Dr Robinson continues to monitor my 2019 Cystectomy and recent CT Scans confirmed that there were “issues” in my right Kidney but that I am still Cancer free. Well that is really good news but he still wanted to have a look at my kidney.

At 1135 hours, Thursday, November 19, 2020, I was invited to the Trail Hospital where an X-Ray equipped cameral probe was inserted through my stoma. I find it amazing at the Technology that exists as I watched the probe meander through all the pulsating tissues until we came to the urinary tract entry to the kidney.

Lo and behold, scar tissue had built up that was compromising empting urine from the kidney. He was able to penetrate that area and went into the kidney itself and attempted to insert a bypass tube through that growing constriction.

He kept trying but his equipment was not able to provide a visual capability to inspect the interior of the kidney so that the tube could not be accurately placed.

He finally decided to stop the procedure as his equipment could not be further adjusted to complete the process.

We did visit the portal of my left kidney and I was treated to a “normal” healing process and I was assured that there was nothing otherwise amiss with my right kidney but that the compromised functioning needed to be corrected.

He immediately explained that a Radiologist in the Kelowna Regional Hospital was better equipped to deal with this challenge as the Specialist could enter the kidney from my back and push the tube through from the kidney side.

The decision was to refer me to Kelowna and their more elaborate equipment.

What was interesting is that, Dr. Robinson kept thanking me for my patience along with the two Nurses who eagerly awaited any instruction that the Doctor may request.

I felt no pain nor discomfort even though I did not receive a local antiseptic nor any pain-killers.

I thank God for our hospitals and their expert and caring staff.

Stand by for further updates…………

Elmer Verigin November 20, 2020

I did get a call from the Kelowna Hospital yesterday….

My Nephrostomy Procedure will take place on December 03, 2020 at 1215.

My daughter Lori and my son-in-law Rick Woodhouse have offered to drive me there.

It is a day procedure but the Hospital requires that I stay overnight in Kelowna.

Posted Wednesday, November 25, 2020 0630 hours

Update November26, 2020 1550 hours

There was a conflict of my understanding of the Kelowna Procedure and what I noted on Google so we called Dr Robinson at 1250 hours today to clarify.

Plan A:

A specialized X-Ray will determine the exact spot in my Right Kidney to enter from my backside. A conduit, intended to drain the kidney past the scar tissue joining my urinary canal to the kidney will be penetrated and that is the first objective.

Whether the conduit is successfully installed or otherwise, a drainage tube will drain the kidney into another bag on my thigh. This bag and the external tubing will be removed in two weeks by Dr Robinson and the procedure is termed a success

If the conduit cannot be installed then the access to the kidney will be in place for Dr Robinson to try an alternate process to drain the kidney as a Plan B

If Plan A and B cannot be achieved to drain the kidney internally the Dr. Robinson wans to discuss Plan C which would involve surgery.

At this point my kidneys are functioning normally and so all attention is to be placed on finding a method to drain the right kidney

Here is a prayer to success in Plans A or B!

UPDATED 1000 HOURS, FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2021

Just to confirm that Plan A worked just fine. I wore a supplemental bag for four days until I needed to visit Interior Health Services (Nurses at the Castlegar Hospital) to remove the bag and cap the drain protruding from my kidney. The drain was plugged and coiled with a bandage over.

The next step is to wait for Dr Robinson to call to complete the Cystoscopy which will may the right kidney function as it was entirely blocked off with scar tissue around my urinary tract.

The Nurses faithfully changed the bandage every seven days.

I was called by the Trail Hospital to come for a procedure at 1155 hours, Thursday, December 21, 2021. the procedure takes place in the Operating Room with no anesthetic. The Doctor enters through the Stoma and adjusts the “wire” placed by the Radiologist in Kelowna and removes the protruding drain.

This all took less than a 1/2 hour.

I will need to go back in three (3) months to have it inspected. This will be a continual procedure except with the interval increased to none (9) months. The objective is to have the kidney function properly as there is no problem with the kidney at this time.

I am feeling just fine and no reprecussions with the Cystoscopy.

Posted 1015 hours, Friday, January 22, 2021 by EWV