PROSTATE PANIC!
Background
Everyone has the implicit belief that the prostate hits men in old age (I was in the Spring of my years). Some people believe it is payback time for a promiscuous life (I am monogamous). But everyone knows that it is a sexual blight that attacks the male appendage and suspects that it leads to erectile dysfunction (a taboo subject). Yet no one knows how it starts and the inconveniences it causes in detail. Men would rather not discuss the subject openly.
Let’s start with a brief definition of the Prostate:
“The prostate is a small rubbery gland about the size of a ping-pong ball, located deep inside the groin, between the base of the penis and the rectum. It is important for reproduction because it supplies part of the seminal fluid (semen), which mixes with sperm from the testes.”
I’ve encountered both polarities: its sudden onslaught, and its trigger-happy ending. In fact, through my experience I was under the hands of a ‘rural’ urologist, and then, the best I could have ever met. I bless the latter every time I go to the loo, for his expertise and invaluable bits of advice which I apply religiously to this day (in the conclusion).
Usually, after supper, I drink at least a liter of water. As a garlic addict, if it is part of my supper, I could go as far as drinking 2 liters of water. This has nothing to do with my addiction to water come rain or come shine. Obviously, going to the loo before going to bed allows me to have my deep REM sleep without interruption. Once it is over, my circadian alarm provokes only one more visit prior to my morning routine of heading there before washing my face and preparing my coffee.
1st Day
I was on a trip to Lagos, Nigeria, and stayed in the hotel. That night, it was a usual evening. But when I woke up in the morning, I could not pee! I never ever had problems with that. I tried one more time before going down for breakfast and forced a few interrupted sprinkles. I got worried. It never crossed my mind I could have a problem. At breakfast, I had a lot of tea. Went back up. No improvement. I started worrying and contacted the Manager at 7:30 a.m. for a Urologist. The only one available worked for the local government area (neighborhood). By the time he received me, it was 11 a.m. I felt I was going to explode. After his examination, he confirmed that I had a chronic (urgent) prostate attack and would need surgery as soon as possible. He only operated through a private clinic nearby, where I was admitted immediately — canceling all my appointments for the next 3 days. The surgery was programmed for the next day.
However, I refused to leave his public clinic without being ‘relieved’ of my bloating bladder. Ill-equipped, he resorted to a method of inserting a thick catheter roughly through my urethra (that is the urine outlet). I felt like I had gone into the depths of hell and returned it was so excruciating. My pain tolerance is very high, but in this case, I had to groan loudly for relief. Immediately he evacuated my bladder, it was even more painful pulling out the catheter. I grabbed his hand firmly to move it out slowly. My kidneys were releasing another load full. There was no way I was going to accept the object back in, so I insisted he incise with local anesthesia to insert the catheter in. When he started, again I grabbed his hand to stop him. He had no anesthesia, and the pain was worse. So, I had to contain myself until the next day.
Once admitted and settled into the private clinic, I saw a rat cross the corridor. I lost my mind. There was no way I was going to have an operation in this dingy old place without enough hygiene around me. I had no intention of moving from the Devil, into the deep blue sea ending up with another problem. I frantically made contacts for another clinic and another surgeon. I found an excuse to delay my surgery until I secured a new Urologist.
2nd & 3rd Day
As soon as I met the new Urologist, he conducted not only a physical test (front and behind), but also an electronic and laboratory test, and we had a very lengthy discussion with loads of questions on my part, and loads of advice on what to expect pre-and post-operatively. I knew I met the right surgeon and set the day for my surgery immediately, moving into his clinic early the next morning. By now, I felt my bladder was going to explode, my incontinence was so uncomfortable, that I could ingest absolutely nothing.
Dr. Shonibare (pronounced: Shoni-bari), appointed his Chief Nurse to keep a close watch over me. In addition, he had 2 resident doctors check on me regularly and intermittently, to evacuate my bladder whenever I felt the urge. I cannot praise them all enough for their gentle, kind, and attentive treatment. Under no circumstances does my experience pass flimsy judgment over my previous experience which was an emergency at the wrong time and in the wrong setting). In any 3rd World country, we encounter the best, and due to circumstantial conditions, the worst.
