Post-OP info-I made it through

At Bluebirds suggestion, I will post this to a new topic, rather than leave it buried in the original thread.   As you can see, I made it though to the other side.  The surgery went well, with a few surprises, but good ones.  The doc said my prostate was the largest he had ever removed.  He had to make a larger incision and do much more cutting of the supporting structures, plus I did get a right inguinal (sp) hernia repair, which has made it 3 times as sore.  lol  Good news was the urether and the bladder neck matched prefectly and was stitched easily, with what he hoped was little likehood of strictures later.  Also, he said the external spincter was already closing and trying to control the flow of urine while they were still stitching it onto the bladder neck.  The kegels and stairs must have done some good...Unless he is blowing smoke, I have an excellant chance at full recovery of function.  My recovery will be a little longer and more painful than I/we expected, but that's ok.  The removed gland showed no sign of breaking through, was smooth and still healthy looking, albit huge size.  110 grams, 2.2"x2.2"x1.75" size.  He said it was the size of a small orange, rather than the normal walnut.  I forgot to get the cc size of it.  Ultrasound at biopsy was 76cc.  If I gotta suffer, then I want the record...lol Maybe it will be in the Pathology report, which I should get Friday or Monday. The lymph nodes and seminal vessels appeared not to have anything unusual on them.  He removed 4 lymph nodes .  One thing I hadn't read about , maybe it's because mine was bigger, was gravity is a bad law in this case, as standing up allows things to drop down into what was an filled cavity, but now is open, raw and freshly cut.  That makes for some awesome pain.  He also speculated that because of it's size, it had maybe stretched the nerve bundles, because when he began the removel the bundles just fell away from the gland and he had to do little touching or moving of the nerve bundles.   lol  He said if I had gone to Vanderbilt, if they would had taken me because of the size, I would still have had to have theconventional cutting, but would have been 300 miles away from home and still cut open.  He says that if we are in pain we aren't healing as fast, so is making me take my pain medicines for pain and bladder spasms.  I haven't ever been much to fight pain to be macho man, so I am pleased with the Percocet. My wife is happily taking care of me, as she finally has something that she can do in my care, rather than just waiting.  She is much relieved, as I am.  I will post further details i n my Journey section later...  Just got the Post-Op pathology report.  Gleeson Score 3+3=6 (unchanged) Stage pT2c..No evidence of spread to lymph nodes or seminal vessels.....We will have a full discussion of the report when I go to get the catheter out (next Friday)    Again, thanks for the concern, prayers and love that that was given to a stranger by bunch of stranger bound only by our shared disease.. Post not edited ~ extra white (blank) spacing at the bottom was deleted Post Edited By Moderator (bluebird) : 9/28/2007 10:53:31 PM (GMT-6)

James, Great to hear you are on the other side and in good shape!  Now you and your wife can jointly work on the recovery phase...  Remember that Mr. Hang is your friend for the next week, but he may get grouchy or ornery a few times... Remember, do not let any funny friends visit you and do not watch comedies for the next week...  Unless you have a pillow to squeeze against your stomach...  God Bless! Ray Age 59 y/o - Last 3-4 years of annual general health checkups - PSA 5-6 3/13/2007 - 12 point biopsy - Left 0/6  Right 1/6 Gleason 3+3  Diagnosed as T1c 4/24/2007 - DaVinci performed at Virginia Mason hospital in Seattle 5/2/2007 - Catheter Out! Final pathology of Gleason 6  T2c Nx Mx,   approx 20% of prostate involved, p ositive margin, but only at 2 focal points.   6/28/2007 9 weeks post-op incontinance... Overnite, went from 4-6 soaked pads a day from prev 8 weeks to 2 barely wet pads a day. 7/12/2007 11 weeks post-op  Minimal leakage...  one small pad a day 7/18/2007 First Post-Op PSA...  0.01 !!!  7/30/2007 ED improved to about 60% erection and "functional". Only using 50mg Viagra generic every 2-3 days. 9/10/2007 Ran out of pads one day and had no dribbles all day...  Now pad free. Post not edited ~ extra white (blank) spacing between name & signature has been deleted :) Post Edited By Moderator (bluebird) : 9/28/2007 10:51:03 PM (GMT-6)

Grand news, James! Glad the surgery went well. Now that you're on the other side, remember the two Ps- Patience and Perseverance!

