"Well Mr. Franklin, this operation is pretty standard, so I have full confidence that everything will go smoothly. Just one more thing to go over. A start-up urology med device company is doing clinical trials on their premier product. You were flagged as a prime candidate for the trial. They've offered to cover the cost of your procedure, if you'd be willing to be a part of the trial."
"Umm I dont know, that kind of stops this from being a routine procedure, doesn't it? I'm a little hesitant..." I sat there in my hospital gown, looking inquisitively up at the doctor.
"I understand your concerns, but rest assured, this is very low risk. A UroVention nurse will be aiding in the procedure, taking care of everything on that end." The doctor flipped over a page on his clipboard, and read aloud as if straight from a brochure.
"UroVention has developed the least invasive Foley catheter to date, with a state of the art drug-eluding collar, not dissimilar to drug-eluding stents." He lowered his clipboard. "You won't even notice a difference, and on top of that, all your medical bills will be covered."
That name, UroVention, triggered something in the back of my memory, but I couldn't quite place it. It did sound like a really good offer....
"Well, as much as I enjoy being a broke college student, that seems like too good of a deal to turn down. What do I need to do?"
"Just a form to sign, legal stuff stating that your procedure costs are covered, you promise not to sue, etcetera, etcetera"
"Sue? Should I be worried doc?" I chuckled, though half-heartedly.
"You have nothing to be worried about, Mike. Once you wake up, you'll be walking out of here, not owing a penny and healthy as a horse."
"....okay, where do I sign?"
"A minor complication..."
"What does that mean, doctor? What kind of complication?"
The words were fuzzy, but it sounded like my girlfriend Kate, talking with the doctor. That last word finally stuck out loud and clear.
I'd gone in for a routine procedure, and something had gone wrong. They'd found something bad. I was minutes from death. They'd brought me out of the anesthesia so that I could say my goodbyes to Kate.
"It was when the nurse went to remove the catheter after the procedure. This new catheter, it has an elastic drug eluting collar that expands and contracts with the balloon. The balloon deflated, but the collar...it's like it didnt respond properly once it reached body temperature. The balloon came out, but the collar appears to be lodged and was unable to be explanted."
Phew. Not dying. Still, this didn't sound good.
"What, exactly, does that mean? So this collar thing is stuck inside of him?" Kate sounded relatively calm, considering the circumstances.
"Well, yes. I would have attempted to remove it, but given its position, the procedure could do more harm than good."
"And if you don't remove it? What happens then?"
I heard the doctor take a deep breath, as if he was unsure how to word what he wanted to say.
"Right now, the collar is holding the sphincter open. For all intents and purposes, Mike is functionally urinary incontinent."
What? Incontinent?! I opened my mouth to speak up, but a wave a weariness came over me, and I was back asleep in seconds.
Kate stopped just outside the hospital front doors, engaging the brake on Mike's wheelchair. Mike continued to doze, his head lolled over to the side like a rag doll. She felt her phone buzz in her pocket.
UNKNOWN: It went flawlessly. X-rays showed it in perfect position. None of the surgical team suspected.
Kate swiftly deleted the text, tucking her phone back in her pocket.
Taking a brief glance around, Kate took off her purse and began to rummage through it. It wasn't long before she found what she was looking for.
She crumpled up the UroVention brochure, tossing it in the trash with a hint of a smile on her face.