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3rd day out after robotic with dr Han at JH

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Posted 5/4/2017 1:43 AM (GMT 0)
Had my RALP on Mon. Dr Han said it went well and didn't see any overt sign of spread but of course we're really anxious to hear the pathology report. Folks at Johns Hopkins were excellent. Everyone really knows the drill.

Now back home after 3 hour drive with stops. What is bothering me the most is swelling or bloating from gas used in procedure + my own from when bowels took a holiday. Coughinc is excruciating! And of course I now have such monstrous testicles I can barely see my penis. The amount of swelling is amazing. I was most apprehensive of the catheter before surgery as I'd never had one and the thing looks pretty large but right now I barely notice it.

And man, modesty had to go out the window with this surgery and hospital stay.
Posted 5/4/2017 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
Gene, welcome to the other side. I had a big problem with the gas, and the pains lasted a week. Best thing for it is walking as much as possible. Just strap on that leg bag, and move around.

Be careful not to snag the catheter on something as you move around the house. It wouldn't result in anything good.

Good luck for a speedy recovery and a good path report.
Posted 5/4/2017 2:19 AM (GMT 0)
It's no small thing...the operation I mean. Lots of stuff looking like it's not supposed to look. Stuff comin' out of your body that's not supposed to be coming out of your body. And it's all revolving around something that's very dear to us....like our privacy.
Posted 5/4/2017 2:22 AM (GMT 0)
And that's not even addressing the cancer...
Posted 5/4/2017 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
Yup, modesty is one of the first victims in this deal. Hang in there it gets better each day.
Posted 5/4/2017 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
Rest, rest and rest. I underestimated the surgery and thought I could do more sooner. I was wrong. Its a big surgery and your body needs lots of TLC.
Posted 5/4/2017 8:00 AM (GMT 0)
I endorse the idea of walking. Not much at a time, because you are going to be tired and that will last a while. But keep getting up to walk for brief periods. Then collapse back in bed or on the sofa. It's not a competition!
Posted 5/4/2017 9:30 AM (GMT 0)
Get out of the chair. Walk the 20 steps to the kitchen and back. Sit down for a while. Repeat. After 4-5 days cabin fever will set it. Get driven to Home Depot. Get a cart and push it around the store for 15 minutes. Go home. Go to bed for an hour.

Repeat as often as possible.
Posted 5/4/2017 12:05 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for tips and support guys! Things already seem a little better today. I will be taking it easy for sure and walking regularly.

BTW, has anyone ever had any numbness anywhere due to swelling pressing on a nerve (after this surgery)? I had a discectomy back in '15 that left me with some nerve damage - a bit of right side numbness in leg and foot as well as some drop foot - but now also having as of this morning a bit of numbness along right pinky and hand edge as well and the leg / foot issue I've had ongoing seems a bit exacerbated. Hoping it's all just caused by swelling and is transient.

On the ride home with my wife I was complaining that our dog Timmy (Dachshund) in the back seat was making smells on his blanket. That the car stunk. Turns out it was me and my bag...hadn't noticed in hospital. Shower fixed that but I am concerned the constant drip out the penis (despite catheter) will turn me into the stinky neighborhood guy to avoid.
Posted 5/4/2017 12:11 PM (GMT 0)
Gene - One thing to keep in mind is that the anesthesia given for surgery can, for some patients, shut down normal intestinal "movement." That means it could bring your digestive system to a near stop, and that would result in painful constipation, straining, and all that this would cause in agony. I learned this the hard way after heart surgery when I had to be readmitted to the hospital a month after surgery to get things "moving" again. I learned my lesson that time.

I'm also a "counselor" on another medical support board, and we commonly advise patients who have undergone major surgery (and prostatectomy qualifies easily here) to begin use of Miralax soon after surgery. This is a laxative, but is not a stimulant laxative, so it will be more gentle on your innards. Start with the full dose, once or even twice a day until things begin to move. Then you can reduce the dose to half for a while, then one fourth, and eventually stop the medication. This has proven to be a lifesaver for many of us with sensitive intestinal tracts.

Some docs also recommend stool softeners, even along with the Miralax.

Whatever you do, don't let it get stopped up for too long, and try not to strain. It is a crappy situation, but it will eventually resolve.
Posted 5/4/2017 12:13 PM (GMT 0)
Oh also consented to having bit of bone drawn out of hip during surgery for some kind of study by Dr. Allaf. I wasn't quite with it when described to me - has anyone heard of this? I think it has something to do with developing more personalized treatment based somehow on markers or dna???
Posted 5/4/2017 12:52 PM (GMT 0)

Paxton said...
..Whatever you do, don't let it get stopped up for too long, and try not to strain. It is a crappy situation, but it will eventually resolve.

Amen! I didn't have a bowel movement for about eight days or so, I was terrified of getting an impaction (been there, it's no fun) and it was quite a relief to get the plumbing working again. Anesthesia takes several days to get out of your system.