At his clinic, Vantage Clinic, VI/Lagos, the catheter was new, very fine, lubricated with local anesthetic cream, before being very slowly and gently inserted into my urethra, and eventually removed in the same manner. I retrieved my appetite with an ‘A la Carte’ menu. My bedroom was self-contained with a very well-equipped bathroom, particularly for convalescing or elderly folks (I enjoyed the comfortable seat I used in the shower). Dr. Shonibare personally came to check on me regularly to ensure that I was perfectly comfortable, emphasizing that I also had to be in ‘good spirits’ prior to my surgery, affirming my belief in the psychosomatic effect of mind over body, and its importance in my recovery.
4th Day
As soon as the anesthetist arrived in the morning, I was prepared and driven in on a stretcher. They fussed so much over me, that I did not feel the jab in my back…and simply woke up, back in my lovely and bright room with everyone coming in to ensure I was recovering well. I had only one thing on my mind: my ‘born-again’ appendage and passing my 1st autonomous pee!
I always suffer alternative physical inconveniences after general anesthesia, apart from the drowsiness in the first few hours of recovery, and some nausea. The effect is numbness or lack of sensation in my feet. This time, it was compounded by pain throughout my spine giving me occasional headaches. The pain resulted in a loss of appetite. However, I was pee-happy though I had to use a bed bottle.
Dr. Shonibare, the anesthetist, the 2 resident doctors, and the matron, never stopped popping in to check on me. They were all concerned with my post-surgery inconveniences, and more so with my loss of appetite over the next 3 days. They coaxed me into drinking a lot of freshly squeezed juices with their pulp. I enjoyed all the personalized attention and treatment and decided to extend my stay, to ensure that once on my feet again, I will not stop moving.
Dr. Shonibare was right, I had blood residues in my urine for a while from the operation. To ensure that it was successful, a daily record of post-operative symptoms was kept, I was scanned once more, and I had my PSA test done. To top it all, the result of my biopsy had returned from an international laboratory which confirmed I was cancer-free! I was elated, to say the least.
Within a week, I was peeing like a 6-year-old, and I was 60 at the time. At that young age, whenever my brother and I took a pee in the garden, we would compete to see who could reach higher and further with his ‘shower’. I felt youthful again, without the competition part.
Dr. Shonibare asked me to be conscientious of my diet, although I eat in a healthy manner. He asked me to reduce nuts and oilseeds and eat more tomatoes among my assortment of fresh vegetables and fruits because of the Lycopene content.
Conclusion
For my audience's information, I did not resort to the surgery of removing my prostate. That would have guaranteed erectile dysfunction. I resorted to the new technique introduced by Dr. Shonibare in Nigeria, which is a type of ‘pulverization’ of the blocked tissue to open the passage freely. It did not exclude me from the risk of encountering erectile dysfunction either, but I am delighted to confirm 8 years later, that I am active and in a top-notch state of ‘affair’ (from the French: “A faire…”)
I told Dr. Shonibare assertively, that whatever my future health condition will be, I would always consult him first and foremost, because of the absolute faith I have not in his competence as a doctor and surgeon, but also as a humane and patient professional. If I happen to be in Nigeria, I shall insist on being driven directly to Vantage Clinic, whatever my ailment or the emergency at hand.
At 68 today, wherever I am in Nigeria or across West Africa (which I know too well), I shall be least concerned for my health. Besides, the respect they have for their elders is incomparable to any other part of the world. In fact, I may return purposely to Dr. Shonibare, to appoint whichever competent specialist he recommends knowing I will obtain the incomparable professional and personal treatment.
Sammy RNAJ
WhatsApp +96170499352
Medium — @srn.abuj &/me/
LinkedIn — /in/Sammy-rnaj-5847b8287
Twitter/X — @SammyRa97511456
Facebook (Remote Hub) — /profile.id=100080997426450
Facebook (The Reader’s Corner) — /profile.id=100094246617227
Quora — /profile/Sammy-RNAJ
