (2 weeks before the mass was found.)The Dr. who treated the cat bite wrote on his report "likely bacterial pathogen" but never ran a urinalysis or blood test to find out what pathogen that may have been. The whole year was unbelievable and unbearable. I am still a basket case just trying to understand what the hell happened to our life so near retirement. I am left alone in this big house unable to sort through anything. There was never a "cancer team" at Chicago or St Louis. It was just crazy.

Keep Your "Radical Cystectomies"
My husband, Joe, was diagnosed on July 07, 2011 and died June 21, 2012. He was a better man than any of the doctors we met throughout this whole tragic experience. I'm 61 and my life is over.

z

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HalBo

I'm so sorry

I'm so sorry