Navigating senior years.

[KARNUT]

44 minutes ago, Donstar said:

I often struggle between treating the pain or the cause of the pain.  I know that sometimes the only relief is to mask the pain.  The meds I am on for my shoulder don't discriminate and effectively reduce discomfort in my other joints.  I know the problems haven't gone away but they're not bothering me!  Pain management can become a complex issue in our later years.   We find ourselves walking around with a list of our medications in our wallets to inform others in case we are unable.

I blew out my knee in my 20s jumping out of my machine. I remember sitting in the doctors office in he comes with this big needle. I said what the hell is that for? Drain the fluid he says. I said it’s there for a reason leave it. I got a soft cast. The next day it was fun on crutches getting to my tractor through the woods. Six weeks of that. But seriously the worst pain I’ve experienced was an abscess tooth. I was on antibiotics, Tylenol and ibuprofen at the same time. Kidneys, liver be damned. I would have taken anything. That set me on to going to the dentist every 6 months. I told him if he ever let that happen to me again. He better relocate. I rarely have chronic pain. Usually rub ons mask it. I don’t even like using Tylenol if I have to. And that usually fixes the problem. I hate that I have to take blood pressure meds. Even those side effects are a pain. I feel for people with chronic pain. I remember when I used to listen to NASCAR radio years ago. A famous driver took his life after years of chronic chest pain. He tried to endure, they couldn’t give him relief. He called 911 from a grave site, apologized and it was over. Medicine has come a long way. We are fortunate. I just imagine something as simple as teeth pain today. Would have been the end years ago. My grandfather died from high blood pressure in his fifties before the medication. I got it when I was 19. Medication is why I’m still here. Such a time we live in.

Edited June 25, 2025 by KARNUT

[Donstar]

Pain management can be challenging.  For several months, prior to my recent surgery,  I was functioning with minimum discomfort.   A week after surgery, I am understandably struggling to get back to a comfortable level.  However,  knowing that the pain is associated with healing, makes it acceptable.  There is a huge difference knowing the pain is actually going away rather than knowing your ability to feel the pain is disappearing!

[diyer2]

My 69 year old brothers cancerous gallbladder removal yesterday went without any problems, 7 1/2 hours of surgery.

Now has a bag. 

[KARNUT]

1 hour ago, diyer2 said:

My 69 year old brothers cancerous gallbladder removal yesterday went without any problems, 7 1/2 hours of surgery.

Now has a bag. 

Good luck to him. 

[txab]

8 hours ago, diyer2 said:

My 69 year old brothers cancerous gallbladder removal yesterday went without any problems, 7 1/2 hours of surgery.

Now has a bag. 

So they removed part of his colon too?

[Donstar]

13 hours ago, diyer2 said:

My 69 year old brothers cancerous gallbladder removal yesterday went without any problems, 7 1/2 hours of surgery.

Now has a bag. 

Good to hear the operation was without problems.  I assume the ostomy is temporary?

[Donstar]

Two days ago, I upgraded my YouTube to ad free while I convalesce.   As Diyer2 previously suggested, sleep is a hard state to maintain while recovering from shoulder surgery This is cheap entertainment for me while others are sleeping.  What a treat!  I like watching snippets of old shows or concerts that took place in my youth.  It's fun but I don't yearn for a return to the good old days.  Mind you, I wouldn't say no to a return of my 1970's physical state!  

[KARNUT]

My wife and I were reminiscing about our youth last night. We’ve been around each other since the 70s. Counting down the stages of our life. Our story is pieces of a puzzle of little things that shape it. Slices of ten years periods we couldn’t have imagined would be like. After 40 years of working with my family. I couldn’t have imagined my brother wanted to buy me out of the family business. I figured I would have worked another 10 years. I wouldn’t have gotten to spend 10 years visiting one of my favorite people. My father in law. Moving from NJ to Texas in 1978. I just bought a house. A owner of a garbage company asking me out of the blue if I wanted a job? I was a counter sales guy in a Napa store. I treated him well he said was the reason. That led to me starting my own garbage business. Later selling it to join and expanding the family business. I was still in my 20s. That business let us to develop a better mouse trap that led me to countries to promote our equipment. All happenstance. All that because as a family we realized we all had different talents. Together we created a unique family business. No jealousy, just competition. I wouldn’t trade anything. Even enduring a failing body. The only thing we planned for by building a house we rent out in our back property. The retirement home handicapped equip. Even this is a response being triggered by Donstar mentioning the 70s. 

Edited June 27, 2025 by KARNUT

[diyer2]

I think this is he procedure

 

 

Urinary Diversion:

Since the bladder is removed, a new way for urine to exit the body is needed. This is called urinary diversion. Some common types include: 

Urostomy:

.Opens in new tab

An opening (stoma) is created in the abdomen, and a pouch is worn outside the body to collect urine. 

[KARNUT]

10 minutes ago, diyer2 said:

I think this is he procedure

 

 

Urinary Diversion:

Since the bladder is removed, a new way for urine to exit the body is needed. This is called urinary diversion. Some common types include: 

Urostomy:

.Opens in new tab

An opening (stoma) is created in the abdomen, and a pouch is worn outside the body to collect urine. 

The confusion was you said gallbladder, not bladder.

[diyer2]

Got it thanks.

[txab]

1 hour ago, diyer2 said:

Got it thanks.

Now it makes sense. Trying to figure out how he lost his bladder with a gallbladder removal, which could happen if the cancer has spread from one to the other.

 

He'll have some getting used to new things. Not the end of the world. As problems creep up he may feel like end of world. Tell him to hang in there. Find a good ostomy support group in area if possible. You can learn fro them. Also having a good ostomy dept. at the local hospital can help to. 

 

My mom had colostomy for 11 years. Yep their were issues, I was frustrated but with help of a support group, an ostomy nurse who ran the dept for the hospital and especially a young woman who worked for Coloplast, things got better. (Company that produces ostomy equipment. Several different companies out there. But they are often your best source of solutions to problems that might arise)

 

Some people have no real issues at all. But he may need support and encouragement if there are "accidents".

He should still be able to a live a normal life of activities.

[Donstar]

^^^ Great advice.   Diyer2, I'm sure your brother will be introduced to the appropriate care professionals in the hospital and provided information about locally available supports.  I am not an ostomite but two members of my immediate family have been for 20+years.  As txab, we also keep updated with the latest products through coloplast.  

[diyer2]

Thanks

[Donstar]

Yesterday I had my surgical staples removed followed by appointments with my surgeon and a physiotherapist.  All is progressing well and I was given permission to drive if needed.  It has been enlightening to experience life without driving this past couple of weeks.  I have no immediate need or desire to go driving and my current arrangements will continue while I recover.  I was initially annoyed when told I can't drive rather than the hospital trusting my common sense.  However,  many of us know that common sense is not distributed evenly.  Several years ago I had a senior friend who drove home from the hospital with her right foot in a cast.  She told me that she used a cane for the gas and her left foot for the brake.  I didn't praise her for her ingenuity and immediately shared this story with her adult children.  It was a wake-up call for the family and fortunately nobody was hurt.  It was sad that the family wasn't organized to be there for her discharge from the hospital, but they more than made up for it in her final years.