John Z
John was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 1996, in his late fifties. His bowel was removed and his bladder muscles were damaged. Several years later, he was fitted with a urethral catheter. A carer visits John 4 times a day.
John was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 1996, when he was in his late fifties. His bowel was removed and his bladder muscles were damaged. John said he could control his bladder for a couple of years, though started having minor problems from about 6 months, including leaking. About 7 or 8 years later, the problems became much worse and, even though he wore pads, the pads were often wet through. He often wet himself before he got to the toilet and sometimes this would happen up to 8 times a day. It became very difficult to go out and John was referred to a consultant urologist.
John had tried intermittent self catheterisation in the past and it hadn’t worked very well. He was also prescribed oxybutynin, a tablet used to reduce bladder spasms. Later, under a different consultant, John was offered a permanent indwelling catheter. After discussing the advantages and disadvantages with a urology nurse, John was fitted with a urethral catheter.
Although John doesn’t go out very much, he uses a leg bag when he does. He lives with arthritis, osteoporosis and a type of leukaemia called thrombocytopenic purpura, a condition that leaves him feeling very tired. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is the condition of having an abnormally low platelet count. It is diagnosed with a blood test.
John drinks a lot of fluid to help prevent the build up of sediment in his catheter. He is supposed to have his catheter changed every 10 weeks or so by a district nurse but said that, often, it needs changing before then because it gets blocked.
A day carer visits John 4 times a day. John said he felt well looked after’ and was happy with his care.