KW's AUS Journey

    Hey Everyone, Are you ready to hear my take on the AUS activation?  Hope so because here we go!!! 

    My appointment was set for Monday October 6^th for my Activation of the AUS.  We traveled down to Dallas on Sunday afternoon because I already had plans to meet Gene214 and Jetguy on Monday morning before my appointment. Nothing is too exciting about the drive from Norman Oklahoma to Dallas Texas.  I was making the trip with my Mother because she likes to get out once in a while.  My wife has her busy time at work this time of year and she wanted to save her time off for later.  Anyway, we arrived at the Hotel to check in.  I just happened to be wearing an “OU” shirt.  One of the ladies at the front desk said “You’re about a week early aren’t you”?  Referring to the “Red River Rivalry” game between OU and Texas the following Saturday.  I said, Unfortunately No, I’m here for a Doctors appointment across the street!  She proceeded to check us and made a comment to my mother that sounded to assume that we were a “couple”!  I guess these days you never know! 

    After getting settled in the room we decided to go to dinner.  We found a place we wanted to eat on the GPS and took off.  As we arrived back at the hotel the same lady at the desk greeted us as we were walking through the lobby.  My mother had to mention that she “had to go feed her Son”.  I know she did this so the lady would know out situation.  I told her after we rounded the corner she should have just let her assume what she wanted.  It would have made good conversation for her later on!  Mom settled in for the evening.  I went down to the Managers Reception to get a drink and make some phone calls.  Of course I had to check out the Business Center and jump on Healingwell for a little bit.

    The next morning I went down for breakfast and read the newspaper.  I while later Gene214 called and said he was near the hotel.  I told him I was there in the lobby by the fountain.  A few minutes later I saw him coming through the lobby.  We were just visiting and sharing our AUS experience when Jetguy came in.  We sat for about an hour having a nice visit but soon each of them had to leave.  I also had to get ready for my appointment.

    Having to check out of the hotel about an hour before my appointment we decided to just go to Dr. Morey’s office and wait there.  I checked in and we just sat and read some magazines until I was called.

    After checking vitals and giving a urine sample, as usual, I was lead to an exam room.  I waited there a few minutes until the Doctor came in.  As my luck goes he had a young, attractive, female Doctor with him training.  We talked about the trip down, the up coming OU vs. TX ball game.  The lady Doctor was actually alum of UT!  The Dr. Morey said, “Let’s get this thing started” and asked me get up on the exam table.  I pulled my shorts and underwear down and raised my shirt up a little to get it out of the way.  Dr. Morey began to show the young doctor the valve and buttons in the scrotum.  As he would check them out he would let her feel them.  I assume this was her first time to see an AUS installed.  The he said, “This may pinch a little” as he began to activate the device.  To do this he had to press the fluid pad the press the activation button.  It did pinch a little because the valve buttons sit under the skin in the scrotum.  At this time he also noticed and I also mentioned the scrotal incision has had a small separation at the surface.  He said the wetness probably slowed down the healing.  He then put a steri-strip on the site.  He said just leave that on until it wears off and it should heal up.

    I was then asked to stand at the end of the exam table and give some good coughs.  As I coughed they looked for leaks and YIPEE!!!!.....   There were no drips or squirts.  Dr. Morey then said to go to the toilet and sit down and try to work the device by releasing the pressure to see if I can urinate any, then let it close back for about 30 seconds.  Then do some cough test to see if I leak any.  He said do the a few times and he would see me in the exam room when I was comfortable with using the device.

    Boy, this thing is going to take some time to get used too.  It takes one hand to hold the valve in place and the other hand to press the release pad.  Well, I finally was able to hold it and press it and…ooops….I wet all over my hand!  I let it close off and repeated the cycle a few times….without hitting my hand. I also put on a new pad while I was in there.  I was just not as brave as Gene214 was and not going to leave the office without a pad! Feeling good about using the device I went back to the exam room.

    Dr. Morey came back soon.  We talked about how it was working.  He said if I did not have any problems or any big changes in increasing leaking, he would not need to see me again.  So with that we were out of there.

    We stopped for lunch and I had a couple of glasses of iced tea.  I had still not felt any wetness or dripping!  We got back on the road, made a shopping stop and still no dripping.  We stopped for gas and I got a 32oz soft drink.  Still no dripping!  But this stop was my first “public” experience using the AUS!  Everything went well.  No major malfunctions and I did not have to “palm a pad” coming out of the stall.  The pad I put on at the Doctors office looked completely dry!

    After getting home and unpacking the wife and I went to dinner.  Still dry!  I had more iced tea and I’m still dry.  The rest of the evening sitting around the house and getting my stuff ready for work I’m still dry!  I go to bed and wake up in the morning still dry!

    I went to work today.  A usual day on my feet all day and I was dry all day.

