My prostate immediately became his priority. To confirm the blood and urine  tests, as well as  ultrasound scan, the urologist also performed the good ol’ rectal examination! Shall not elaborate on this one… *ouch*

A course of oral antibiotics was prescribed and I was sent home. In just a week, the discomfort at the perineum region subsided and it was time to see the doctor again.

During the second check-up, all tests proved that my prostate had returned to its normal size. The urologist confirmed that it might have been nothing more than a viral infection that caused the inflammation. Considering that the practitioner was the chief urologist of the hospital, I was  convinced.

After clearing the prostate matter, he moved on to address the kidney stone . Another ultrasound was done and it provided a decent view of the 7.6mm stone that was sitting on my right mid pole. The practitioner recommended Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), a non-invasive procedure to blast the stone. I was also informed that all ESWL patients will be anaesthetized by epidural. In my case, a probe will be inserted into my urinary track to determine the exact location of the stone.

How would you feel upon hearing all that? Truth be told, I was beyond terrified when I left the hospital. I had two week to the procedure and had silly thoughts of delaying it further due to fear.

So what did I do to prep myself mentally and psychologically prior to the procedure?

I depended on new media technologies, particularly Web 2.0! Specifics will be revealed in my future postings.

After the entire prostate and kidney episode, I started developing a keen interest in Health Communication.

Today, I am pursing a masters by full research on both of these areas.

This blog is primarily dedicated to my postgraduate journey, with hope that it might inspire my undergraduate friends to discover their respective research interest.