It is Monday morn after the DSC convention and I find myself in the Emergency Room because suddenly I can't pee! I get catheterized (1 liter of fluid) and the ER doc runs a sonogram on my belly and says "What are those two spots on your bladder?" Beats the hell out of me I reply.
Now, every urologist in Dallas/ Ft. Worth is booked for at least two weeks so I get to enjoy the catheter and bag for a week. Oh what joy.
Catheter comes out a week later and you hope bladder goes to normal size or your get another round of the same thing.
Next appointment I hope to find out if two spots on bladder are maybe stones of some kind or is this cancer. Then, am I suddenly at age 81+ having prostrate troubles? All this is akin to going from zero MPH to 100 MPH. Never had any problems like this before. OK, so what is the big deal about all this? The big deal is I booked and paid for a 10 day buffalo safari with Pierre van Tonder for my granddaughter and son later this year with me along as observer.
Question is...do you think Delta will just be happy to land me if I have one of these attacks while in the air or...how do things work if I have an attack while in camp in the middle of the Selous? I never worried about anything like this before...how about you?

Sorry to hear, Mims. Hopefully that will be sorted by the time your safari comes around.

Talk to the urologist.

Lots of folks self catheterize themselves as needed.

You need to find out what the issue is before borrowing trouble.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
Talk to the urologist.

Lots of folks self catheterize themselves as needed.

You need to find out what the issue is before borrowing trouble.

I agree with the above!

Maybe you can do it yourself? Take out trip insurance as well if you need to get out of camp and to a hospital

Guess it depends on how bad you want to go too

Sorry to hear it brother and I hope that you go!

quote:

Originally posted by Alfredo C:

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
Talk to the urologist.

Lots of folks self catheterize themselves as needed.

You need to find out what the issue is before borrowing trouble.

I agree with the above!

Maybe you can do it yourself? Take out trip insurance as well if you need to get out of camp and to a hospital

Guess it depends on how bad you want to go too

Sorry to hear it brother and I hope that you go!

Don't count on that. My son had to cancel at the last minute this past summer due to stomach issues. Bought trip insurance from Ripcord. Tried to get reimbursement for the canceled plane ticket. They denied it because he had seen a doctor within 2 years prior to booking the flight (pre-existing condition prior to purchasing the ticket).

I'll never buy trip insurance again.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by Alfredo C:

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
Talk to the urologist.

Lots of folks self catheterize themselves as needed.

You need to find out what the issue is before borrowing trouble.

I agree with the above!

Maybe you can do it yourself? Take out trip insurance as well if you need to get out of camp and to a hospital

Guess it depends on how bad you want to go too

Sorry to hear it brother and I hope that you go!

Don't count on that. My son had to cancel at the last minute this past summer due to stomach issues. Bought trip insurance from Ripcord. Tried to get reimbursement for the canceled plane ticket. They denied it because he had seen a doctor within 2 years prior to booking the flight (pre-existing condition prior to purchasing the ticket).

I'll never buy trip insurance again.

Damn, it sounds like they are just like every other insurer regardless of the type of coverage.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by Alfredo C:

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
Talk to the urologist.

Lots of folks self catheterize themselves as needed.

You need to find out what the issue is before borrowing trouble.

I agree with the above!

Maybe you can do it yourself? Take out trip insurance as well if you need to get out of camp and to a hospital

Guess it depends on how bad you want to go too

Sorry to hear it brother and I hope that you go!

Don't count on that. My son had to cancel at the last minute this past summer due to stomach issues. Bought trip insurance from Ripcord. Tried to get reimbursement for the canceled plane ticket. They denied it because he had seen a doctor within 2 years prior to booking the flight (pre-existing condition prior to purchasing the ticket).

I'll never buy trip insurance again.

Wow that’s terrible! What’s the difference if he had a pr condition or not, he was sick and canceled his trip

You have some time. Definitely speak with your urologist and get full evaluation and work up. You will know something relatively quickly and will have plenty of time to cancel if necessary. I am a surgeon, but not a urologist. Listen to the experts before making a decision

Harry,

I had an issue with kidney stones back in 2011’ish. Would not wish that on anybody.

After lithotripsy and finally clearing the stones I have not had any issues.

However it has been a concern while traveling and hunting. Before I went to the Congo in 2016 (where health care and evacuation would be a huge issue) my urologist X-Rayed my kidneys to see if there were any stones forming. Everything was clear and that gave me peace of mind.

Thanks for the responses. Seems like a long time getting any kind of an answer from the docs.

I also meant to reply to your situation. I’m actually in the hospital with my father. He had a botched prosthetic procedure 5-6 years ago and has had chronic severe UTIs since, which lead to other issues. He has been on a self cath for a number of years now. However, his wife does the insertion most of the time.

I used to joke about how his little buddy down there finally got him in trouble, but it’s not a funny now.

Best wishes on a speedy recover. I hope you will make that special journey with your grandkids.

Harry, find the best specialist you can and as fast as you can. And don’t hesitate to talk to more than one. I would say definitely talk to more than one.

Doctors are like lawyers, plumbers, carpenters, butchers and bakers and candlestick makers.

There are only two kinds: good and bad.

Then make your own judgment, after weighing theirs.

I wish you all the best.

Really does sound like stones. I cannot think of anything else that creates a blockage.

Welcome to my world. I ave had to cancel 2 trips due to bouts with the big C. One hunt in New Zealand and one cruise. In both cases the expenses were charged on my Visa through my brokerage account and they reimbursed anything that wasn't refunded by airlines, etc.
On your health issue, don't worry unnecessarily, trust your docs but make sure they have a good reputation and don't be afraid to get a second or third opinion.
Best of luck Mims.

Damn Mims, that is a real bad piece of news! At 83 yrs old I'm having some of the same problems, but mine started when I developed a hernia on the right side of my lower abdomen. I'm going under the knife as soon as I can get an appointment.

Hope you can get clear before your safari so you can go with the kids!

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Its a kidney stones. Not cancer.

Quite common.

Kidney stones present as pain, bladder stones present as obstructions.

Usually the stones are well visualized in the bladder on US.

Bladder stones are a relatively easy fix. Lithotripsy and hydration/dietary changes based on the type of stone. Self cath for symptoms urgently is a short term fix, if that is what this is. Ben Franklin had this issue and urinated standing on his head due to it historically.

But if the information is as above, someone needs to look at the bladder directly to see what it is. Get in with urology and get a real diagnosis, please!

See a real doctor, not all the gynecologists posting answers here....

Been there, done all that, threw the tee shirt away. In 2001 I had to come home from a mountain lion hunt in Idaho because I couldn't pass urine. An enlarged prostate was the joyful diagnosis, and when they catheterized me they took 1.3 liters of urine out of me. They said that if it had gone another hour or so my bladder would have burst. Fortunately, good urologist care had me back into hunting shape within a few months. I don't know about the spots on the bladder. I didn't have that. Had the rotorooter (TURP) procedure and am still ok 19 years later. My advice is get yourself in the care of a good urologist. Hope this helps.

Thanks all for the replies. I cant imagine the 1plus liter of urine. I was in hellish pain with just a tad over a lier. I now have 2 appointments with 2 different urologists. Hope to get this mess fixed soon. Better tomorrow's!