Medical Status of Boardmembers

[Milltown Row2]

MR is it a polyp or a confirmed tumour in your sister? If the former, hopefully comes back with the best news - the consultants can tell a lot about them by the look of them in the colonoscopy so if he suspects okay fingers crossed he's correct.

The tumour was taken out and the polyp is to be taken out in the next 6 months

[Ball Hopper]

News not great this time, but not exactly bad either.

As I had two failed leak tests (October and December) at two-month intervals after my August surgery, it was decided to give it three months or so this time round to see if time was all that was needed. 

As an added precaution against the possibility of the test equipment causing some damage internally, it was decided to get an MRI instead.

For starters, the MRI showed no sign of any cancer activity, which is a great "umbrella" to have over the entire report.

What the MRI did show, however, was a space in the rectal wall where fluid is pooling and a small drainage channel to the outside of the wall.  Normal cell fluid excesses are feeding into this space.  Picture a map with a lake having a stream to the ocean, but no visible streams into it as it is fed by surface water and small drainage channels and so on.

Draining the space is not the answer, as it will merely refill again – the space must be closed completely.  To do this, a procedure called endosponge vacuum therapy is proposed. 

The attached video explains it very well.  The infection possibilities and the associated results in the early part of the video do not really apply to me as I still have my ileostomy bag and there is zero "traffic" through that area, so there is no great source of infection present.

The sponge will be replaced frequently and the treatment will continue until the space has closed fully – initial estimate is 6 weeks, but that is very much an estimate.

Once the space is closed, I'm sure a wait of some time will be proposed to make sure it doesn't redevelop and further tests will confirm if it is appropriate to proceed with the ileostomy reversal surgery.

I don't have a firm date for the start of this procedure – the initial placement will be under general anesthesia and will require an overnight stay in hospital.  As explained in the video, I'll wear a pump with a collection cartridge in a belted pouch on my waist for the duration.  Obviously, sitting will be awkward and I'm not sure if sleeping on my back is practical – I'm sure there will be alarms of some sort in the system to alert me to kinks in the hose and the collection cartridge being full, plus low battery of course.

I've no other issues at this time - the peripheral neuropathy is still with me and slowly improving, but it will take until June or so to be fully gone.  Blood tests are all good.  Weight, diet and exercise all doing well too.

I'll update again in a few weeks with a progress report.  This is just a small detour on my journey back to full health and the "umbrella" of being cancer free makes the journey reasonably easy.

Thanks again for all the support.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENzS4YSAhqk

[Jeepers Creepers]

Small detour is the correct way to look at it BH in the grand scheme of things!

[grounded]

News not great this time, but not exactly bad either.

As I had two failed leak tests (October and December) at two-month intervals after my August surgery, it was decided to give it three months or so this time round to see if time was all that was needed. 

As an added precaution against the possibility of the test equipment causing some damage internally, it was decided to get an MRI instead.

For starters, the MRI showed no sign of any cancer activity, which is a great "umbrella" to have over the entire report.

What the MRI did show, however, was a space in the rectal wall where fluid is pooling and a small drainage channel to the outside of the wall.  Normal cell fluid excesses are feeding into this space.  Picture a map with a lake having a stream to the ocean, but no visible streams into it as it is fed by surface water and small drainage channels and so on.

Draining the space is not the answer, as it will merely refill again – the space must be closed completely.  To do this, a procedure called endosponge vacuum therapy is proposed. 

The attached video explains it very well.  The infection possibilities and the associated results in the early part of the video do not really apply to me as I still have my ileostomy bag and there is zero "traffic" through that area, so there is no great source of infection present.

The sponge will be replaced frequently and the treatment will continue until the space has closed fully – initial estimate is 6 weeks, but that is very much an estimate.

Once the space is closed, I'm sure a wait of some time will be proposed to make sure it doesn't redevelop and further tests will confirm if it is appropriate to proceed with the ileostomy reversal surgery.

