Well that sucked...

Yesterday was quite a day....I apologize if this is too graphic, but others may be going through this transplant process in the future and want the information.

Yesterday was the big day for my biopsy, it occurred at 1:30 and so I had to start preparing at 11:30. How does one prepare for a prostate biopsy you ask......with an enema of course. Yes that's right your humble author was humbled even further yesterday. As I laid down on my belly to deliver the fluid I had to laugh, this has to be some sort of joke right?. I kept waiting for someone to jump out and tell me I was punked or something, but alas no one came to my rescue. So I did what I had to do and man, it was as bad as the biopsy. See I have been on IVs for several days now and my butt is really sore from the loose bowels and reoccurring bathroom stops, so adding salt water to an abraded bottom was like setting a lit match on my skin. YOW!!! It was a really painful experience....

So at 1:00 Denise and I headed over to the Dr office for an ultrasound guided biopsy. After arriving, the nurse and I headed to the procedure room while Denise chilled in the waiting room. I then had to then disrobe from the waist down and sit on the table/chair contraption. After taking my vital signs the nurse then started to prepare me for the procedure by inserted a syringe type object with numbing lubricant in my already pain riddled anus. As the numbing cream took effect she showed me the apparatus that would be used in the procedure. First the doctor would insert a wand like object into the anus (ultrasound probe), the wand had a hole in the middle of it that a long needle would be inserted through. The first needle would be attached to a syringe that had Lidocaine in it, then once the prostate area was numbed up appropriately he would remove the syringe and insert another needle that would be attached to a sample gun. She told me the doctor would be taking 12 samples from various locations within the prostate.

She then left and about 5 minutes later the doctor came in with another younger women who observed the procedure. After a few niceties he asked me to lay on my left side, scoot over to the edge of the bed and bend my knees up toward my chest. He then took a wand like object and as was previously described inserted it where I would prefer it not be. This was very uncomfortable mostly due to my sore bottom. He then moved the wand around and injected the Lidocaine in many places (not sure how many times he stuck me). While he was waiting for the Lidocaine to take effect he moved the wand around and took several ultrasound pictures of the prostate. At one point he said he saw some calcification, which apperently indicated some previous trauma to the prostate. After a few minutes (I am not sure how long as I was meditating and starting intently at the wall outlet) he said he would now start taking the samples. I could feel him moving the wand around and pressure in my belly and groin area, every so often I could hear an audible click when he took a sample. I did not feel most of the samples being taken, but two of the twelve did hurt like hell. Luckily time passed and the procedure ended.

After he removed the probe and asked me to sit up I asked him what would happen now. I knew he had talked to the doctors at Penn previously to make sure that the procedure and samples would meet their needs. He said the samples go off to the lab and we would hear back in 5 days or so. I asked him if the Dr at Penn told him what happens if it is cancer, and he said he would be incredibly amazed if it was as he did not see any indications of concern.

Now I need to avoid strenuous activity for 5 days...and not get freaked out when I pass blood for awhile....

So that was my big day yesterday....man am I glad that is over!