1st was 1 year PSA <.01, which I alreadt celebrated with you guys.
2nd is: Today is my 1st ever day without a pad since surgery, not even my usual mini shield thingy. And I even had a 5 0'clock gin and tonic!
Although, I did not do my 2 mile walk. I started to go hiking in the woods. and if I had not run out of time I would have done that. But I was a little paranoid that if I did my walk around the hood, and if I started having my little spasms and could not stop to blast some out(probably get complaints from the neighbors about
that!), I would tire from doing anti-spasm Kegels and end up with some wet spots. So I didn't go.
I've known for a while that I could
probably get by without a pad through the day, and I normally don't put a pad on in the morning until I leave the house, and take it off again a couple of hours before bed, and find it mostly dry. But I just never have seen how I can take the chance to go pad free in public, considering those occasional pesky little spasms and/or if I failed to be quick enough to respond to some sort of transient stress. So even though I sometimes find myself walking along briskly with no conscious effort at holding it in(amazing considering just a few months ago!), and I can lift heavy weights or sneeze if I am prepared, if I was to trip or something sudden, it is coming out if I am not quick on the draw, so to speak.
Today's test was actually an accident. I had driven across town and realized I forgot to add the pad. I've done this before, and have sometimes either turned around and got a pad, or took a chance until I got back home, but this time I decided to just go for it. And now at 9PM I am pretty much dry, maybe the slightest hint of dampness, but very slight if at all.
But this is not to say I would still not consider some type of surgical correction if I don't improve yet some more during the following year. I still have to constantly be on guard against stress or those spasms, and I still feel a pad is needed for just in case. And I would much prefer to be free of all of that, maybe badly enough to do something about
it. But hopefully I still have some improvement left in me. I have escaped RT so far, so maybe I can improve a bit more.
ED wise, still a total loss for all practical purposes, but at least one surgically caused problem is much better, so I am thankful for that. A couple of weeks ago at my PSA check, my URO said he didn't think surgery for further continence improvement was worth it for me, but an implant for my ED soon might be. And occasionally I have thought an implant was definitely in my future, but other times I wonder what is the point. On those very few orgasms in the last year, none have even felt good, plus no real sense of release, just as weird as they are rare. So depending on what day it is, and implant sounds like a good idea or like a whole lot to go through for little benefit. But the continence situation is much improved compared to even 6 months out/ 6 months ago. And I'm very glad for that.
So, Bros, if it has been a few months and you still soak a bunch of pads per day, don't loose hope yet!