Medical report

I had my biopsy yesterday, my transurethral resection of the polyp in the diverticulated bladder wall. I won't know the results until next week and will share them with you then. I want to sincerely thank everybody for your prayers and best wishes.

I was really nervous in the days approaching this procedure. Scared. Odd, I have been here so many times before, usually quite nonplussed. I am not sure if it was a matter of the cat knowing he is running out of lives or what? I guess I was just hoping that the immunotherapy would fix everything and that I could live happily ever after again. Nope.

I did some reading on my condition and these sorts of things are not easy to treat.

Imagine a loosely stretched drumhead over a crater. The polyp sits at the bottom of the crater, which is called a tic. The bladder wall was already thin and now it is even thinner. The procedure can get really complicated and it must be dealt with aggressively. But the five year survival rate for the condition is pretty good at 70% so there is reason to be at least moderately sanguine. The pathology report will tell us a lot about how to move.

I got to the hospital early and was weighed in. Covid crisis has been good to me, apparently I have lost thirteen lbs.. (Do you think I need the second period here?)  I knew many of the nurses from my various heart and cancer procedures in the past.

Had a great anesthesiologist this time and the next thing I knew I was getting dressed five hours later. Great everybody, nurses, doctors, staff at Scripps Mercy.

The nurse told me that people come to see my doctor from all over the country, Dr. Salem is an expert at folding over a section of the intestine like a ball and softball stitching it, creating a neobladder. I guess there are worse things than pissing out your belly button. I only had a couple words with her but she is great. I feel very comfortable with her. Expert on Da Vinci robotics.

I had not eaten or drank since before midnight so we stopped at a new place on Convoy that is rated very highly, Shan Xi Magic Kitchen.

I ordered the hand ripped Xi'an biang biang noodles with beef brisket, Leslie had spicy cumin lamb.

Afterwards we made a quick stop at Spicy City for pickles and bamboo shoots at the cold bar. The nurses said no spice or grease so what did I do? Damn. Spice and grease.

But it was really good, the latter restaurant still our favorite but I want to go back to Shan Xi again, the noodles were delicious and comforting.

I slept well last night, felt good to get a hot bath in. Woke up with the common post anesthesia sore throat this morning. I am following doctor's orders and will take it easy today. Will also try to take off another ten lbs. or so but not all in one day.