I don't have a firm date for the start of this procedure – the initial placement will be under general anesthesia and will require an overnight stay in hospital.  As explained in the video, I'll wear a pump with a collection cartridge in a belted pouch on my waist for the duration.  Obviously, sitting will be awkward and I'm not sure if sleeping on my back is practical – I'm sure there will be alarms of some sort in the system to alert me to kinks in the hose and the collection cartridge being full, plus low battery of course.

I've no other issues at this time - the peripheral neuropathy is still with me and slowly improving, but it will take until June or so to be fully gone.  Blood tests are all good.  Weight, diet and exercise all doing well too.

I'll update again in a few weeks with a progress report.  This is just a small detour on my journey back to full health and the "umbrella" of being cancer free makes the journey reasonably easy.

Thanks again for all the support.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENzS4YSAhqk

Best wishes BH . As said above hopefully a small detour on way to full recovery

[trailer]

News not great this time, but not exactly bad either.

As I had two failed leak tests (October and December) at two-month intervals after my August surgery, it was decided to give it three months or so this time round to see if time was all that was needed. 

As an added precaution against the possibility of the test equipment causing some damage internally, it was decided to get an MRI instead.

For starters, the MRI showed no sign of any cancer activity, which is a great "umbrella" to have over the entire report.

What the MRI did show, however, was a space in the rectal wall where fluid is pooling and a small drainage channel to the outside of the wall.  Normal cell fluid excesses are feeding into this space.  Picture a map with a lake having a stream to the ocean, but no visible streams into it as it is fed by surface water and small drainage channels and so on.

Draining the space is not the answer, as it will merely refill again – the space must be closed completely.  To do this, a procedure called endosponge vacuum therapy is proposed. 

The attached video explains it very well.  The infection possibilities and the associated results in the early part of the video do not really apply to me as I still have my ileostomy bag and there is zero "traffic" through that area, so there is no great source of infection present.

The sponge will be replaced frequently and the treatment will continue until the space has closed fully – initial estimate is 6 weeks, but that is very much an estimate.

Once the space is closed, I'm sure a wait of some time will be proposed to make sure it doesn't redevelop and further tests will confirm if it is appropriate to proceed with the ileostomy reversal surgery.

I don't have a firm date for the start of this procedure – the initial placement will be under general anesthesia and will require an overnight stay in hospital.  As explained in the video, I'll wear a pump with a collection cartridge in a belted pouch on my waist for the duration.  Obviously, sitting will be awkward and I'm not sure if sleeping on my back is practical – I'm sure there will be alarms of some sort in the system to alert me to kinks in the hose and the collection cartridge being full, plus low battery of course.

I've no other issues at this time - the peripheral neuropathy is still with me and slowly improving, but it will take until June or so to be fully gone.  Blood tests are all good.  Weight, diet and exercise all doing well too.

I'll update again in a few weeks with a progress report.  This is just a small detour on my journey back to full health and the "umbrella" of being cancer free makes the journey reasonably easy.

Thanks again for all the support.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENzS4YSAhqk

Good luck BH

[balladmaker]

All the best BH!  As you say, a small detour on the way back to full health!!

[Taylor]

You wont let this stop you BH - KEEP ER LIT

[Milltown Row2]

News not great this time, but not exactly bad either.

As I had two failed leak tests (October and December) at two-month intervals after my August surgery, it was decided to give it three months or so this time round to see if time was all that was needed. 

As an added precaution against the possibility of the test equipment causing some damage internally, it was decided to get an MRI instead.

For starters, the MRI showed no sign of any cancer activity, which is a great "umbrella" to have over the entire report.

What the MRI did show, however, was a space in the rectal wall where fluid is pooling and a small drainage channel to the outside of the wall.  Normal cell fluid excesses are feeding into this space.  Picture a map with a lake having a stream to the ocean, but no visible streams into it as it is fed by surface water and small drainage channels and so on.

