I'm going to tell you what just happened less than half an hour ago. It exemplifies what cancer patients endure outside of what's on their treatment schedule. It's the result of chemo and radiation and 2 years of steroids. Don't read any more if you tend to be squeamish.
As you're aware, I've been having rather violent reactions from my lower GI tract since the radiation therapy last Friday. Well, I felt a sudden sense of urgency and rushed to the toilet.
When I pulled my underwear down, the tip of my penis was stuck to my briefs. I pulled the tip of my penis and a small part of my urethra off! Yes, I pulled off enough that it's bleeding drops of blood.
Yes, I have a band-aid covering the end of my penis now. Yes, I'll have to pull the band aid off every 20 minutes or so because of the hydration regimen they have me on. Yes, I'll have to worry about clotting, scabbing, and blockage until I see the docs again tomorrow. Yes, it hurts like hell. No, I'm not happy.
THIS is the kind of crap cancer patients put up with. The treatments are bad enough, but two years of steroids that thin the skin, a week of Foscarnet (a phosphoric acid derivative), and TBI (Total Body Irradiation) have conspired to create another medical issue.
I was warned today that Foscarnet can cause genital ulcers. Looks like I might be in line for one.
Why am I being so forthcoming? So that my readers will understand that it's not always the chemo and the transplants and the procedures. Lots of our issues come in the form of side effects that, like straw loaded on a camel's back, eventually burden us to the point of collapse.
I urge my readers who are caregivers to make sure your charges are able and willing to share unfortunate and potentially embarrassing details regarding their care. If, for example, something like this happened to a patient and the caregiver wasn't informed, a much worse condition might develop that could have been prevented.
It's my feeling that some patients might not be willing to tell a family member even though they'd easily tell a medical professional. Make sure everyone in the chain realizes that there's no reason to blush. It's a health issue.
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2 comments:
Aieee! That's terrible! Sending soothing thoughts over the ether. And thank you so much for sharing this with the rest of the world because you are absolutely right, patients are often too "private" about their private parts. Even with their spouses!
P.S. I hope you have some smiley-face plasters...
:)
Yikes... there is so much about this adversary that is hidden - like the elephant no one wants to talk about in the living room - it is very much appreciated, speaking as a caregiver, to know about side effects - and top and bottom effects, too. Sending you healing thoughts, will send Reiki energy to all the hurty places as well. Can you see me with the football pom poms, in a short skirt, jumping up and down? I'm cheering for your team... of course the rest of the image (as 65-year somewhat flabby granny) perhaps doesn't bear imagining...Annie
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