Another scan
Just back from having an ultrasound scan at my local hospital. It’s only a ten-minute drive so I was home within an hour.
“Do you know why you’re here?” asked the sonographer. “Not a clue,” I replied, which was true because I’ve had several scans this year - ultrasound, CT and two MRI scans - and it’s difficult to keep up.
He explained that it was to check whether the cyst on one of my kidneys had got bigger since it was discovered following an MRI scan six months ago. If it was the same size I could leave immediately. If there was evidence that it had grown, the sonographer would inject me with contrast dye, ‘a colourless liquid that temporarily enhances the visibility of blood vessels and organs’, so he could take a closer look. The good news is that the cyst hasn’t grown, but compared to ongoing issues with my prostate it feels fairly inconsequential either way.
You may recall that following a biopsy in April my prostate was designated ‘indeterminate’ in terms of anything more serious. Unfortunately an enlarged prostate can lead to other complications and when my wife and I were on a cruise at the end of July I found myself in the medical department where the ship’s doctor - a very engaging South African - had to insert an emergency catheter.
I didn’t mention it then, and I won’t go into details now, but I had to live with an indwelling catheter for two months until two weeks ago when I underwent what is called a ‘trial without catheter’ or TWOC. My first TWOC, two weeks after I returned home from the cruise, had been a failure and I had to be re-catheterised, but - unexpectedly - my second TWOC (at the end of last month) was a success which means I am currently without a catheter, which is good news because it was quite uncomfortable, to say the least.
The underlying issue hasn’t gone away, of course, and will have to be addressed sooner or later, but for now I am enjoying the ‘freedom’ of living without a silicon tube in a rather awkward place. I must stress, though, that even with a catheter I was aware that there are millions of people far worse off, so I am not complaining, merely keeping a diary!
Also, as I work largely from home these days, it made very little difference on that front, especially as most TV and radio interviews can be conducted via FaceTime or Zoom. All you need is a webcam or built-in camera on your computer, a good microphone and some decent lighting (which many people forget, hence they appear on screen in what appears to be a dark, dimly-lit room).
Anyway, today’s scan was as mundane and inconsequential as they come. I don’t know why I even mentioned it.
En route to the Ultrasound Scans department at my local hospital
