"Zen and the Art of Orchestral Erectile Function"

Ms. Bluebird - Lee and Mr. Idaho_Survivor - Barry,

As I approach my one year anniversary, I am starting my third personal thread after
#1 Cedar Chopper's Journey and
#2 "Zen and the Art of Symphonic Continence"
     (Ms. Bluebird, you might activate these to make them links?)
and now
#3 "Zen and the Art of Orchestral Erectile Function"

I would start by thanking people (like Lee, Swim, Susan, Creed, Bill, Tony, Mika, and you!) -
but the list would be too long to be meaningful and I'd fear I'd leave someone out -
   (Kw, Gene, Berb, Julie, Izzy, War Eagle, Crimson Tide, and you! ;-> ......)
So thanks to:
     - All here
     - and my medical teams
     - and my family
     - and my co-workers
     - and my friends.

I am certain that recovery from:
      the news of cancer, choosing a treatment, treatment, incontinence,
      financial issues, relational issues, emotional issues, thought issues
           and now erectile dysfunction -
     - I'm certain these hassles are are light in comparison to other burdens
           and the joy we can share.

I'm just happy to be here with people I admire and respect and trust and
am proud to call friends.
I am always grateful to share what I have learned
     and my humble perspective with the "newbies"

Thanks for sharing your time, experience, knowledge, friendship, and love.

And so I begin my Personal Thread on -
     - "Zen and the Art of Orchestral Erectile Function"
            - at Month Eleven with a copy of a post I made today.

As for the music reference, ^{I am listening to some of Beethoven's chamber music for harpsichord, violins and cellos performed on original period instruments}.
As for Zen, _{my love to all the women in the world, ... the true Shao Lin Masters of urology.}
Einstein said,
     - "All that really matters is kindness, beauty, and truth."
Micah wrote,
     - "What is required of you but to do justice, love kindness, -
          - and walk humbly with your YHWH."
**************************************************
_{Paul 1959 asked:
We've all heard of the guys who had erections the minute the catheter came out. Then there are the guys who are still experienceing severe ED after a couple years. But what about all those guys in the middle?}Paul,

It is a good question!
However, most responders here still have "issues" and those that are continent and have full erectile function only check in periodically at best.

This is to say your question will likely get most reports from patients and their spouses that have had surgery in the last 12 to 18 months.
Add to this collection-of-data-fact that most reports that I have read suggest that for most (Yes, I know some get erections in the hospital room with the catheter in. But for most:) a return to penetration-able function seems to occur between one and two years.

From what I have read, been told by physicians, and learned from other members here:
Those that use injections tend to be in the earlier group, followed by those that use the pump daily, followed by those that use the pump infrequently, followed by those that just wait to see if function will return. Those that never get a return of function are most often in the last group.

I read and hear many generalizations about what to expect when and what to expect if some-such-thing hasn't happened by some-such-date.
I hold these comments with a large grain of salt. The information I hear from those I have come to trust about such matters suggests that - if you work at it and take Viagra or other PDE5's as prescribed - then you will continue to regain some function up to 90% of pre-surgery levels.
Most achieve a "workable solution" by 24 months.
A very few almost immediately. A very few never.

I personally am long single and not "sexually active" many years before surgery.
I still use the pump for health of tissue reasons (infrequently) but still do see some improvements just with daily Viagra (alldaychemists DOTcom, less than 60 cents for 100mg of Sildenafil Citrate) and massage (a lot more work than before) to achieve "orgasm." Nothing approaching penetration quality but the "improvement curve" ( A "little" joke. ) at 11 months looks promising.

In spite of my "talking out of school" about relationships, I encourage all of you in a relationship to hold your spouse (use the toy-for-fun she prefers) and experience her (see, feel, hear, smell, taste, creative thoughts....) achieving orgasm as often as possible. More than before.
I personally believe this sensory experience will increase circulation as much as a PDE5.

A good question Paul!   ... and perhaps some members more than 18 months out that are just lurking will respond.

C^Cedar
ICTHUS
Choose Life!
-30_