Although I haven't had an erection in 14 months, I consider my surgery fully successful and my recovery "complete."
I can't think of any surgery for a major cancer that doesn't alter us physically in some way. ED, compared to the effects of other major cancer surgeries, is a relatively small price to pay, and as we all know, we have pills, shots, and implants to deal with that if we choose to go those routes.
It's not surprising that we have some side effects. We've had major, major surgery. Many other cancer surgeries result in side effects that are much more debilitating than incontinence and ED. I'm not disfigured. I can still walk, run, play sports, hug my grandchildren, see, hear, taste, feel, and smell.
Yes, I do occasionally lament my inability to achieve an erection, but major cancers usually exact a price, and, my goodness, so many people, including little children and young people, are suffering in ways that I can't even imagine.
So, I thank God that my cancer was diagnosed in the year 2010.....not a generation earlier when my outlook would have been grim. And I did have a "full and quick recovery," returning to work in just a couple of weeks and to all outdoor activities in a month after surgery.