“The pain became excruciating”

In June 2019, to help introduce our Manitoba Urologic Centre campaign, Winnipegger Ian Wallace shared this story of his transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) procedure with a small group of HSC Foundation donors. Here we are in September 2020 and Wallace remains in good health and we are 51% of the way to achieving our $8.2 million goal. Please donate today to ease the journey for about 10,000 urological patients every year.

 

 

Friends—gentlemen in particular—you might cross your legs and wince a bit as you read this.

You should.

My story begins months ago—almost a year. My prostate was starting to give me trouble. This spring, I finally had surgery to remove much of it. The day after I was discharged from the hospital, I realized I couldn’t pee. As fluids built up in my body, the pain became excruciating.

I went right back to HSC and my docs said I needed a catheter to drain my urine. They also said I needed to be scheduled for a procedure called a TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate).

I recently had the procedure. Not very pleasant. Through my penis, the surgeons inserted an instrument to open what’s left of my prostate to let the urine flow. After they were done, they filled me with water to test things out and I still couldn’t pee because of the swelling I still had from my surgery. I thought I was going to explode. The pain was unbelievable.

So, the catheter went back in. As I write this note, I still have it. A small bag for the day, strapped to my leg; a big bag for the night. When I toss and turn at night, it hurts like hell. I’ve started to sleep sitting up. The catheter will come out as soon as I recover. I can’t wait.

Through this process, I learned that there are some guys who have to wait up to seven months or more for a TURP, depending on patient flow (pardon the pun). Because my particular case is pretty complicated, my wait time wasn’t quite that bad. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have a catheter for that long.

With the proposed Manitoba Urologic Centre, HSC will be able to move TURP and other urologic procedures—like some kidney stone removals and bladder cancer procedures—out of regular operating rooms and into a designated clinic space. That will reduce wait times significantly.

HSC estimates that up to 10,000 people a year will be seen in this new centre. Prostate issues and kidney stones are very, very common. (If you’re starting to wake up to pee a couple of times every night, you might be looking at a TURP down the road, too.)

The space is available; plans are underway to develop the space and purchase new equipment; and the HSC Foundation is raising $8.2 million to make it happen.

I’m in! Not just because I have a urologic issue right now, but also because it makes good sense.

So, friends, I urge you to uncross your legs, open your hearts, and consider making a gift to the HSC Foundation in support of the Manitoba Urologic Centre. Many Manitobans will benefit.

Thank you,

Ian Wallace

June 2019

 

P.S. It’s important that we raise this money ASAP! This is a crucial project that will help a lot of people. Let’s get it done! Call the HSC Foundation office today at 204-515-5612.