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Catheter Change
~Catheter Change~
Tuesday I went to have my catheter changed. I always dread it. My penis suffers as the rubber tube gets pulled out. A pretty, young trainee did it this time. She told me to take a deep breath. I know the drill by now. What I do is inhale as best I can with my crippled lungs then go "la la la la la" until the thing is out.
When the pretty, young trainee began pushing the fresh tube through my penis and into my bladder ("la la la la la") I asked her to not leave as much slack as was before. I worry that the tube might get trapped under a leg and get pulled out while I'm asleep and having one of my dreams about wrestling sharks and whales on the floor of an Indian casino.
I don't use a bag to catch the urine, anymore. It's much better this way. There's a yellow, plastic plug that goes inside a rubber fitting at the end of the tube that hangs out a few inches from the head of the penis. I pull out the plug to pee into the toilette, then put it back in when I'm done. I was talking about a Cormac McCarthy novel while the pretty, young trainee arranged the tube and put the plug in it. When she asked me if it was okay I looked down and saw that the plug was pushed way too far into the rubber fitting. I told her I have learned from experience that the plug needs to go just a little way into the fitting. Otherwise it's very hard to pull it out with the fingers of my right hand while I use fingers on my left hand to pinch the tube at the same time so urine doesn't flow out all over the place. I could sense she was on the verge of panic as she struggled with the plug. It was really stuck in there. I spoke to her calmly and in a matter-of-fact way about how Cormac McCarthy was probably the best living American author, and that he probably won't be around much longer because he's in his eighties. She got the plug removed and I showed her how far to insert it. We were all done. Good for another six weeks.
McCarthy
Cormac McCarthy comes with high praise... yours..
and i hope to read him
I am so sorry. There is
I am so sorry. There is scarcely a worse pain than being catheterized..
I was advised to give up coffee because of its dioxypurines which
crystallize in arteries. Cardiologists recommend vegan diet because
of cholesterol blockage of arteries. You are a great poet Long may you wave. Your sensitivity to all beings ... your truthtelling... your great intelligence
are always a treat to read. I'm not sure if you are theist agnostic or atheist
but may your higher power heal your body and protect you..
especially since I read on Twitter that Idaho and Wyoming have
traps and animal snares close to trails.
Thanks, Saiom
for the kind words. I'm hanging in there. Old age isn't for wimps.
"There is no good writing, only good editing."
If you are okay with it, the
If you are okay with it, the staff might be wise to all come in and take notes next time you have to go through that. Your calm, in addition to the valuable tips your direct experience can provide the nurses, is worth observing. My dad having gone through this, but not being able to give direction on his own for much of that time, I have seen that many nurses just don't get enough, for lack of better words, hands on training before they are out there doing these critical jobs.
All the best to you, through your days.
This is good advice. At the
This is good advice. At the urologist office, the same med assistant handles my exchanges, and she is aware of certain requirements (an anti-anxiety pill 30 minutes before procedure), lidocain lube, and a slow breathing technique during the insertion. And she tells me each and everything she is doing, although I already know it; but the voice adds a compassionate dimension. The ER people want me to press the urologist for a supra-pubic operation, which, everyone seems to agree, will relieve a lot of pain and make the situation less inconvenient.
Starward
Thanks.
Good idea. We'll see what happens.
"There is no good writing, only good editing."
This was amazing to read
This was amazing to read because I am in the same situation. An internal spinal injury in November 2019 caused the original problem. I used to dread the monthly exchange to such an extent that I actually have an anti-anxiety pill to take for each appointment, but the last several times have been much easier because of desensitization. Hopefully the consultation I have next month will result in a supra-pubic placement (which will require a bit of surgery) but will remove the physical and psychological discomfort of having that tube where it presently is. Because my kidneys create a good deal of sediment, my catheter has clogged several times---which is a pain I cannot find sufficient words to describe. It has required visits to the ER, but now we have the means to flush the catheter which, if successful (which is not always), avoids the ER visit.
Starward
Thanks for reading
I hope all goes well. I might try alternatives to the catheter but first I need to find out if my breathing can handle being put under.
"There is no good writing, only good editing."
No problem. Wednesday is
No problem. Wednesday is exchange day, so Tuesday I will be a basket case. I am hoping they will approve me for a supra-pubic catheter, and I, too, have breathing problems during sedation.
Starward