My Story

Halbert, thank you for sharing your story. I am one of those following very closely and appreciate your candid, straightforward information. Continued good luck in you recovery!

Now it is the morning of day 3 post surgery. It's another freaking cold day here in southeastern Illinois. It's supposed to get above freezing tomorrow...and have 'wintry mix' falling from the sky, then back down into the deep freeze. Yippee, I'm glad I don't have to drive anywhere.

Slept pretty well, cath bag is filling up well, and only an occasional blood clot going through the tube. Passing lots of gas, plenty of gurgling going on in my gut, but nothing doing but a few false alarms. I think that will change today, just based on the full feeling I'm getting.

I'm going to try to do the whole day on Aleve. I'm uncomfortable, but not in particular pain. Yesterday evening I sneezed, and THAT hurt.

I think I'm right on schedule as far as recovery goes. I might even try strapping on the leg bag and trying a restaurant supper....if I can think of a place that has all upholstered chairs. A hard chair still doesn't work very well.

Funny for the day (an oldie but a goodie):

There was an Amish farmer out milking one morning. The cow was feisty that morning, and had repeatedly knocked over the milk pail, and finally had kicked the stool out from under the farmer, landing him in a particularly nasty spot of manure. He stood up and walked around the cow's head, and made this speech:

"Cow, thou knowest that I love thee, and that I would never harm thee. What you do not know, is that I am about to sell you to a Presbyterian, who will beat the living crap out of you!" (I heard this from a Presbyterian pulpit many years ago..you could insert any religious persuasion you like)

Evening of day 3 post surgery. A good day, overall. I've made it all day on aleve, and I'm not going to take anything for pain at bedtime. I'm more uncomfortable than in pain. Except when the cat decides to do his tiptoe dance across my belly. He leaves promptly.

Didn't go out for dinner (another winter storm rolling in), stayed in, listened to good music, watched birdman..Michael Keaton is awesome! I am getting a dose of cabin fever, I'm going to have to figure something out about that tomorrow.

For the newbies going the surgery route, I'll reiterate the list of supplies for home that I've found helpful:
1. Small plastic bucket for your cath bag.
2. Alcohol prep wipes. I could only find them in huge boxes at Walgreens, so I asked the nurse at work if I could have a handful from her supply.
3. Donut cushion: I bought one, but haven't needed it.
4. Washable absorbent pad for the bed. (Amazon)
5. Disposable absorbent pads for the upholstered furniture. I haven't had any leaks, but I think they're a good idea.
6. For later: pads for incontinence.

I've also found it good planning to have a small folding table next to my recliner to put phone, tv remote, laptop, water mug on. I haven't been up the stairs in the house yet, or down in the basement. Maybe tomorrow.

I'm eating pretty much what I want, no alcohol yet. I'm thinking a celebratory glass on Tuesday after the cath and staples come out would be good.

halbert. It sounds like things are going in the right direction. I am very pleased for you.

It is great that you continue to chart your journey in this way. It will be of great help to all the new guys that are just starting out or are about to have there own surgery.

Keep on keeping on and very soon you will be allowing the cat to dance an Irish jig on your tummy

Captain's log, star date 4.00
Slept pretty well, woke up at 3 am with the monkeys in my head running wild, so I turned on the lights and read for a half hour, gut woke up and spent some time on the throne...success!

Back to sleep, woke up at 6:15. Sunlight coming in, time to get up. Breakfast (raisin bran, orange juice), napped a bit. Put on the leg bag, did 10 minutes on the treadmill, took a shower, swapped bags. In other words, looking like a good day.

No oxycontin since thursday evening (now saturday morning). Aleve is doing the trick. Wife said something about pot roast for dinner. Sounds like a good choice for a cold snowy day.

I'm thinking for Tuesday after cath removal: there are a couple of bacon wrapped filets in the freezer that would go great on the foreman grill. big salad. baked potato. we've got a bottle of a good malbec on hand. Ice cream?

Thanks for all the encouragement, guys. Pratoman is an inspiration. Did I note that you hit the trifecta in 6 weeks?

Another great report (apart from the monkeys!)

Sounds like the Enterprise is going into warp mode.