Oh, and welcome to the other side! smile
Posted 5/4/2017 12:53 PM (GMT 0)
gene62,
Glad you are on the good side of surgery. It's good to walk and move around. I probably did too much walking though. I had a Fitbit and I was walking about a mile a day in the hospital before I left for home. I was walking about twice that once I got home. I was told to walk and I had no pain so I did. I ended up with my JP drain in for 2 weeks. Once I told the Doc how much I was walking I was told that was way too much. I also had 20 nodes removed so that contributed as well they said.

It's amazing how little I care about modesty now compared to just over a year ago. Now that I have had many strangers put their finger in my butt, pull my testicles and penis, inject my penis with chemicals, ask and document my erectile function, ask and document how well I penetrate during sex, measure my erections, etc., etc., it doesn't seem to matter anymore.

Yes, blaming Timmy was a smooth move. I've blamed my dog for years when I fart and someone comments about the smell or sound for that matter. My dog doesn't care since I give her a T-bone for compensation.
Posted 5/4/2017 1:23 PM (GMT 0)
"Yes, blaming Timmy was a smooth move. I've blamed my dog for years when I fart and someone comments about the smell or sound for that matter. My dog doesn't care since I give her a T-bone for compensation."

Love this. I have to admit that Timmy takes the blame for a lot of stuff - even before surgery. And my poor wife - when not around - is often the excuse for not doing this or that...i.e. "She wont let me" or "will get mad". Guess I'm horrible. Friends must think she's a b*tch.👿
Posted 5/4/2017 2:17 PM (GMT 0)

Paxton said...
Gene - One thing to keep in mind is that the anesthesia given for surgery can, for some patients, shut down normal intestinal "movement." That means it could bring your digestive system to a near stop, and that would result in painful constipation, straining, and all that this would cause in agony. I learned this the hard way after heart surgery when I had to be readmitted to the hospital a month after surgery to get things "moving" again. I learned my lesson that time.

I'm also a "counselor" on another medical support board, and we commonly advise patients who have undergone major surgery (and prostatectomy qualifies easily here) to begin use of Miralax soon after surgery. This is a laxative, but is not a stimulant laxative, so it will be more gentle on your innards. Start with the full dose, once or even twice a day until things begin to move. Then you can reduce the dose to half for a while, then one fourth, and eventually stop the medication. This has proven to be a lifesaver for many of us with sensitive intestinal tracts.

Some docs also recommend stool softeners, even along with the Miralax.

Whatever you do, don't let it get stopped up for too long, and try not to strain. It is a crappy situation, but it will eventually resolve.

I will give a whole hearted endorsement to Paxton. You want to get your bowels moving again as soon as possible. Follow his instructions.

I had swelling too, and that area was sore for almost 8 weeks. Don't worry; you will get better. My doc said I'd feel normal again after about 6-8 weeks, and I was.

Do try to walk. It help avoid clots among other things. Can also help with continence.

Hang in there.
Posted 5/4/2017 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
Rest and walk every hour - even just laps around the living room.

Andrew
Posted 5/4/2017 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
Truckin - I hear you about that lost modesty. Fortunately for me, I had little of it long before all this started. I lost that back in the 1970's - 7 years wearing green clothes (National Guard) took care of that. Drill Sergeant said "If Uncle Sam wanted you to have any modesty it would have a Federal Stock Number and we could order it." We never did find that number. . .

After that wonderful experience, I also had several surgeries and medical procedures that wiped out whatever modesty remained. I once told a tech that if they wanted me to change clothes out in the hallway, I really didn't care. Got a really funny look for that joke.
Posted 5/4/2017 4:17 PM (GMT 0)
When you are going to cough or sneeze hold a pillow tight to your abdomen. Ice those testicles with a bag of peas if you don't have an ice pack. Roll a wash cloth and prop up those boys when you are sitting. Take some pressure off.
Relax and walk when you can.
Posted 5/7/2017 1:51 AM (GMT 0)
Great to hear you are doing well.

As others have said, keep moving. Short walks, get up and down. Don't be afraid to use the leg bag or just carry the big bag. Do as much as you can yourself, if keep you from feeling helpless and speeds recovery.

I kept a log of my progress so i could talk to the doctors about what was happening and when changes occurred. IT was very helpful.
Posted 5/7/2017 11:48 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for all the encouragement and suggestions! Things have improved quickly. The only real annoyance is peeing around the catheter while on the toilet trying to do a bm. Seems hard to avoid. Wed will have some excitement as Dr Han will walk met through removing catheter over phone! Neither my primary or urologist here in C'ville feel up to taking it out. I guess because it was done at JH? So I will do it myself.

Also my wife got mad when I walked the dog (Timmy) yesterday - maybe a mile or a bit more. Doesn't seem like overdoing it to me...Timmy is very short and about 26lbs so he didn't run me ragged.

Post Edited (gene62) : 5/7/2017 5:51:33 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/7/2017 12:47 PM (GMT 0)
The removing of the catheter was the thing I dreaded the most. My wife and I still laugh at my catheter removal. I stood in the shower and she was reading the directions and the thing slipped out. The most overrated problem is the removal of the catheter. Everyday is better than the day before. Good luck.
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