cancer

Navigating Life After Surgeries
Daily writing prompt
Have you ever had surgery? What for?
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Yes, I had surgery for a variety of medical issues, which included outpatient procedures and acute problems that had developed over time.

The first surgery was for cataracts, a common condition that can cloud the lens of the eye and affect vision. I was fifty years old when the first one was performed, a significant moment in my life that marked the beginning of a journey toward clearer sight. I remember the anticipation and slight anxiety I felt leading up to the procedure, but I was relieved to learn that it was a relatively routine surgery. Then, ten years later, I underwent the same procedure for the remaining eye, which allowed me to fully appreciate the world in vivid detail once again. This is now an outpatient surgery and normally uneventful, with most patients able to return home the same day. I seldom wear glasses anymore since the surgery, which has been a liberating experience, although I still occasionally find myself reaching for them while using the laptop for extended periods, especially when focusing on small text or detail-oriented tasks. The difference in my vision post-surgery has greatly enhanced my daily life, allowing me to engage more fully in activities that I enjoy, such as reading and exploring life

The next surgery happened in 2018 for an eleven mm kidney stone in my right kidney. No modesty allowed here; it was a process that truly tested my understanding of medical technology. They went up through the basement using a laser to break up the stone, a technique that showcases the incredible advancements in modern medicine. In addition to the laser, they needed a bright light to illuminate the area and a vacuum to efficiently remove the debris created during the procedure. It’s remarkable to think about how they can insert all that specialized equipment into your tube and navigate their way up to the kidney, skillfully extracting the stone with such precision. I was kept under observation overnight, monitoring any complications, and was thankfully discharged the following afternoon, feeling relieved yet exhausted. For twelve hours after the surgery, I passed urine that looked like chocolate milk, an unsettling sight that served as a vivid reminder of the battle I had just endured. Each urinating act was a mix of discomfort and fascination at what my body was going through, making me appreciate the resilience of the human body and the expertise of the medical professionals who helped me.

Finally, on January 7, 2023, I had a pulmonary saddle embolism, which is a gigantic blood clot between my lungs. Word to the wise, if you ever wake up in the middle of the night, with a terrific pain in a calf. Do not massage the calf to relieve the pain. Speculation is the massage caused the DVT clot to break loose and migrate from the calf to between the lungs. CT scan showed that it looked like a large tree root going to various parts of the lungs.

They gave me three options, each with its own set of implications and outcomes. First, I could simply rely on medication to try to dissolve the clot, a method that seemed less invasive but carried uncertainties about its effectiveness and timing. The second option was more direct: they would enter through the groin above the hip under anesthesia and insert a specialized instrument designed to remove the clot as much as possible. This approach felt aggressive, and the thought of going under made me hesitate. The third option, however, piqued my interest despite its unconventional nature. It involved performing the same procedure as the second option, but without general anesthesia; instead, I would remain awake and alert, with only local pain medication to numb the area. They explained that they had seen the best results with this method, which allowed for immediate adjustments during the procedure based on my feedback. After weighing the risks and benefits of each choice, I ultimately opted for the third option, believing that remaining conscious would not only give me a measure of control over the situation but also help to improve the overall outcome of the procedure.

The most pain I suffered was when they cut the artery or vein to insert the instruments. They didn’t bother to tell me that they were going to make another incision above the other hip to remove the debris, which caught me completely off guard. It was just as painful as the first incision, intensifying my anxiety and fear during the procedure. The rest of the surgery was not that painful, but I experienced immense discomfort and unease that lingered in my mind. During that harrowing bout, I did think I took my last breath and felt a chilling certainty that my time on this earth was drawing to a close. I do believe I experienced a near-death event, one that left an indelible impression on my psyche, and I had a surreal preview of the time after life on this earth, filled with profound reflections that I still ponder to this day. After three days in the ICU and an additional day in the hospital, they sent me home, but that was only the beginning of my journey back to normalcy. It has been over two and a half years since that day, and while I have recovered physically, the emotional and psychological scars have remained. The only long-term effects are the daily reminder that I must take blood thinner medication for the remainder of my life, which serves as a constant connection to that traumatic experience, reminding me of the fragility of existence and the importance of cherishing every moment.

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My Surgery Tales

I am over eighty and have been relatively healthy throughout my life. In spite of smoking for over twenty years and doing very little exercise during that time. I also have drunk my share of alcohol.