Beam me up halbert

Halbert,
My husband watches a lot of reality tv. Can't stand most of that crap! Your story...now that's reality. It has been informative and entertaining too. Love the frequent injection of humor and your positive attitude and outlook on life. Best wishes for a continued smooth recovery. You will be there soon it appears and I will miss your posts once your up and gone living your life again. But I will miss them with happy thoughts for you and all the other guys that have put this dreadful disease behind them (except for the routine PSA's of course).
Beth

Halbert, I think I stopped using the donut in the car, at about week 4.
Also, regarding your reference to being weak - I niticedthat, even when I went back to work, I didn't have my normal level of stamina. I Woul work 4 hours (office, not even a labor job) and when I git home near the end of the day, I would be wiped out, and I figured it would take months to get back to normal. But that wasn't thecase. about week 5, I felt 99%, and today, in week 7, I shoveled snow!!!! Heavy snow.

So take heart , don't get discouraged, and push yourself just a bit past your comfort zone on the exercise, without overdoing it.

Can't wait for you to get your catheter out, you'll be amazed at how fast things start to move forward for you

halbert. Cath comes out tomorrow. You will be free to pee into the porcelain trumpet once again.

Halbert
Thanks for the email. I did not pick up on the fact that this is brand new for you. I am still getting the hang of this site. I am a total wimp, but remember that the cath removal was a non-event. Sort of a quick yank by a good looking nurse. I was more amused by the scenario than anything else. What a joy it was to get back in the car, telling my wife to get back into the passenger seat where she belonged :) I hate to be driven. I was back at work (for my wife) within a week, but only for a few hours, until about a month post-op. I was "tired" for about a month or so...but then, again I was 70, and the mere mention of "exercise" is annoying. Not smart. I became an expert on what I refer to as "my menstrual supplies." Tried them all and found that Tena (male) products have been the best choice these 7 years. I order on Amazon. I keep spares in my cars and in the office, because it has become so routine that at times I forget when I get dressed --only to realize (one way or another) that I am "unprotected"

I was "dry" at night within a month or so. But am stuck with minimal drip forever. If I am working under my 64 VW bug or hopping all over our boat, things can occasionally get "squirty". What has helped me so much (as I have said) is having such a competent wife (best wife I ever had:) ) who is not only a physician but a source of strength through all of this. She at times catches me rinsing out underwear if the dribble escaped and I get slight embarrassed, but she just smiles and says "laundry is my job." I have made it a habit to empty my bladder whenever the opportunity presents to minimize the wear and tear on the washing machine.

about three months after surgery, the boating season arrived and we were on the way across Lake Ontario on a very warm and sunny day. I had had a persistent minor but annoying "diaper rash" so I sat butt naked on the flying bridge soaking in the sun. My wife was engrossed in her Kindle. She turned my way and took in the ridiculous sight, smiled and said, "So happy you're OK"

One other amusing moment---more accurately, gallows humor---was when I decided I would try bimix shots for the truly depressing ED. That decision can be graphed: The first curve is the increasing frustration, depression, sadness at not being able to get it up after vacuum devices, Cialis, whatever. The second curve is the absolute fear at the thought of putting a needle in your dick. At some point the ED frustration curve rises sharply and crosses the slowly declining "needle-in-dick fear curve" When it crosses (I'll do ANYTHING data point) you call the urologist about "shots." I picked up the prescription and syringes and returned days later to the urologist for "training." A VERY good looking PA went through the drill-- and then she asked whether I wanted her to do the first injection or do it myself (in the doctor's office). I said I could handle it (no pun intended) and she left the room. She came back ten minutes later to a grinning me sitting on the table with a you-know-what. I said "Does your husband know what you do at work?" She replied with a big smile "He doesn't give a S___" She then said, "Go home and have fun. I said, "I wish, but I have to go back to the office and do payroll (it was Friday). She replied "Ooops, you should have told me that . I would have cut the dose in half"

Had our staff (all females) only known why I was walking so awkwardly when I returned.

On a serious note, the shots worked for a while but sex became a "planned mechanical procedure," Not what I had in mind.

Looks like someone was watching the shop and caught everything early in your case. A best case scenario other than not having it at all.

Great news Halbert! Happy for Ya!!

Cheers, Doug

Halbert, I said it in your thread about phone calls, but it's such great news that I'll say it again

ABIGCONGRATS!!!