Stent-removal success:)

Earlier this morning, E and I went to Dr. D's office to have my stent removed from my left ureter. I even got to see what the inside of bladder looks like - kind've like a dark cave with lots of liquid. Actually, I didn't take more than a passing glance at the monitor. I was too afraid to look. Luckily, Dr. D, the nurse, and E were really calm and their combined presence and attitude that this was no big deal helped to balance out my anxiety. When Dr. D finally found the end of the stent, he clamped down on it with his endoscope, or whatever it's called, and pulled it out through my urethra. Fortunately, the nurse had applied a numbing gel to that area so the sensation wasn't as terrible as it could have been, though it was still painful, esp. since I was filled with fear. I could have prepped myself with EFT beforehand, but I think I was too caught up with anxiety to remember.

I feel so much better without the stent, just a little tender in my urethra and on my left side where my ureter is. This is normal. Dr. D did prescribe some antibiotics for me because my urine sample was, as the nurse so eloquently put it, "cruddy". It was basically opaque yellow, which is not good. The nurse explained that it's probably filled with white blood cells and bacteria, but they'll have to send it to their lab to be sure. I suspect that I probably do have a urinary infection. Not sure why I continue to have episodes of this. I take cranberry extract pills everyday and drink more water than I've ever drunk before. Still, the radiation may be a contributing factor - neither the nurse, nor Dr. D, could say for sure.

I told Dr. D that the last time I took antibiotics, specifically Cipro, it caused me to have diarrhea. He prescribed a less strong antibiotic for me this time, Macrobil, for 5 days.

I will have to make an appointment for an ultrasound in a few weeks to make sure my ureter is looking good. Then, if all is well, I'll just have one more follow-up ultrasound. Wish I didn't have to keep coming in for these tests. I'm really tired of paying medical bills and visiting hospitals.

Right now, I feel fine. What a wonderful feeling! I don't even mind having to get my daily radiation treatment later... Well, maybe just a little.