Got home just a while ago from hospital and surgery, want to report in, then going to crash for a few hours.
Was there for 6 1/2 hours. 2 hours of prep, 1 1/2 in surgery, and 3 hours in recovery. This was the most involved and painful of my 4 corrective surgeries. While in the prep mode, could not get pain free or comfortable ,despite their best efforts. Even the IV happy juice had little effect this time. To make it worse, I had a full rectal spasm followed by a full bladder spasm while laid out on the table, a terrible body position to be in when fighting off a spasm. The 2nd one brought me to tears, not ashamed to admit that.
So when I was wheeled into OR, was fully awake for about 15 minutes, as there was some delays going on with some of the staff.
They couldnt start the drugging me out part till all were present, saw more of the OR than I care to remember. Even took longer to knock me out, guess because the pre-drug wore off too soon.
To make a long story short. Surgeon went up the penis with a scope, and found my bladder neck literally 100% scarred close. Tried to open that way, no go. So they removed SP cath, and he went in with another kind of scope, and found it just as closed off but after much effort, managed to break through with a single wire. From that wire, he ultimately did a hard dialation to open it up enough to get the laser in, and lasered more scar material away, to make it large enough to put a large diameter foley catheter in.
Instead of the foley being the active cath and the sp being the emergency, it was reveresed. I have new SP cath, same hole as before, that I am urinating through, and the foley cath, is cap off, not so much as an emergency valve, but to help keep the bladder neck open while it heals. He is someone concerned that it may attempt to close off again.
Due to the complications, was in recovery for so long. Took more IV drug time then expected. And they didn't want me to have to stay a night.
I see the uro/surgeon next Monday. Current plan is to have the SP operating 30 days more, then cap it off, and then try to use the Foley for 2-3 weeks beyond that, to allow the hole in the bladder to heal.
Got me on some strong antibiotics for another 10 days, and a re-supply of Loratab 10 for the pain.
Dr. did report a lot of collateral damage inside from the SRT I went through. I still agree that most men don't have the trouble I did with radiation, and I thank God for all our brothers that get through it with just some fatigue and squirts, but it does show that it can be probematic for some. My uro says after seeing this mess inside, I am his only patient ever with this being such a serious and chronic condition.
I am not out of the woods yet, but so glad this is behind me, it was no walk in the park today. Will check back in later, when I get some rest and pain relief.
David in SC