Medical update - 4 May 2009??

as you may have guessed, i've been on a roller coaster ride since 15 apr. i was feeling great that morning. no aches, pains, or major problems. just had to take our younger children to our hmo for check-up for colds. we saw an old friend, bobby and linda t. bobby suffered a stroke years ago but has steadily worked himself back to almost 100% capacity; a medical success story.

when we got home, i went to the bathroom to take a pee. i didn't bother to turn on the lights. as i was passing water, i felt a tug in my penis. i looked down and saw dark, murky water. i thought, 'someone must have neglected to flush.' but the water was so dark, i wanted to check it out. when i turned on the lights, the water in the bowl was dark red. and my heart dropped real fast, like that first drop on a roller coaster after the initial climb. i knew i was in trouble. but i was also in denial. i thought, 'that's just now. it should clear up by the next piss.'

it didn't. nor in the next. i kept quiet about it. not difficult since cris wasn't home. i just had to close the bathroom door.

by nighttime, i was feeling major discomfort, but no real pain. at about  9pm, i told cris i needed to go for a check-up the next day, because, 'don't be shocked, and don't worry, but i've been pissing blood the whole day.' she didn't faint or shout or anything. she just quietly said, 'ok'.

at 2am, i couldn't pass water. i thought, 'oww! but it'll go away. i'll go to the hospital in the morning.' i knew i was in major trouble. no check-up for me. i was sure i'd be confined, and the chances of my worst fear (then) of a catheter loomed large. another huge dip.

at 3, i got up, still couldn't piss and was in pain already because of a full bladder. i woke cris up (she'd just gone to bed at 2am bec she was still doing some work. my wife, the workaholic.) i told her to bring me to the hospital immediately. we hurriedly changed and i drove to makati medical. she offered to drive, but i told her i needed to do it to get my mind off the pain.

we were in the emergency room by 330, and the catheter was in by 4am.