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Date and time set 7AM Aug 24th

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 7/29/2010 12:26 PM (GMT 0)
Going in for DaVinci. Wife and I talked about all the other treatments and WE settled on surgery.
Dogs are set to go into boarding on the 23rd.
Son coming out on the 27th
I am walking further with the dogs every day trying to get into shape. Riding a stationary bike for 35 minutes a day getting the heart rate into the 130's. Hope to be at 45 minutes the final days before surgery. I'd like to lose 2 inches from my waist (now 34) so I give the doc less fat to have to cut through.
Looking forward to it? Hell no! Looking forward to having it over hell yes!
The only thing left is to sit the wife down and go through everything I've been handling for years. She would never do it before because she didn't want to think about me not being around. She has finally admitted it would be a good idea.

We both agree being able to hold hands means more to us than an erection. I dread the thought of having a catheter and maybe having to use diapers but looking around and seeing what other people I know are going through puts it all in perspective. I don't have it so bad.

In just a few weeks I will be joining the DaVinci club. Is there a special greeting I'll be needing to learn on joining the club? I am assuming that what I will be going through will be dues enough to join.
Posted 7/29/2010 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck to ya and I hope everythings comes out alright. (pun intended)

Looking forward to seeing you on the other side.

Posted 7/29/2010 1:07 PM (GMT 0)
Best of luck to you on the surgery. There is no special greeting or handshake that I am aware of. But "See you on the other side" is very common here when we discuss surgery.

Sonny
Posted 7/29/2010 1:34 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck on the surgery. I have reserved a space for you at the October meeting of the Zero Club. Hope to see you there.

Dan
Posted 7/29/2010 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck Ger and I am sure it will go fine. The good thing about the catheter is it only stays in for 10-14 days most of the time. The good thing about the diapers is that you can laugh at yourself when you walk by a mirror while wearing one. I think it is meant to teach us not to take ourself too seriously. Keep us posted and keep up the great work with the exercise.
Michael
Posted 7/29/2010 2:00 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck, and will be watching for you on the other side.
Posted 7/29/2010 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck Ger,  I go in on the 11th of this month so I am thinking we will both be initiated at the same meeting.  Hopefully the paddle is small and wont hurt too much. 
Posted 7/29/2010 2:33 PM (GMT 0)
Actually the initiation is performed in the recovery room after the operation by a cute nurse in a very tight uniform. Unfortunately, due to a side effect of the anesthesia, nobody ever remembers the ceremony.

The catheter is less of a problem than you think – just part of developing a new skill set.
Posted 7/29/2010 5:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ger,

If I'm not mistaken, Aimzee's husband Ron is scheduled for 8/18. My husband,Geoff, is scheduled for 8/9 so they'll be at least four new members in the Other Side Club--may you all draw o's forever!

Renee
Posted 7/29/2010 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
Wait a minute, I am also scheduled for the 24th! Can't even think about the recovery, but it is nice to know that I won't be alone,

Ger42, you're not having surgery in Minnesota are you?? we could possibly be in the same recovery room!
Posted 7/29/2010 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ger. Wishing you all the best on your upcoming procedure. Hope all will go well and that you'll have a quick and complete recovery. Although I'm not a member of the DaVinci club (I had the open), I hope to be able to welcome you to the zero club in a couple of month.

All the best to you.

Mag

Posted 8/1/2010 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the good wishes. Here's hoping the Aug 2010 babies turn out to be a zero bunch. Actually that include everyone.
Surgery will take place in Plantation Fl.
I understand the robot is a Fisher Price run by a 5 year old. I'm told he has hands of steel. Rumor has it he was out of diapers at 6 months. Maybe a positive sign for his patients.
Nurses at the hospital are not allowed to wear their teeth in the recovery room. Those working with catheters cannot be more that 5' 3" tall and must weigh over 200 lbs.
Got to go, dogs need a walk.
Posted 8/1/2010 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like a good plan. Getting in better shape pre surgery is always a good thing. Good Luck and do keep us posted. Don't forget to empty that prostate as much as you can before the big event.

Cajun jeff
Posted 8/1/2010 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
Ger42

Good luck to you and we will see you on the other side.

Take care

Mika
Posted 8/1/2010 11:39 PM (GMT 0)
My husband goes in on August 16th. Just stocked up on some of the stuff he'll need post-op, thanks to a Walgreens gift card.

Ger42, I am with you and your wife on your decisions and rationale. Much luck to you.
Posted 8/2/2010 1:33 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, Ger42   You have every reason to expect good pathology results, a quick recovery, minimal pain and quite probably NO incontinence after 6 weeks.   You should, equally, expect to be in the zero club after your 1 st PSA.   The odds are strongly in your favor.   As for post-surgery pain, Mac used about 20 of his 30 pain pills - all in the 1st 10 days.   The ED side of it takes work (if you’ve never taken ED drugs ask your surgeon or the PA if you should take some pre-surgery…ours recommended it).   You will almost certainly be told by your doc to try to have 4 erections per week post-catheter removal - they won’t be like pre-surgery versions, but it’s vital to strengthen the oxygen and blood flow.   (See - you and your wife don't have to just hold hands!)  Something like 90% of prostatectomy surgeons globally DO recommend this so if your doc doesn’t, ask about it.   Highly recommend using the night bag 100% of the time (vs   changing it out for the day bag) and taping it down perhaps even more securely than the nurse will when you are discharged…you want as little “penile movement” as possible to try to keep the cath centered and not rubbing around.)   Mac’s catheter pain was minimal until he went in for the Cystogram prior to scheduled removal.   A teeny leak kept the cath in for 1 more week but we walked all around the medical center right after the cystogram without the “extra” taping – that’s when cath pain started but was minor as long as movements were restricted.   I guess once the tip of the penis gets sore, jostling the cath around that area means makes it real hard to heal.   Use the Antiseptic cream they give you when you leave..it shouldn’t have any petroleum product in it.    Best of luck - Paella     Mac’s statistics : Age 65 - 5'11" Weight 210 BMI 29.1 Overall Heath Condition: Good No family history of prostate cancer PSA in November 2001 = 1.0 slowly rising to 4.4 in Feb 2010 (eleven years) Biopsy: 04/19/10: Gleason 3 + 4 with 5 of 12 positive Robotic Radical Prostatectomy on 6/14/10 with both nerves spared Path report – T3a; Gleason still 3+4.   No tumor present in the seminal vesicles, margins or removed    lymph nodes.   Perineural invasion? - yes.   Extraprostatic focal presence? - yes Cath had to stay in an extra week because of a “teeny amount” of leakage (cath pain began at this time    due to not taping  the catheter down securely) 6/29/10 Cath removal a breeze. 1-week post cath removal = 1 pad ("Always") per day, no diapers and only very minor burning 3-weeks post cath removal = 1 pad at night, just in case.  No pain 5-weeks post cath removal = peeing like a 40 year old! 1 st post-surgery PSA planned for August 04, 2010.  We are confident!
Posted 8/2/2010 1:58 AM (GMT 0)
Ger,

I note some humor in your post. If anything can get you through this, it will be humor. Crying is a lot less prodcutive than laughing. If you get bored, look up some of worried guys post surgery postings. He had us rolling, and I think you will hear him say it was a turning point for him.

Good luck, and keep the sense of humor, you will need it.
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