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DATE WITH DaVINCI 7/7

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 7/6/2010 3:38 AM (GMT 0)
Well the time is here.... start my fluids only diet and prep in the morning(including Citrate of Magnesium for breakfast,,,yummy!), antibiotics in the afternoon.... should be a fun day paying homage to the porcelan god all day.

Am I nervous????  darn SKIPPY!!!  I was ok.... untill I started buying all the stuff I need to get ready. Not knowing what to expect is the worst!  Thank you all for the support so far.... I'll post again with the outcome.

Posted 7/6/2010 3:50 AM (GMT 0)
Good luck to you, as you are about to have your surgery. May your surgeon have the most skilled hands possible. Once they put you under, it will all over in the blink of your eyes. Look forward to seeing you on the recoveryside, telling us all about it.

David in SC
Posted 7/6/2010 4:07 AM (GMT 0)
As for the bowel prep: As they say in Scouting - Do your best.

You may prefer to have some moistened wipes by the end of the day. Regular tissue might get to feel like sandpaper.

A little nervous is OK.  Have faith and trust that everything will be fine.  Best wishes for a successful surgery and good recovery,

Dan

Posted 7/6/2010 5:27 AM (GMT 0)
Hey vam,

Being nervous is normal. I think you're going to do just fine.

As David said, with the great anesthetics they have these days, it'll be over before you know it.

If you know you have some nausea problems after surgery, let the anesthesiologist know before going and and he/she will give you some stuff that'll really help!

See you "on the other side" of surgery!

All the best,

Barry
Posted 7/6/2010 12:58 PM (GMT 0)
Looking forward to seeing you on the other side.

Posted 7/6/2010 1:07 PM (GMT 0)
Best of luck V - I forgot to ask what time you were scheduled for - so perhaps you are already on the other side.

Ray

Posted 7/6/2010 1:10 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck on the surgery and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Dan
Posted 7/6/2010 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
Vam,

My guess is that you will do quite well and anxiety almost is a part of a major surgery. My wife was very supportive, except with the prep work and she told me I was on my own. Found out at my age I wasnt as flexible as I was at age 35. See you on the other side.

Michael

Posted 7/6/2010 2:22 PM (GMT 0)
Michael,

You are quite right, by the time we hit those "fifties" and beyond, we no longer have the ability of Gumby and Pokey no matter what we think! lol.
Posted 7/7/2010 2:14 AM (GMT 0)
You will do great! I am 5 weeks in on Thursday, 7/8/10, and I am pleased with how fast things are beginning to improve. Gas pains after surgery were the worst pain I had associated with the whole procedure. Nurses will tell you to walk to help get the gas out. Do it, it works! Expect no continence control at first but it WILL get better in time. I went back to work today and stayed pretty dry all day. Still not much going on in the ED department but that will improve in time too I expect.
This forum is the best. Ask any and all questions or just read and realize we all are going through the same things. YOU WILL GET THROUGH IT AND YO WILL BE FINE. Best of luck>
Posted 7/7/2010 2:47 AM (GMT 0)
Hey guys... sorry I missed all the replies... never hit the switch to send emails on reply. It's Tuesday night 10:40pm EST.
It was truly the day from hell with this bowel prep... I thought I was done after the 3rd run.... but low an behold, It kept on coming till about 8:30 this evening.... >DS... sandpaper is an understatement! I'm still sore, but all in all, it's minor to what's coming.
Going in @ 6am.... surgery @ 8am.
I'll shoot you guys an email as soon as I get home.... Thank you ALL for your past and future support... words truly cannot express how I feel!
Posted 7/7/2010 2:48 AM (GMT 0)

Burlcodad said...
Best of luck V - I forgot to ask what time you were scheduled for - so perhaps you are already on the other side.

Ray

 

Ray, ... I'll contact you as soon as I get my fingers on a keyboard... Thank Bud!!!

Posted 7/7/2010 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
Vam
We are here on the other side - the welcome squad is watching for your report!
Posted 7/8/2010 12:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hello from THIS side! Well guys ,my fiancé brought my iPhone so I'm able to send you this message from bedside. Doc said surgery went extremely well, I woke up in recovery at about 12:30 pm. In my room by 1:45. The only real issue I was having was the extreme pressure I flet in my bladder.... It felt like I drank a twelve pack and hadn't urinated in three hours. One incision site it kinda soar and a have very little to no gas issues. Kinda tired right now and hopefully I can get some sleep. I'll write more once I go home tomorrow. Thanks again to all for your support...... Ray, if you see this post... Your the best my brother.... Thanks for keeping in touch and being there with all the support. I'm confident the pathology will come back ok next week. Going back to the URo next Thursday for results and cath removal! Will keep you all posted.... Hopefully I can pay forward my experiences with others as you all have with me.