Draining the space is not the answer, as it will merely refill again – the space must be closed completely.  To do this, a procedure called endosponge vacuum therapy is proposed. 

The attached video explains it very well.  The infection possibilities and the associated results in the early part of the video do not really apply to me as I still have my ileostomy bag and there is zero "traffic" through that area, so there is no great source of infection present.

The sponge will be replaced frequently and the treatment will continue until the space has closed fully – initial estimate is 6 weeks, but that is very much an estimate.

Once the space is closed, I'm sure a wait of some time will be proposed to make sure it doesn't redevelop and further tests will confirm if it is appropriate to proceed with the ileostomy reversal surgery.

I don't have a firm date for the start of this procedure – the initial placement will be under general anesthesia and will require an overnight stay in hospital.  As explained in the video, I'll wear a pump with a collection cartridge in a belted pouch on my waist for the duration.  Obviously, sitting will be awkward and I'm not sure if sleeping on my back is practical – I'm sure there will be alarms of some sort in the system to alert me to kinks in the hose and the collection cartridge being full, plus low battery of course.

I've no other issues at this time - the peripheral neuropathy is still with me and slowly improving, but it will take until June or so to be fully gone.  Blood tests are all good.  Weight, diet and exercise all doing well too.

I'll update again in a few weeks with a progress report.  This is just a small detour on my journey back to full health and the "umbrella" of being cancer free makes the journey reasonably easy.

Thanks again for all the support.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENzS4YSAhqk

The 'engineering' medical science behind all this is just brilliant.. All the best going forward BH

[Ball Hopper]

Much better news this time...

On 27 April I had my fifth and final vacuum therapy session – no need for a sixth session as the space has filled in fully and there is no more to be done. 

An overnight stay was required for observation for the first placement.  There was relatively small discomfort – having the pump on a shoulder strap 24/7 was a little inconvenient (a bit more than the ileostomy bag).  The pump failed on week 3, so it was removed and I had a few days off until the next scheduled hospital procedure.

A month of further rest and recovery with no therapy will take me to next leak test at the end of May.  A successful leak test will then allow the ileotomy reversal surgery to be scheduled for some time in June.

Needless to say, I'm delighted to be finally done with this issue that first appeared in early October last year.  The surgeon says he will go straight to vacuum therapy in future cases similar to mine.  I will enjoy the month of recovery as best I can...like everybody else, I can't wait for GAA to resume.

All other health matters are doing well...the peripheral neuropathy is starting to fade.  The warmer weather is certainly helping.  Diet and sleep are both in good form as well, although the occasional afternoon nap was required lately – I'm sure being under general anesthetic every week had some sort of cumulative effect, even though the medics said it shouldn't.

I'll update again after the next leak test, but it finally looks like I'm rounding the bend and heading for the home straight...in Grand National terms I've negotiated Beecher's Brook for the final time and have just a few regular fences left – they can still be troublesome though to a tired team, so keeping up with exercise and diet will be important to keep me as fit as possible to handle the next fence.

The umbrella of "cancer free" that is over me is certainly the basis of my attitude, along with a great family and medical team.
 
As always, thanks so much for the support.  Looking back on my initial post, I had hoped for ileostomy reversal surgery in September 2020 – I'll miss that by at least 9 months, but I am so grateful to be in the shape that I'm right now.

[general]

BH - Great to see the progress you have made.

You are an inspiration to all men- the stigma is not talking (about anything in general) and bottling it up. Hopefully a bit of light banter and support from the board has gave you a bit of light relief over the stages of your illness.

Wishing you nothing but the best in the future

[Jeepers Creepers]

Good stuff BH, great to hear. Always great to get positive news!

[laoislad]

Good stuff BH. 💪

[Newbridge Exile]

Great news BH

[Taylor]

Briallint news BH.

The fight you have shown throughout this was truly inspirational

[Milltown Row2]

Brilliant news BH, and hopefully a better GAA summer ahead of you to enjoy!