Just a short update.  I am recovering from the recovery now.  I have been with a low grade fever (99.2 ave. ) since I was discharged.  Saturday was my worse day/night.  I really got sick Sat. night and had a miserable night.  I had reach a state where I chilled almost all the time, and I didn't have enough strength to take the string from a small kitten.   Sunday I decided to change my approach, and dropped the pain meds, the bladder spasm pills, the stool softner and added a Cipro antibiotic to the other kind I was already on, along with ibuprofin in place of extra strength Tylenol.  This made a big change in things, the ibuprofin really helped to gain control of the fever, the extra antibiotic seems to be working now.  The first few days back, I felt bloated, swelled, and "hot" in my abdomen and that all seemed to go away within a day.  I also wasn't sleeping well, wrestling with that bag and waking to make sure I hadn't tangled in it.  Sunday I switched to the leg bag, for once properly adjusted, and slept with it last night, my first good nights sleep since before surgery.  It's my 3rd day without Percocet, or any of the others, my fever is gone for 24 hrs now, but I am still hot flashing and sweating periodically.  (What gives with that?)  I began a more strenous walking schedule and have walked until I am really tired today.  MY appetite had also been off, I usaully and first for seconds, but was unable to take half of my firsts as the fever developed.  After the Cipro and ibuprofin kicked in yesterday afternoon, I went my Dear Wife to our favoirte Mexican resturant and got a taco sald, chips and salsa.  I figured it had been a full week of cold turky from mexican food, and maybe part of it was withdrawal, so I ate the whole thing, amazing myself and all around me.  The more I ate, the better my appetite became.  I sorta suspected I might pay for that last night, but it didn't bother me, I slept like a baby, and woke this morning to a new day. 

I still have to fight the cathater until 1030am Friday morning, but it is finally tolerable, and I am sticking with the leg bag.  The hot flashes continue, without any fever though.  All in all I am a very different man than I was Sunday morning.  Sorry this isn't the classic "I had the surgery and then 3rd day played the front nine" story. 

  Hey ~ James…   Why in the world would you want to be the same as others!!    You are allowed to be different!   Leg bag… gutsy guy in my opinion but hey!!! that works best for you… and that is all that matters… RIGHT   : )   Just a word of caution…. Don’t allow it to back drain….. Mexican food…. Oh my gosh!!! Eeekkkkkk…..   again ~ it works for you.     Really glad to hear the fever broke and you’re getting some much needed sleep!!!    Thank you for sharing exactly what you did to combat it…. this will help others to know what worked for you ~ might work for them.   Again ~ it’s having the options to pick and choose what works best in each persons journey.     Glad to read where you’ve stopped fighting with Mr. Hang… he has a very important job to do and it really will benefit you in the long run so “Be Nice”….   (giggle~giggle)        As Mika stated…. When the time is right ~ a get-together would be nice.   It is a wonderful feeling for sure.   Buddy & I have had the privilege to meet and HUG….. Jim & MaryLu *Biker90, Puget, Ray & Avis *Pasayten…. And Ohhhhh what a wonderful feeling to carry with us ~ each and every~day!!!!!!!   Precious memories for sure…   Now ~ continue to take care of you.   Our thoughts are with you as you move forward.   We are here with you and are so happy you are staying close!!!   In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy

Hello James,

I'm sending you lots of get well wishes, hugs, and prayers!!!!

Love,

Maria Teresa

Another milestone passed. 10 days past surgery and the catheter is out.  Just a wierd tickling, slight painful sensation during removal.  First thing out was a few drops of light blood tinged urine.  We waited for a couple minutes, (picture 3 adults sitting staring at one poor pitiful penis, talk about performance anxiety lol) no drops, no leaks.  On went the pad, the too tight underwear and some normal non-sleepwear clothes.  Ah, the feeling to be dressed regularly again.  A short ride home, less than 15 minutes, and still no leak.  I was standing there and tried to make the pee function that I knew, and felt a little 'maybe leak', so decided to go ahead and try.  I pee'd maybe 3 ounces, it stung a little-similar how to a slight bladder infection feels- and I was able to close it off just fine. I did have a little dribble at the end to completely empty, but was able to close it back down easily.  We decided to go grocery shopping, so I noticed the time and went 1 hr. and 20 minutes before I felt any sense of an urge to pee.  In the bathroom, again no leaks or drips, a good stream,a little stinging,  and a little amount of dribbling to complete the bladder emptying.  Home for lunch, had a 20 oz. water, and it's been 2 1/2 hrs, and am just now getting the urge to pee again.  I see this is gonna be a learning experience, adjusting to the new signals and sensations, but so far , so good. I'll feel better about it if it holds for a full week, though.  I noticed immediately after the removal that I automatically tightened up, an unconscious effort.  I would describe it as similar to when you suck in your gut, but lower and more rearward.  It does feel a little strange to have the 'sucked in gut' feeling all the time, but that's something I can live with... I gotta figure out just what some of these new feeling mean in relation to my continence.

On another note, Doc said the 'probable microscopic margin' description was the best example of hedging and covering all bases that he had seen in a long time.   lol  He said he would let the PSA' determine whether we need to be concerned, to just enjoy things now that I was recovering so well. 

 I've got up to 2 miles a day walking, although it still tires me out, so I walk, then come home to the vibrating and heat recliner for a half hr. or so, it does feel good to be active again.  I hope to add a mile or so each week until I get back to normal, by then I will be able to get back to the gym and a normal routine, hopefully.

First PSA Nov. 15.   (6 weeks) 

James,

Great news. You give us all hope. Keep up the hard work and let your success be our success. Keep us posted on everything and let your voice be heard to all that need a ray of hope. A job well done.

Love ya man and........................War Eagle.

Walt