More tales from the hospital bed

Buckwirth
Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
edited January 2012 in Colorectal Cancer #1
1:00am Sunday, January 15

Started puking again Saturday afternoon.  Around 4pm it turns dark and tastes of old blood; twice more like that and another call to 911, another trip to the hospital.

The usual rigamarole in the ER, including a CT scan showing the kidney stent placed 5 days ago has pierced the kidney wall.  Late Sunday they install a nephrostomy tube through my back, then, on Tuesday, they remove the old stent, and place a new one and leave the nephrostomy tube/catch-bag in-place.

Wednesday, January 18 restart Folox

Dates get a bit blurry, but nephrostomy tube comes out, left kidney again dumping in bladder.  A little bloody at first, gradually becoming more normal, until...

...It wasn't.  Urine became a thick rust color, with occasional black chunks.  Finally, at the end of a session, I gave a last, hard push on the bladder, and out comes a large black clot.  How large?  When the nurse was dumping it she exclaimed;  "Ooh, that IS big.  We should name it!". And so I introduce, may he rest in peace, Barry T.B. Clot.

Now there is a clot behind my left knee, and this morning I donated a pint of fluid from a space near my right lung (shoot for another near my left tomorrow, apparently it can get unseemly to have both lungs collapse at the same time).

Should I be released, it will be to a nursing facility, not home.  Then back here next week for chemo, then...

So, raise a toast, as I make my 54th successful rotation of the nearest star!
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Comments

  • jjaj133
    jjaj133 Member Posts: 867 Member
    #2
    OMG, what a mess you have
    OMG, what a mess you have been through. I am so sorry to hear this. you know all the things that i could say. hang in there, etc. so i will just say this to you. jeez this sucks.
    prayers and hugs.
    judy
  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #3
    54th revolution, more like 19,000+ rotations.
  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #4
    duplicate
    .
  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    #5
    Hugs Buck
    Dealing with it with style and grace ,I gotta admire that.Hope I can follow your lead. Ron.
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #6
    Wow
    You have been through the ringer. Hoping that they get all situated soon. You are a brave soul with so much stamina and a good attitude despite all that has gone on.

    Kim
  • Phoebesnow
    Phoebesnow Member Posts: 600 Member
    #7
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Wow
    You have been through the ringer. Hoping that they get all situated soon. You are a brave soul with so much stamina and a good attitude despite all that has gone on.

    Kim

    Rotating
    Well at least you are still moving. Is this your birthday month? If so happy birthday.
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #8
    Dear Blake
    Happy Birthday to you...and may there be many more.

    So sorry you are having a difficult time, but hopfully with the start of chemo you will be making improvements soon.

    Please keep us posted as you can.

    Hugs and prayers coming your way,

    Marie who loves kitties
  • thingy45
    thingy45 Member Posts: 632 Member
    #9
    Lovekitties said:

    Dear Blake
    Happy Birthday to you...and may there be many more.

    So sorry you are having a difficult time, but hopfully with the start of chemo you will be making improvements soon.

    Please keep us posted as you can.

    Hugs and prayers coming your way,

    Marie who loves kitties

    So sorry to hear about the
    So sorry to hear about the problems, I admire your positive out look and humor.
    You are a Champ.

    If it is your birthday, Happy Birthday and many more.

    Hugs and prayers as allways coming your way for a speedy feeling better time.
    One day at a time, hang in there, you are in my thoughts.

    Hugs, Marjan
  • wolfen
    wolfen Member Posts: 1,324 Member
    #10
    thingy45 said:

    So sorry to hear about the
    So sorry to hear about the problems, I admire your positive out look and humor.
    You are a Champ.

    If it is your birthday, Happy Birthday and many more.

    Hugs and prayers as allways coming your way for a speedy feeling better time.
    One day at a time, hang in there, you are in my thoughts.

    Hugs, Marjan

    Blake
    Just know I'm thinking of you and hope you will soon be out of this HEL! and on the road to recovery. Your attitude is amazing.

    Your Friend,

    Wolfen
  • k1
    k1 Member Posts: 220 Member
    #11
    thingy45 said:

    So sorry to hear about the
    So sorry to hear about the problems, I admire your positive out look and humor.
    You are a Champ.

    If it is your birthday, Happy Birthday and many more.