God bless you all!!
Posted 7/8/2010 1:50 AM (GMT 0)
That's great Vam. Get some rest and update us when you can.

Michael

Posted 7/8/2010 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
vam, thats good news so far. rest and recovery, and post more when you are able, welcome to the other side, the recovery side, the whole gang is here rooting for you.

david in sc
Posted 7/8/2010 2:31 AM (GMT 0)

Vam,

I'm glad to hear today's upbeat report.  I hope you have lots of help in the next few weeks.  Get away with whatever you can, but not to be lazy.  Get your exercise but get plenty of rest, too.  Welcome to this side and keep healing,

Dan

Posted 7/8/2010 4:32 AM (GMT 0)
Hey, Vam, welcome to the other side.

Sounds like the worst part was the bowel prep! (The surgeon I had didn't do that. As I understand it, he's done some 1,500 of these prostatectomies and after 500, or something, asked himself why have patients do bowel prep? -- couldn't come up with a good answer, and gave up on it years ago. My kind of doc!)

Looking forward to reading a report from you tomorrow. In the meantime, drink, walk, rest, drink, walk, rest.


Sheldon AKA Sleepless
Posted 7/8/2010 10:43 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to part 2 Vam

I think you may be the first person here to post from the post-op bed. and lucky you to have a financé or do you mean finacée: I haven't had one for over 25 years. Oh no wait a sec it's okay: I married her.

Tell the staff about all discomfort, pain dizziness etc, this is the time to let the meds do their work. But also don't forget to do that walking.

The cath will be annoying. Bear with it for a week or so and it'll soon be a thing of the past.

Alf
Posted 7/8/2010 11:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Vam,
Welcome to this side. Sounds like you are doing great - except for that little iPhone addiction you've got going.
Relax and enjoy the time off.
Jeff
Posted 7/8/2010 12:38 PM (GMT 0)
Good morning guys .... 8:30 am, waiting for the doctor to show up and spring me loose. Bit of a rough night, pain was tolerable, a percocet and just two Tylenol four hours after that. Biggest issue was the cath. Extremely sensitive and the bladder pressure at one point was really bad. Nurse came in and had me lie on my side which helped a bit. Doc also put in a size 20 cath which from what I'm told is kinda large. Also have another drain that looks like a mini donut on the left side of my stomach.... Gotta ask the doc about that one. Got up to walk around twice yesterday. Made it about thirty feet then bad to go back. Jello and decalf for breakfast along with apple juice. Not looking forward to the bowels activating as it's sore as he'll when I strain my stomach. Looks like my biggest issue may be the cath. In the days to come.
Will keep you all posted. Thanks for being here!!!
Posted 7/8/2010 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
V

Welcome to the other side.  Hang in there - the side efffects should diminish as you become more active - hopefully the heat will break and you can get out later today or tommorrow and start walking a little at a time.  That and drinking a lot of water seems to help the recovery process.  The cath is a nuisance at first but you will get use to it and hopefully it will be out next week.  I did not have the drain plug so I'm not sure what that was. 

Keep us posted on your progress

Ray

Posted 7/8/2010 1:48 PM (GMT 0)
Vam,
The small drain is for blood & fluid from the surgery area (internal). They will probably take that out today.

Ask the doc about stool softeners if you are not already taking them. I took Docusate Calcium - made the first BM a non-event.

Welcome to the other side!
Posted 7/8/2010 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
 

Vam,

Glad to hear all went well may your future be filled with zero's.

Jerry1

Posted 7/9/2010 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hi all.... I'm home,,, what I didn't feel yesterday, I'm sure feeling now.... the soreness is somewhat tolerable, but the gas pains are UNBEARABLE!!! Been trying to walk around, but nothinh is coming out, from top or bottom. Also alot of pressure at times from my bladder. I took a 2 hour nap because I didnt sleep at all last night. Also.... I shouldn't be worried about this since I know there still is swelling, but the incision site above the belly button forces that whole area to a pont. Looks like there's a golfball shoved under the skin.
Anybody else have this??
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