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First post, after today's surgery

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Posted 4/15/2016 4:30 AM (GMT 0)
Surgery today was right on schedule, no real issues or delays.

The circumcism part went as expected, but exploratory surgery failed again. Last attempt was in 2015. Surgeon still wasn't able to get a wire, let alone a scope, through or behind the scar blockage at the bladder neck. Said he really pushed hard this time, but no way to break through. Very large hardened blockage. Too much risk to damage rectal area, so he backed off. So still left with no way to enter and inspect my bladder.

Even with extra pain meds today, extreme pain post surgery. It's about what I was warned about and expecting. The next 2-3 days will be tough to endure, but hoping to see some letup after that. Dr. said first 2 weeks will be the hardest, and it may take a month to six weeks to be back to "normal".

Well, I made it through another ordeal in what's been a long list of ordeals since 2008. The nursing staff, both pre-op and in recovery, did a first class job. Was thankful for that.

about all I can handle writing for now, will try to check back in the morning. Got a long night ahead of me.

Post Edited (Purgatory) : 4/15/2016 5:31:04 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/15/2016 5:45 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the update Purg. Hope your pain get back to manageable, if it ever is. Sorry to hear that the exploratory didn't go well. You could have sure used a break there. So, perhaps you will get a break on the leakage with the circumcision.
Good luck!
Beth
Posted 4/15/2016 6:02 AM (GMT 0)
Thnx for update. Prayers for comfort & restorative rest.
Posted 4/15/2016 11:28 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry to be posting late. I hope the night went well. I remember how Dan Rather signed off by simply saying "Courage". Buddy, you live up to the word.

Best wishes, you're in my prayers.
Posted 4/15/2016 12:57 PM (GMT 0)
Purg. - Best to you - keep up the good fight!
Posted 4/15/2016 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
sending healing wishes and prayers...I was wondering if your doctors could give you one of those cameras that you swallow...just an idea...hope you recovery good from this surgery...
Healing prayers...
Posted 4/15/2016 2:19 PM (GMT 0)
You're in my prayers every day.

Peace,
Andrew
Posted 4/15/2016 2:49 PM (GMT 0)
David,
Hoping for "HealingWell" days ahead, been praying for you,my brother, You are indeed a warrior in attempting to fend off all your various maladies. Keep the faith !
Dan on So Cal.
Posted 4/15/2016 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
PAIN has an element of blank;
It cannot recollect
When it began, or if there were
A day when it was not.

It has no future but itself,
Its infinite realms contain
Its past, enlightened to perceive
New periods of pain.

Emily Dickinson

Good health to you, David
Posted 4/15/2016 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
Glad you are awake and posting, I take that as a good sign. Prayers for swift and not-too-uncomfortable healing. Sorry the Dr got your hopes up only to have them dashed again.
Posted 4/15/2016 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
David –

Here's every good wish that things are going to get better for you. I certainly hope so.

Your situation reminds me of the chorus lyrics from the pop song linked below, Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping" (1997), which could well be your theme song:

"I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never gonna keep me down."

/www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H5uWRjFsGc
Posted 4/15/2016 7:19 PM (GMT 0)
David,

Thanks for the update! Have been keeping you in my thoughts and prayers and will continue. Sorry the surgeon could complete the scope process!

You're a very strong man!

Dave in Bartlett, TN
Posted 4/15/2016 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
Corrected my post to say doctor "wasn't" able to pass a wire.

Didn't drift off to sleep till around 6 AM this morning. Just got up from a sleepless nap, sleep is so needed but so elusive for me.

Even with the additional pain meds, its still been rough. Took a shower this AM as directed by doctor, to soften up the bandaging around the shaft, and then painfully unrolled it and off. Now everything is fully exposed. It's very swollen, bruised, and ugly looking. Kind of surreal to me, like I am not seeing the me I have known for nearly 64 years. They say it will heal better being left in the open air, any clothing that touches it leaves me rocketing in pain. So mostly just have a dressing robe on.

Not sure how many days ahead that the pain will be so bad and the area so touchy. It's been about 36 hours post surgery, but seems longer, but like a very bad blur, or a nightmare I only wish I could wake up from. So far, I wished I had aborted this operation before it began, I could have chosen so, but thought I was doing the right thing.

Been through way too much the past nearly 8 years, never an end, always a new traumatic situation to have to face. Tired of it, tired of fighting, tired of trying, tired of always suffering. This is no life at all to me at this point.

Appreciate the kind words, thoughts, and prayers of many. It's nice to know that others really care.

Alone since 2 PM today, wife had to return to work, every one else too busy in their own worlds, so trying to get through a long evening ahead, and try hard not move from my current position on the sofa. At least it will be the weekend in the morning.
Posted 4/16/2016 9:33 PM (GMT 0)
It just doesn't end for you, does it? I don't know how you do it David. I couldn't endure what you have. I am extremely sorry that you and your wife have had to experience all of this misery.

I had concession stand duty today before my grandson's baseball game. His team experienced their first loss of the season. I'm leaving soon to have dinner with his mom (my daughter) at their home. The boy is in third grade and has yet to get a grade lower than an A. Some kid pushed him the other day so Will punched him in the belly. He was not popular with school officials, but I liked it a lot. That's the big issue with all of your problems. You don't get to punch back.

