Merry Christmas to All and to All a Better Year

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Well it has been 6 weeks since I wrote something because I was in the U.S. After dealing with chronic Urinary Infections and then bleeding from my bladder I decided to hope on a plane and see a uroligist in the US after my family doc in Harare said "I don't really know what to do for you anymore!" So on Nov 2 I left Harare with a foley in and smartly thinking--I can sleep for hours since I don't have to get up to go....then....

Between Joburg and Harare about 3 hours into a 10 1/2 hour flight my foley got blocked, I was in agonizing pain and tried to figure out a way to irrigate the foley that had got blocked with blood clots! In the small airplane toilet i tried everything--we nurses are always inventive--but having no syringe I finally gave up and went to the steward and asked for scissors or a knife! He looked at me funny and asked "what for?" (like I would tell him I wanted to hijack a plane or something) and when I explained he gave me some blunt pointed scissors and when I said I would return them right away he said "keep them!"

I was able to remove the foley and then started praying I could go before the 7 1/2 hour flight ended! God answered and I was able to pass urine fine the rest of the way home!

Since I have been in the US I was able to see a urologist, have a cystoscopy, biopsy and caterization and the conclusion was I have radiation cystitis caused from radiation I had 20 years ago for cancer! So I am on a nightly antibiotic for the rest of my life. I have no infection and I feel better--so PTL for all the good care here!

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