    Hugs and prayers as allways coming your way for a speedy feeling better time.
    One day at a time, hang in there, you are in my thoughts.

    Hugs, Marjan

    Sorry to hear it, Blake
    Wishing you peaceful rest as you continue this difficult journey. I will picture you on a very soft, fluffy, comfortable cloud, better than a Temperpedic, instead of on machines and contraptions in rotations and undergoing invasive procedures. Imagine it with me if you can and as you go through the next one.

    K1
  • Buckwirth
    Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
    #12
    Phoebesnow said:

    Rotating
    Well at least you are still moving. Is this your birthday month? If so happy birthday.

    It (is still) my birthday.
    Apparently Revolution #9 found Happiness is a Warm Gun, so they put it in heavy rotation, letting loose the cry: Help!

    They were last seen together in a Yellow Submarine.
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #13
    Buck:
    Darn, you sure have been through a lot. I'm so sorry. I keep hoping to log on and see you are home and doing better. Here's to better days ahead for you my friend.

    Take care - Tina
  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member
    #14
    Oh Blake, I simply cringed
    Oh Blake, I simply cringed as I read your post, I'm so very sorry that you're having to go through all of this. I wish you well, Hugs, Cyn


    (And Happy Birthday...)
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #15
    This Week's Winner Is....
    Blake!

    For handling the situation with his usualy wry sense of humor:)

    That was painful, Blake...I was almost curled up in a ball reading all of that. Ouch!

    Not they way you wanted to see 5-4 in, but glad to see you made it in the door. You are sure facing a big battle now and I join the others in wishing you the best...at least having some care available will be a good thing, instead of strung out alone at the house...

    I do hope things get better for you, man - this has been some kind of ride you've been on.

    -Craig
  • Buckwirth
    Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
    #16
    Sundanceh said:

    This Week's Winner Is....
    Blake!

    For handling the situation with his usualy wry sense of humor:)

    That was painful, Blake...I was almost curled up in a ball reading all of that. Ouch!

    Not they way you wanted to see 5-4 in, but glad to see you made it in the door. You are sure facing a big battle now and I join the others in wishing you the best...at least having some care available will be a good thing, instead of strung out alone at the house...

    I do hope things get better for you, man - this has been some kind of ride you've been on.

    -Craig

    Thanks Craig
    For the record, I would not be "alone at the house". I am lucky to have a great caregiver, and a great advocate, in the person of my wife; Kathy.

    Without her, all this droll wit would be out the window, and someday, maybe, she will tell you all her story.

    Thanks for letting me clear that up,

    Blake
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    #17
    Buckwirth said:

    Thanks Craig
    For the record, I would not be "alone at the house". I am lucky to have a great caregiver, and a great advocate, in the person of my wife; Kathy.

    Without her, all this droll wit would be out the window, and someday, maybe, she will tell you all her story.

    Thanks for letting me clear that up,

    Blake

    I sure hope they can keep
    I sure hope they can keep you more comfortable and get this stuff resolved for you. Happy Birthday, certainly NOT the way one wants to spend a birthday.
  • tommycat
    tommycat Member Posts: 790 Member
    #18
    Oh man
    God.....
    Blake, my sincerest wish is that on your 55th birthday you will look back at these times and think, "Man, that sucked."
    And you will be thinking that with clarity as you sip on a margarita on a boat, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine, surrounded by the sounds of seagulls and the laughter of those who love you most.
    Hang tough my friend!
  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #19
    Oh Blake-
    I am just sorry beyond belief that you have to go through such terrible stuff. I cannot believe that you still manage to maintain your sense of humor and courage. You are a true warrior, pal, and a class act. Hugs and more hugs (as long as you aren't going to be shooting any clots and/or fluids at me)-Ann
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #20
    Blake
    I'm sorry to hear of your latest setback. I hope you get though this quickly and as painlessly as possible.
    You've got to make it around the Sun again. I've got a four month lead on you...
    -phil
  • Buckwirth
    Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
    #21
    PhillieG said:

    Blake
    I'm sorry to hear of your latest setback. I hope you get though this quickly and as painlessly as possible.
    You've got to make it around the Sun again. I've got a four month lead on you...
    -phil

    I have spent
    The better part of five decades shortening that lead, but it always seems to stay just out of reach. Reminds me of Zeno's Paradox.

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