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Posted 5/2/2015 11:32 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

It is just over a week until my Robotic Surgery. I am entering hospital at 6 am on Monday the 11th, which will still be the 10th in the States, and hopefully taking the 4 hour drive to return to my town the day after surgery. Starting to get somewhat apprehensive about certain aspects. Whilst I am not that nervous about the surgery, I am certainly nervous about the recovery and pathology afterwards, ( and of course, the dreaded catheter). It was only about 7 weeks ago that life was less strained and far less complicated. I read often about "the new normal" and I believe I am starting to see what people are talking about. Life is certainly different, especially the mental aspect.
One of my main worries, although it may seem trivial to some, is my ability to return to competitive sport. I still play basketball, touch football, squash, golf and try to get to the gym 3 times a week. This is a way of life for me. Will I still be able to continue this lifestyle in the future, or will the break make that impossible? I want to climb Mt Kilimanjaro next year. Will that still be possible?
These are the thoughts I am having apart from the normal ED and continence considerations.
I understand that a lot of people have greater difficulties than these, but I guess I need to speak to people who have been through the PCA experience. I hope you don't consider me to be a whinger, but it is the fear of the unknown, without the opportunity to speak to people except through this forum that makes it all very difficult.

Cheers
"Your brother from down under"
Greg
Posted 5/2/2015 11:53 AM (GMT 0)
Greg,

I'm coming up on 3 months post-surgery, and physically I'm going to say that I'm probably 80% of where I was before surgery. Things that were no problem before tire me faster. However, I am working out regularly again, and getting up good sweats on the treadmill. I know that something like Kilimanjaro is as much mental as physical...and I expect you'll have no problem there.

From your biopsy results, and you sound healthy and fit otherwise, this will be a blip on your mirror before you know it. I had to ride 2 hrs home from the hospital the day after, and it was unpleasant, but manageable. Plan on stopping once or twice to get out and walk around...yes, carrying the bag. Percoset will be your friend fora day or two. Get your scripts filled before you get on the road....and make sure you drink plenty of water during the trip.

See you on the other side!
Posted 5/2/2015 11:59 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Halbert,
I was actually reading your "my story" again just now, and I flicked back to the forum, and there you were! I can't express how much this forum means to me and I guess others who are physically isolated from personal contact.
Cheers
Greg
Posted 5/2/2015 12:19 PM (GMT 0)
Grege6,

May the scalpel be precise!
And Some nerves preserved

All the best, mate!
.
Posted 5/2/2015 12:34 PM (GMT 0)
I had mine removed a year ago. The 1st month is a bit slow to recovery. Just a lot of walking and trying to build up endurance. No lifting. The 2nd month I felt a lot better and was able to do more, treadmill and elliptical. Still no lifting. I felt totally recovered by the 3rd month. But I'm very conscious about lifting anything heavy as I don't want to rip anything down there. And I was told not to ride a bike or motorcycle for about a year just to be safe. I previously had some bulging disc issues so I use the Chuck Norris Total Gym unit to maintain muscle and core strength. The hardest adjustment for me is just the mental aspect of it all. Being busy and occupied at work is a blessing.
Posted 5/2/2015 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
I'm two months post surgery and feel 90% back to normal (still feel a little soreness once in a while), was told to not lift anything heavy for about four months (heavy for me is 50 pounds or 25kg.) The first week post surgery is a bit of an ordeal but you will feel significantly better every day. I also dreaded the catheter but it didn't take long to get used to it and pulling it out wasn't that bad. Get in the shower, pull the water out of the balloon and it might fall out on its own, if not a slight tug should bring it out.

For the first eight or nine days, I slept in a reclining chair - it was too painful to try to get in and out of a bed.

I started out as a Gleason 6 (3+3), another reading of the biopsy had it at 7 (3+4), the pathology report upgraded me to a 7 (4+3). Upgrading after surgery apparently is fairly common.

See you on the other side.
Posted 5/2/2015 3:07 PM (GMT 0)
Fear if the unknown is real. But that's also the point - you don't know. Consider this just a bump in the road. You'll get back to all those things. Might take a few months of recovery, but you'll get there.

You seem like the determined type.

Get the surgery, take time to recover, ease back into your routine and book that trip to Mt. Kilimanjaro,
Peace,
Andrew
Posted 5/2/2015 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
Greg,

I'd suggest having a backup plan for that four-hour drive the day after surgery. Some guys are up to stuff like that and some aren't. It's not a matter of some guys being tougher -- nobody is tough enough to travel if they are having bladder spasms. You'll just have to see how you do.

As for getting back to your pre-op level of activity, sports, etc., that shouldn't really be a problem after the first few months. It'll be six months to a year before you feel completely normal again but there is no reason you can't get back to your sports and work to ramp back up.

