5 days until surgery

My date with the surgeon is September 12th and I have to say the nervousness is starting to rise a bit. Other than working on emptying the old prostate, any other suggestions on how to spend the next few days? I've already purchased my continence supplies, but hoping I won't need them for very long.

good luck, frack, before you know it, you will be safely on the other side, and on the way to recovery, and hopefully the end of your prostate cancer

david in sc

The only bad parts of the last couple of days before surgery for me were:  (1)the restriction to eating "clear liquids."  I still gag at the thought of chicken broth, and (2) the two enemas the night before the procedure.  Those were minor inconveniences.  So, relax, give the lawn a final mowing, fill up the car with gas so the wife doesn't have to, and do any other chores that might need doing, but which you don't want your wife worrying about.  Then put yourself into the capable hands of the medical professionals and let them do their thing. 

Also, take some notes each day, keep a journal, so that a year from now you can look back on these significant events and thank God you have put all this behind you and moved on with your life.  We'll be thinking of you.

Stay diverted and plan on lot of fun things that you will have to put on hold for a few weeks post surgery. The key is to keep your mind off the event. It will happen no matter what you do or don't do and your surgery will go well and your recovery will go fast and not as bad as you think it was going to be. Have as much intimacy as possible, since that will change. Make the most of every minute that you have before the day and the hour of the surgery.

Give us a report back after your surgery. We are hoping the best for you.

Hi Frackme,

This is the same post I just left with Cmetalman as you both are about to head into surgery.

In a couple of weeks this will all be behind you and you will be on the road to a full recovery. In a month or so you will be feeling as good or better than now as well. Today is the 3 month anniversary of my date with the robot and people ask me all the time how I am feeling. I tell them I feel so much better than before surgery and it is the whole truth. I am dry and for now cancer free and the Ed is getting better but physically I really feel great. I really enjoy the fact that I can now pee with out hesitation like a teenager again, one of the best side effects of RALP. The other great side effect is that it has brought my wife and I so much closer both spiritually and romantically. Once the ED is fixed I then will say I am doing much better without a prostate to worry about.

Report back to me when you are on the other side, my PC brother and then plan on making one of our GFMPH gatherings next year.

Terry TWG

One has to have gone through this to really understand all of the fears and emotions wrapped up with PCa. What a great resource to have a place to communicate with others that truly understand.

Thanks so much for your thoughts and well wishes. I am looking forward to being on the other side and sharing stories about getting better.

Cmetalman, good luck to you as well. Let's compare notes next week about how well we're doing.

Frack,

If you do have to work, you can continue to do whatever it is you normally would do. But you can also, in the back of your mind, look at your life with maybe a different perspective. Perhaps you will think, I used to take it for granted, but my life is really not too bad. Or maybe you will think, when this next stage is over, I'm going to see the Aurora Borealis. Maybe both! Whatever is good for you.

Good luck,

DJ

Frack and Cmetalman, I wish you both the best with your surgery and a speedy recovery!  Whatever it is that you enjoy, do it now - and have some fun.  My husband and I went on a date.  It did help him relax a bit.  See you on the other side.

Best wishes,

Aimzee

Thanks again to all. Really looking forward to reporting back.

Frack (and Cmetalman)

I recommend a good Irish whisky neat.

Of course that is was I recommend for everything!

Seriously, you have already heard from a number of our HW brothers who have been exactly where you are, they have already let you know life on the other side will be much better.

So make that Two Irish Whiskeys!

Bud

Frack and Cmetalman--

I remember the high-anxiety days before surgery.  You've gotten some good suggestions here and I don't have anything  to add except all my best hopes for you  that all will go well and that you will recover quickly and resume your life prostate cancer free.  Take care and hang in there....Tim 

Frack and Cmetalman-- I am three weeks and three days post robotic surgery. I'm 98% dry and I've been intimate with my wife twice with nothing more than 1/4 viagra and a good grip on it to hold in some tumescence 9so very hopeful on the ED scene). If yours will be robotic, I can attest to the surgery being not nearly as bad as I imagined. Enjoy your old bodily functions because the new ones are surely different.

I really did not experience bad pain from the incisions and removal of the prostate. The gas pain from the CO2 exiting my body through my shoulders was really the worst part of the experience and I kept reminding myself how incredible it is to know it was just gas and nothing related to the surgery itself. And the cure for the gas pain is walking. So just walk it away. The relief I felt post surgery was awesome. That tightness in your chest from the stress of the hight PSA level, the biopsy and the diagnosis was gone for me almost immediately. I was so glad to have it removed. Pre-surgery, I had never had so much as a cavity. My big fears were the IV and the catheter. The IV was nothing. The catheter was an annoyance and something to learn to deal with, but by day three you own it until it comes out. I walked five miles with it the day before it came out.

I am walking on Saturday in The Great Prostate Challenge and if I was a runner, I have no doubt that I could run it if I wanted to do so. I really feel great. Best of luck with the surgery, guys! It's all good.

FrackMe, you'll do great and I'll do great!