My first surgery was when I was fifty. It was cataract surgery on my right eye. This was an outpatient surgery, and I was home before lunch. I was amazed at how bright and clear my vision was. Ten years later, I had the same surgery on my left eye. Since the surgery was done by two different providers I do not know if this done on purpose or what. The first implant had the focal point for distant vision. The second implant has the focal point for close vision. The only time I have to wear glasses is for close detail work. It is amazing how your brain can adjust for two different focal points.

My second event happened in 2018. I started having pain in the early evening on my right side below my rib cage. Finally, around 11pm my wife took me to the ER. The CAT scan showed an 11mm kidney stone in my right kidney and it got in a position where it attempted to travel down the tube to the bladder. The ER personnel said that was the largest kidney stone that they have ever seen. It was removed by going up from the basement and used a laser to break it up. I peed chocolate milk for 12 hours after the removal.

Finally on February 7, 2023, around 2:30 in the morning I woke up with a terrific Charlie Horse in my left calf. I massaged it trying to relieve the pain. Big Mistake! The pain decreased but about 30 minutes later I had difficulty breathing, woke Dee my wife and she called 911. The EMT’s took me to ER. The CAT scan showed a Pulmonary Saddle Embolism between my lungs. Otherwise, a gigantic blood clot. The speculation was that massaging the calf dislodged the clot and it migrated up to my chest.

They gave me three options. First, to attempt to use medication to remove the clot. Secondly, to go under anesthesia and enter through the groin with their instruments and remove the clot. Finally, to do the same procedure but the patient stays awake during the procedure. They said they have had the best luck when the patient stays awake and alert. That is the option I chose.

The most painful was when they cut the vein or artery for the entrance of the instruments. The other was just discomfort. After about 30 minutes I heard one of the assistants say, “Doctor his blood pressure is dropping.” I was starting to feel really bad, and I was at the point I was thinking this was my last breath. I blacked out. A period later I woke up and was starting to feel better. After about 45 minutes the surgeon was finished and told his aide to finish it.

The doctor started talking to me and asked how I was doing and that he got most of the clot but there were areas he couldn’t reach. In the conversation I asked. “Doctor, I heard an aide say my blood pressure was dropping”, how low did it go? There was a pause and he finally said, “Tom, you don’t want to know how low it went, and I am not going to tell you.” I still don’t know how low it dropped. He also stated, “Tom, I think we made the right decision for you to stay awake. I am afraid that if you went under anesthesia, I would have lost you.” That was an eye-opening comment to me. I then spent three days in ICU and then went home.

This was a near death experience, and I may have had a preview of time after death. During the time I blacked out until I woke up, I experienced something I have never experienced in my entire life and that was peace, total peace! I cannot express or explain what I was feeling but I am ready to feel it again. Was this a preview? Who Knows.

That was close to over a year and a half ago. I am doing well. I will never get back to myself before this event, but I am happy where I am.

Daily writing prompt
Have you ever had surgery? What for?
View all responses

How do you want to die?

                                

When you are young you don’t think much of dying. You tend to think you are immortal and death as a far away fact. as you become older you start to think more about dying and death.

I am close to sixty-nine and I am thinking more about death than when I was younger. My parents passed away when they were seventy-five and their health problems started to appear in their late sixties. The same age I am in right now. Is the family legacy going to follow me or will I not follow in the paths of my parents.

                            grim reaper

My mother was afflicted with bone cancer and battled this disease for more than five years. after removal of the cancer and many treatments of chemo and radiation the demon went into remission. After four or five years the demon came back very aggressively. It migrated  to others parts of her body and finally took her. Her death was slow and very painful.

My father was visiting California and he was scheduled to start driving home in the morning. He called me the next morning said he had an upset stomach and was going to wait another day before he started to drive home. That evening his niece called and said she went to get some take out for dinner and when she returned my father was found on the floor dead. He was having a heart attack and didn’t even know it. That major mistake cost him his life.

Recently my true friend had multiple heart by-pass surgery. He is in his mid seventies. How long will this surgery extend his life? Only time will tell. Will this life saving surgery expose him to a more painful and slow death? This surgery may save him from heart failure to just have to experience the pain and suffering of Cancer. Cancer and heart disease is the biggest killer in the US.

A couple of years ago another friend of mine was running his snow-blower and fell over dead from an Aortic aneurism. he died before his wife found him laying on the ground in the snow.

My wife’s mother is in her nineties and in the last year she has deteriorated to the point that she cannot walk and has lost all control of her bodily functions. Medical authorities say her heart and lungs sound good. How long will she have to endure in the sorry state? The quality of life has taken a bad turn for her.

These are just a few examples of death and suffering that I have experienced in my life. Death is a part of life. All of us must some day experience the event. Even now that I am closer to the event,  I still can’t answer the question, How do I want to die?