Chained no more

How Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple helped Mike get his life back.

Panda Express® associates met kids like Kutter Shed (and his little sister) who benefited from the physical and occupational therapy suite.

In 2018, Mike Walsh began to feel like he was chained to his house. Due to an enlarged prostate—a common problem affecting more than 40% of men over the age of 60—Mike had difficulty emptying his bladder and needed to use the restroom frequently.

“It just took over my life,” Mike said. “I felt like I couldn’t go anywhere because I always needed to be close to a restroom. I couldn’t visit my grandchildren. I canceled a trip to see my son in Nebraska. I had to get up every hour at night to use the restroom because if I waited any longer, my bladder would get too full and I couldn’t go. It was exhausting.”

Unlike other organs in the body, the prostate continues to grow as a man ages. In some men, the prostate can grow large enough to press against the urethra and obstruct the flow of urine.

Mike was prescribed medication that worked for a while. However, he soon began to get bladder infections that required emergency room visits.

“I ended up in the emergency room so many times, I lost count,” Mike said. “I finally had enough and scheduled a visit with urology.”

After trying another medication that didn’t seem to work for Mike, his doctor suggested a minimally invasive procedure called HoLEP, or holmium laser enucleation of the prostate. This procedure uses a laser to hollow out a portion of the prostate, reducing its size and relieving bladder obstruction.

“The difference was almost instantaneous,” Mike said. “Once they removed all the tubes, I was back to normal. I feel like I’m young again.”

During the process, Mike learned that men come from all over the nation to have this procedure at Baylor Scott & White in Temple. “I’m so fortunate that I live in Belton, so it’s right here,” he said.

“The staff was so wonderful. The issue is a little embarrassing, but they all treated me with dignity and helped me feel as comfortable as possible throughout the whole process.”

Three months after his procedure, Mike is mostly back to doing all the things he loves—babysitting his granddaughter, playing tennis and planning a trip to see his son and grandchildren in the fall.

“I’m a lucky man,” Mike said. “I have my life back, and I’m so very thankful.”