    So, in closing I would urge any of you guys out there that are still leaking after 9 to 12 months and your doctor suggest looking into other options if you want too.  I would highly recommend the AUS to help give you some quality of life back.  Of all people I know that you want to try everything you can before giving in to the “plumbing”.  I do not regret any treatments I have tried prior to the AUS because they were each a step toward where I am today.  I just encourage anyone suffering what myself; Gene, Berb, and those other “leakers” out there that I can not recall at this time have suffered through to give some serious thought to finding an experienced Doctor and try the AUS.

    I wish all of you well and if anyone has any questions please feel free to contact me.  My e-mail address in on my profile.

    Thank You all for the support you have given me.

    KW

You maybe dry, but my eyes were getting kind of wet . Congratulations on the successful solving of your problem!

May you have many dry years ahead of you.

Magaboo

Kelly,

'told you so!  (Just kidding).  Congratulations!

Gene214

Divo,

KW, Jetguy and I were visiting last Monday when I had a thought (surprise!).  I do not believe that I have ever heard of anyone who had the AUS who ended up being disappointed in it.  Granted, I have only had contact with those here on HW and Pete does have some extras... I guess.  I also guess his urethra is intact or the surgeon could not have installed the device around it.  So, from my "layman" point of view, of course his will work well, just like the rest of us.  Please keep us informed and keep Pete encouraged. The AUS is a wonderful device for guys like us.

Gene214 

    Hey Everyone,  I am two weeks post activation of my AUS.  Things seem to be getting better!  I have still been using a light womens panty liner all the time when out of the house and at work.  Normally I can not see much spotting at all.  Around the house I have been going without a pad and have had no noticable leaking at all.  I actually went without a pad at work today since it was Sunday and there were just a few people there.  I figured if I did leak it would be better with a mostly empty building.  I only had some minor spotting in my briefs.  I have played golf twice and wore a regular men's pad.  Both times it was about 1/2 full when we finished.  Before the AUS I was soaking a pad every 4 holes.  Overall I am very pleased with the AUS and would recomend it to anyone that suffers the long term incontinance that some of us have.

    Thanks for all the Support!

    KW

    I know I am a few days late on this but close enough!!!!  Anyway, I am one month post activation and things are going very good.  Although I am not 100% dry I would say I am 95% most of the time.  It sure beats 6-8 FULL pads a day.  I am still using a light womens panty liner to catch any unexpected drips and dribbles.  Some of my dribbles may be because I really do not wait the full 30 seconds to a minute for the AUS to fully close after emptying.  I have found when I play golf I need to wear a regular mens pad.  But agian, it is only half full after 18 holes.  I was using a full pad every 4 or 5 holes.  I have yet to master the art of working the "plumbing" at a stand up urinal.  I still use a "sit down booth" when I can.  As far as knowing it is there.  I rarely ever have any sensation that there is anything new down there.  Every once in a while I will get a pinch or a twinge that something is rubbin on something.

    Overall I am very pleased with the AUS and would highly recomend it to anyone that has fought moderate or heavy leaking for more that 9 - 12 months.  I would also highly recomend my Doctor.  He seems to be one of the rising stars in the Southwest area for the AUS.

    It may be a while before I post back here on "My Journey" but I will still be a regular poster on HW.  I am normally in the chat area most evenings around 9:00 p.m. cst.  Holler at me if ya want too.

    If anyone has any questions feel free to contact me at the e-mail listed on my HW profile.  I will give you my cell phone number then.

    Thank You ALL for all your kind words and Support.

    KW

Good for you KW.

I'm back to using the urinals now.  Here's my technique:

I undo my belt and lower my jeans about 4 inches, holding them up by spreading my legs apart in the normal stance.  After lots of experimentation, I now wear cotton stretch underpants with no fly and legs about 2 inches long. I lift up the right hand leg of the underpants and take the whole package out (the lot), stablise the pump with my left hand and squeeze the pump once with my right (I find one squeeze is all I need).  I do a brief keegal while all this is happening to give me control on when to release the stream.  When I have finished, I tense my abdomen muscles briefly as sometimes this forces out a small quantity more.

After I have finished, I no longer do the shake as it seems to spray urine down my leg - shaking used to be only a couple of drops, but shaking now is a lot more hazzardous I've found.  I just put things away by pulling the stretch leg of the underpants back into position, ensuring contact with the light panty liner to catches any drips.  The stretch underpants holds things well in place.  

I put on a fresh liner in the morning and change it mid-afternoon - usually doesn't need it but sometimes I get caught if I don't change then.  I put on a fresh one for night which is usually hardly used. Most of my leakage occurs as a consequence of my lack of waiting for the valve to close, but I prefer to get going rather than stand at the urinal for a minute after the job's done.  I do lose a small squirt or two if I put off going to the toilet for too long.  I don't seem to lose much at all with running or other strenuous activity.

As for Gene and KW, I remail happy with my AUS.

Regards

Berb

Divo... so sorry to hear about Pete's continuing problems.  He's got to be a trooper hanging in there the way he does.  Keep us posted as to what the doctor says and what he will do about Pete's problem.

Gene214