August Surgeries

Hi All,

First, Aimzee-want to wish you and Ron all the best tommorrow-I'll be thinking of you and sending lots of positive thoughts your way. Will be anxious to hear how things turn out.

Mimi, glad your husband's surgery is over and he's up and moving around. Sounds like all went well-will anxiously watch for his path report.

Ed, Geoff had his cath out yesterday-says to let you know he was quite anxious about it hurting, but no pain-just a weird feeling when they pull it out. He didn't have any feelings of needing to pee with the cath in. He was dry all last night but says to be sure to tell you that he did get up a lot last night-not for urges but to make sure he stayed dry! (We were in a hotel) He's had some leaking today, but nothing too bad. He's quite positive about everything so that's all I care about.

Well, it's your turn next An....

Renee

Ger42, I can imagine what you are going through.  I am so sorry you are having this extra pain.

Ed, I am glad the shoulder pain is gone.  Here's hoping that the catheter is taken out.

Thank you, Dan - we'll be watching for that problem.  Hopefully, it won't happen to my husband.

142, what should a man do when that happens?

Mimi, things sound pretty good.  I hope all the cancer is now out of your husband's body and a good report will follow.  We are here to support you and I hope his recovery period goes by quickly.  Thank you for sharing!

Now, it is our turn.  Thank you Renee and An!  In about 11 hours, my husband will begin the DaVinci surgery procedure.  I should be sleeping, but I wanted to get a message out to all of you.  Ron is having that side / testicle pain, so he is concerned about that.  Otherwise, we are ready to get this over with and join others on the other side!  Thank you.

Aimzee

Aimzee,

The leaking around the cath is, if not normal, at least fairly common, I was told.

Because I have a standard oval toilet seat, things are "out of place" because of the catheter. Since I leaked very badly, I just used a wad of toilet paper to wrap the cath exit & soak up the mess. It also let me see what level of blood was involved (not so much).

It would have been a little less problematic with a U seat (split), but not something I could deal with at that point. Didn't want to send my neighbor to the store for a seat.

I did go through a lot of paper.

Hi Ed,

Good luck with the path report tommorrow. If everyone does as well as you and Geoff this first week out, it will be a spectacular month. Aimzee, can't wait to hear how Ron did.

Renee

Hello everyone!

Things look really hopeful.  Ron was in surgery for 3 hours.  The prostate came out easily with the cancer cells in tact.  Yes,  the cancer cells are contained and the nerves are spared, but they are "stunned."   I brought out the nerves question.  The final lab results will be in a week from now.  Ron is experiencing GREAT pain, and they may keep him for one more day.  He was having side pains BEFORE surgery, so they may watch him.  He tried to walk, but it was very difficult due to the pain.  We'll know in the morning.  

I have a question... The doctor said everything looked good.  Nothing was stuck together.  I asked a few more questions and again he brought up the cancer cells didn't stick.  I have no idea what that means.  Is that something about margins?   He didn't say anything about the lymph node.

I am more relaxed.  I wasn't acting nervous.  We'll be relieved when the path report arrives.  Thank you to all of you for your support!  I also appreciate the answers to my questions and all the information I received from this forum.

Ed, it is fine to ramble.  Good luck with the path report!

Renee, it sounds like Geoff is progressing nicely.

Thank you 142 for the explanation!

The time in the Family waiting room was seven hours.  I need some good sleep, and hopefully Ron will be coming home tomorrow.

Aimzee

Aimzee,

If they want to keep him an extra day and insurance permits, don't fight it. I know everybody brags about being home the next day, but it was easier on me to be in the hosp. an extra day or two.

It is a lot easier to get accustomed to walking and get over the post-op issues in a calm environment. I realized after the fact that if I had gone home the next day, I couldn't have gotten up the steps there - much less supported the car trip home.

Aimzee, I'm relieved to hear that the surgery went well. 'The prostate came out easily with the cancer cells intact' sounds promising, but as others have noted, the path report will tell for sure.

I wish you and your family all the best for a fast recovery for Ron. Surely, the surgeon will prescribe pain relievers for him very soon.

Give yourself some time for rest; you've been such a great support all the way through.

Hi Ger,

Glad to see you're still in the club. An's husband goes tommorrow and then, you're next. So glad it wasn't shingles!

Renee

An,
My best to you - we'll be watching for news.

Ger,
Glad it was something less than shingles - have seen that in my family, and my antenna went full out when you said that.

Aimzee,
Hope everything is uneventful.

Hello all,

The surgeon just called and after calling the family and close friends I decided to post here as to what he said. I won't see my husband for another two hours till he gets out of Recovery.

So far the news is that the nerves are completely spared, there was minimal blood loss, the surgeon is very happy with the rebuilt urinary structures and from his visuals of the prostate it looks like it is contained but to tell for sure we would need to see the pathology report of course.

But I am so glad he is out of this surgery without surgical complications. Thank you god.

An

An,

The catheter bag needs a real clear path for the tube. No kinks or excessive loops. I had a couple of blocks at night, when the valve at the top of the bag would get obstructed. It was usually that I somehow got a loop in the tube or later, it was debris - shake the valve a couple of times and it would clear.

Also, "lower" doesn't mean just a little lower - mine, except when I was walking, was always 18" / 45cm lower.
Also, the head of the bag works best upright - that is one of the reasons for the bucket.

Aimzee & An - make them drink a lot of water while the cath is in - it really is important. I had stocked up on my favorite spring water just to be sure I didn't have to deal with the "city water" tastes all day.

Hello everyone!  We are having a rough time over here, but at least Ron did some walking today.  There seems to be a lot of blood in his urine.  The pain is still very intense.  Maybe it is because he is older?

Thank you everyone for your support and advice!  I will write more next time.  I just wanted to see how An and her husband are doing?  It sounds pretty good, An.  I am so happy the cancer cells were intact.  Praise God.

One question... Ron has decided to wear the night bag, but there weren't real insturctions on how to clean it.  His doctor scheduled an appointment for August 31, so that means 11 more days until the cath is removed.  He is very tired, but so happy the cancer appears to be gone!

He tried to sleep on the recliner, but that didn't work, so now he is sleeping on the couch with the bucket.  We both will feel better when the pain is gone.  This is a guy who has gone through major back surgery, but he says this is much worse.  Every one's body reacts differently.  I hope to have better news tomorrow.

An, I wish you and your husband the best.  I know how relieved you are.  Hope he is drinking lots of water, too!

We're all getting there - the other side!

 I wish all the August crew a quick recovery!

Best wishes,

Aimzee

Aimzee,

A lot of guys here talk about how litte they used in the way of pain meds. I was not one of those. I used the drip "button" at the hospital, and did have to take the heavy-duty stuff they prescribed in order to sleep at night for the next week after surgery. By two weeks out it was better, but still today use my doughnut cusion on hard chairs.

If Ron does not disconnect the big bag, there is no reason to clean it unless the valve in the top gets completely clogged. Just drain and re-close the drain. My hospital gave me an extra big bag (they consider them single-use, not washable, although many here will disagree) just in case I needed to change it. If you have been given a spare, I would just leave everything alone unless a change is needed.
I did not have to change mine.

Remember lots of water - keeps the bladder clean and reduces the infection possibilities. And that in the days after cath removal, if he leaks, he will be wishing he could drink more (I've been there).