DAY 11 APRIL 4
Stem Cell Extraction Complete!!! 130,000,808 Stem Cells removed!
I don't really know how many stem cells they collected. It is done though! Very cool! Two days to complete my extraction.
They removed my catheter too. Unfortunately I was too freaked out to snap a picture of it. A thin 6" piece of bloody plastic. I should add some detail here...
Imagine being in your hospital room at 8pm. Hospital is quiet. Doctor is gone. The nurse comes in alone and sets up everything meticulously. Tells me that I will have to lay still for 30 minutes afterward. Lay on your back. She carefully removes bandages and other miscellaneous items. Exposes my neck. If something goes awry it will just be the two of us. With one quick fluid movement she removes the catheter and plugs the hole. Some things are better unseen! Obviously I did not bleed out or anything. There is a reason no picture was taken though!
So I am going to delve into an unpopular subject. No need to read because I would not have read this a few years ago.
I have always prided myself on my urinary and bowel control. Never number two at school and very rarely in other public restrooms. After two years of living in Mexico I developed a sensitive stomach. I was always careful of the foods I ate. While flying food stops were always well thought out.
Flying for 17 years I only sat on the airplane toilet seat once. That wasn't even while working. Because of the design of the B737 the forward lavatory sits right behind the captain's seat. Any deposits would first hit the captain and then work it's way over to the first officer. Shortly thereafter you would smell air freshener kindly sprayed by the flight attendants.
So where is this all going? After prostate surgery, radiation and MS my system has been severely compromised. Even Da Vinci (the robot that does the prostate surgery) leaves scars. I have a new found appreciation of the male reproductive and urinary tract systems. They are amazing systems. Better if left alone!
So today while getting my final stem cell extraction I had to stay in bed for 5 hours. I had to urinate. I had the plastic container. It did not go well. It is humiliating, frustrating and disgusting! All my obsessive years of control have been dashed. No pity party needed. Just a window into a world that is no fun.
Thankfully to Lynnette I now have fresh clean sheets and pillow cases. I am whole again. Stem cells extracted and catheter removed! Next is Chemo...I do have to get another catheter installed for chemo though. They say it is much less intrusive than the extraction catheter.
I don't really know how many stem cells they collected. It is done though! Very cool! Two days to complete my extraction.
They removed my catheter too. Unfortunately I was too freaked out to snap a picture of it. A thin 6" piece of bloody plastic. I should add some detail here...
Imagine being in your hospital room at 8pm. Hospital is quiet. Doctor is gone. The nurse comes in alone and sets up everything meticulously. Tells me that I will have to lay still for 30 minutes afterward. Lay on your back. She carefully removes bandages and other miscellaneous items. Exposes my neck. If something goes awry it will just be the two of us. With one quick fluid movement she removes the catheter and plugs the hole. Some things are better unseen! Obviously I did not bleed out or anything. There is a reason no picture was taken though!
So I am going to delve into an unpopular subject. No need to read because I would not have read this a few years ago.
I have always prided myself on my urinary and bowel control. Never number two at school and very rarely in other public restrooms. After two years of living in Mexico I developed a sensitive stomach. I was always careful of the foods I ate. While flying food stops were always well thought out.
Flying for 17 years I only sat on the airplane toilet seat once. That wasn't even while working. Because of the design of the B737 the forward lavatory sits right behind the captain's seat. Any deposits would first hit the captain and then work it's way over to the first officer. Shortly thereafter you would smell air freshener kindly sprayed by the flight attendants.
So where is this all going? After prostate surgery, radiation and MS my system has been severely compromised. Even Da Vinci (the robot that does the prostate surgery) leaves scars. I have a new found appreciation of the male reproductive and urinary tract systems. They are amazing systems. Better if left alone!
So today while getting my final stem cell extraction I had to stay in bed for 5 hours. I had to urinate. I had the plastic container. It did not go well. It is humiliating, frustrating and disgusting! All my obsessive years of control have been dashed. No pity party needed. Just a window into a world that is no fun.
Thankfully to Lynnette I now have fresh clean sheets and pillow cases. I am whole again. Stem cells extracted and catheter removed! Next is Chemo...I do have to get another catheter installed for chemo though. They say it is much less intrusive than the extraction catheter.
 |
| Lunch |
 |
| Dinner...that is fish. They are trying to make me healthy |
I am with you on hard no go on public number 2. Sorry your record had been dashed. Every record has to end at some point. I have often said one of the best perks of being a judge is having your own private bathroom at work. Such a nice thing. Glad your stem cell phase went ok
ReplyDeleteOnly you could make number 2 sound interesting😂 personally any port in a storm would do me! You should think of writing a book about your time flying.
ReplyDeleteI didn't read this but I think I will carry a pamper in my church bag..i have room because now scriptures are all on my phone lol.
ReplyDeleteYou still are my #2 man in my book..sorry John is #1...can you still feel our prayers👵👴❤
Yay! For the stem cell extraction success. I agree, with the above comment you should consider writing a book. You are quite the writer. ❤️
ReplyDeleteLol, sorry, about that. I thought blogger meant who started the blog so I put your name. Think it’s corrected. Clearly technology challenged.
ReplyDeleteHi Paul,
ReplyDeleteI've posted a couple of comments this past week and come to find out I can't do it on my phone or iPad for some reason, so they never show up....I have been loving reading your daily trek and appreciate all the "finite" details even. We all have certain givens that we deal with, some better than others at times and sharing sometimes helps someone, so I say don't stop or feel funny about sharing.
The type of food they serve you really interests me. You always have some kind of carb it seems. I wonder if that is from some nutritional knowledge or that it simply doesn't matter. My gramma always had to have her french bread and potatoes everyday, even cheese, lots of cheese...and as you know she lived to be 106.
I know I will keep saying it, and I'm sorry if you get tired of hearing this, but I am so impressed with yours and Lynette's determination to take your health into your own hands and not to depend on Western Medicine as your only option.
Your in my prayers, I want you to be added to my list of success stories of out of the box people, I look forward to your next post :)
This part of your blog made me laugh mostly because it’s all so blatantly true and your willingness to share it all is over the top! Paul what one goes through having a illness as yours really puts things in perspective and in the end it’s always our love ones who are right there every step of the way. That prostate cancer is no joke that’s for sure! Wow!
ReplyDelete