As for Kilamanjaro, that should be possible a year out. The main difficulty would be if you turn out to be that one man in ten who remains incontinent a year after surgery. But even then you could work around the problem -- maybe a condom catheter, a leg bag, and enough extra tubing on the drain hose so you could rubber band it to be back of your boot. On the trail you could just leave the drain open and be the only guy in the group who never needs to stop to pee. Or, more conventionally, you could hire an extra "sherpa" to carry your pads. Hopefully you won't need such advice, but don't let it stop you if you do.
Posted 5/2/2015 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
Greg, welcome and good luck with the robot.

I'll echo what others have said. I'm 4 months out and pretty much 100% as far as stamina and strength are concerned. I'm playing golf on Monday, and have swung some clubs for practice with no issue. My Surgeons PA has advised me to engage in all activity that I desire, with the caveat to be aware of my body and know when to back off.
I've been lifting weights in and off since month 3, no issues. So you should be fine.
It's unlikely that you will deal with incontinence issues as Peter said.

Just think, after going thru this journey, how much sweeter it will be when you reach the top of Mt Kilamenjaro!!!!

Good luck and keep us posted
Posted 5/2/2015 9:18 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Greg,
I, like Peter, am a little concerned about your 4 hour drive the next day. I live 3 hours from the hospital where I had my surgery and my surgeon wanted me to stay close by until the catheter was removed. He has done more DaVinci surgeries than anyone in the world, over 7,000 by now. He wanted to be sure I had no complications.

I stayed at a hotel across the street from the hospital. After the catheter was removed, I drove home the next day. I was suppose to stop every hour, get out of the car and walk around before driving another hour.

If you take it slow and easy after your MAJOR SURGERY, you should be about back to the new normal next year. yeah

Good luck and see you on the other side!

Bill from Florida cool
Posted 5/2/2015 9:22 PM (GMT 0)
Climbing Kilimanjaro is GFMPH by any measure. I'd say send pictures from the summit!
Posted 5/2/2015 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi All,
Thanks for all of the advice and support. My Dr has me booked in first up in the morning so as to give as much time at the hospital before I leave for home the next day. I will make sure I take it easy, and the Dr is confident I will make the trip ok, although I guess he is not the one doing it.
Thanks again everyone.
Cheers
Greg
Posted 5/2/2015 9:35 PM (GMT 0)
Greg,
Welcome to HW!

Last time I checked you don't need a working winkie to play basketball, touch football, squash, golf, go to the gym or climb Mt Kilimanjaro - unless you somehow do it differently. :-)

Except for ED and leaking I was back to 100% shape within about 2 weeks. I could do everything I did before. I just had to wear a pee pad.
I was in no shape to drive myself home the following day. I know my spouse took me but I remember nothing about it. It would have been quite unsafe for me to be driving in that condition.

You are in great shape. You'll do fine.
Jeff
Posted 5/2/2015 10:24 PM (GMT 0)
Have a neighbor (who is an internist) that went through this last year. Went skiing 9 weeks later!
Posted 5/3/2015 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
Greg, I had my op in BRWH almost 18 months ago, you will be up and about very soon. I was riding my push bike 4 weeks after the op.
Posted 5/3/2015 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Aussie Amnesia,
Good to know some other Aussies on the site.
Glad to hear you are recovering well. My surgeon is Dr Charles Chabert, and I have great confidence in him.
I live in Grafton in Northern NSW which, as I said is about 4 hours from Brisbane. I guess we will stay another night in Brisbane if I am too crook.
Cheers
Greg
Posted 5/3/2015 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
Greg,

All the best to you on your upcoming surgery. Many of us have travelled the same road and had the same normal fears. You're going to be fine. Take care and hang in there......Tim
Posted 5/4/2015 9:13 AM (GMT 0)
Best of luck to you on Monday. Good luck on the drive home. As for me, I felt so much better after the catheter came out. I am a runner - 90 to 100 miles a month and I started walking a mile once the catheter came out and was back to running 3 miles after about a month. Just make sure you only do what you feel like doing. After about a month, I felt I was pretty much back to normal, but did need to take it easy for 6 weeks to 2 months. Just take it easy and do what you feel you can do. Will be waiting to hear your good news on how you are doing.
Posted 5/4/2015 9:40 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Jay and Tim. I have decided to book a motel with my wife for another night near the hospital.
Hopefully will be on the move and running as soon as you were Jay, as well as being as active as I can in all ways.
Cheers
Greg
"Your brother from downunder"
Posted 5/4/2015 5:01 PM (GMT 0)
Greg,

AS you can see by my DX, surgery was way too late. I've been on HT since Oct. 1, 2012 and doing well. Last month, my PSA was 0.6.

You've been given great advice and like a few others, I'm concerned about you traveling back home! Just take it easy and let your body do the talking.

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

Dave in Bartlett, TN
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