The Chinese GP is on at about 0200-0300 Sunday. If we don't get rained out we are going to a Texas Rangers game Sunday afternoon. Fingers crossed.

I'm thinking of a small SUV for my next car. Don't really like them, but my old man's back would be a lot happier with seats being about butt high when I get in and out. Hmmm.

I'm at a loss to find anything happy about your situation. I wish I had some magic words. But I don't.

Bill
Posted 4/17/2016 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
bill, perhaps that's part of my problem - there's no one to punch back at, no one to yell at who is at blame, just that tired old line of playing the cards one dealt. Perhaps this is why I don't like card games. Or board games in general, with the sole exception of chess.

Speaking of cars, I am on my third one since January. Finally tired of my beloved 2014 Fiat Abarth - all the noise, drama, and bad attitude wasn't good for my health, so I traded for a 2015 Ford Taurus Limited, but really wanted another Lincoln. Finally found the Lincoln I wanted, a Pearl White MKS with brown leather (difficult combo to find), its a 2014 with barely any miles. So that's 3 DD's for me in the space of 4 months, and the way I buy cars, didn't lose money on any of them.

No big improvement today, I basically can only wear a t-shirt, covered over with my bath robe, and I had to go back to hooking up a large catheter bag with the hose, its the only way I can keep my Urostomy bag from hitting my privates. Can't even wear boxers at this point, anything that directly touches that area sends me with unimaginable pain. Can't wait to get past the worse of the healing stages.

Already tired of either sitting around or laying around. Can only take so much tv and/or internet time.

Hoping tomorrow will be a better day. Last night was tough, I was awake every 30 minutes on the button, the entire night, and when I was sleeping, horrific nightmares entertained me. Then I had to wake up and start all over again.
Posted 4/17/2016 1:36 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, you can buy cars without losing money that's incredible, wish I had that luck, will need a new vechicle soon to replace my pontiac vibe, it was a good car the pontiac, wish GM had closed Buick instead of pontiac that was a bad move. Volvo is supposed to come out with an XC40 next year...just hope the price is in the lower 30,'s for it...We have bad luck with Buick's had enough of those to last a lifetime. A SkyHawk or Skylark that ate alternators, like pancakes...8 and I mean 8 alt's before 60,000 miles on the car! Why Lincoln if I may ask?
Any ways, I'm saying prayers for you and I totally get it when you say enough tv stuff...Prayers for a speedy recovery...
Posted 4/17/2016 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
I'm in my third Subaru WRX (since 2002).
Mid-life crisis still, at 66.
Posted 4/17/2016 9:12 PM (GMT 0)
Saturday night was another rough night, almost impossible to be in any position that didn't cause something to rub the wrong way. It's late Sunday afternoon, been in bed almost all day, up now, because youngest son came to visit. Going to attempt to sit up for awhile.

For whatever reason, the pain down there is worse. Probably part of the healing process. I can't stand to actually look at what was done to me. Very vicious looking at this early point. Haven't driven for 4 days, that's always a bummer to me, use to being on the go.

I was warned that this would be a rough recovery period, and the doctors were right about that. Kind of wish I could fast-forward 2 weeks to be on the better side of this. It's worse than I expected it to be, usually I pre-think worse case scenario, so that I can be prepared. But I underestimated this for sure.

Doing the best I can, under the circumstances, not much more I can do than that.

Will check back when able
Posted 4/18/2016 1:21 AM (GMT 0)
Hang in there.
As always, you're in my thoughts and prayers.

Andrew
Posted 4/18/2016 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
Purgatory I hope this time passes quickly for you, It is hard to know that another person is in pain and there is nothing you can do to help them. Wish I had an answer for the pain.
Posted 4/18/2016 3:15 AM (GMT 0)
Continued Prayers...
Posted 4/18/2016 6:09 AM (GMT 0)
Been through way too much the past nearly 8 years, never an end, always a new traumatic situation to have to face. Tired of it, tired of fighting, tired of trying, tired of always suffering. This is no life at all to me at this point..

Oh, David.... I remember the discussion about quality of life and how important that was to you. I am so sad and so sorry you have reached this point. I never wanted to see this happen. I remain hopeful that the pain will ease up. No person should have to go through this. You remain in our prayers - always!! *HUGS*

The pain Ron has in the groin area is getting worse. When the time comes he may go to the Cleveland Clinic. At that time, I will seek advice in this forum.

Tim, I am printing up your poem for Ron. He can relate. He says, "It's David who needs prayers." I would also add, it's David's (Purgatory's) wife who also needs prayers.
Posted 4/18/2016 11:47 AM (GMT 0)
David, I admire your perseverance. You have been through a lot and I think of you and your trials often. And the grace with which you suffer them. May you recieve a blessing in the form of some relief from the pain.

Don
Posted 4/19/2016 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Aimzee. Concerned about Ron's groin pains myself. Mine are still bad at times, and they are no closer to a dx. for mine at this point.

Thanks, Don. Thanks, Chart, and all the other's postings
-----------------
Monday

Today, compared to yesterday, was a tiny bit better. For whatever reasons, Sunday was the worse post surgery (3 days out). Today was day 4.

Walked out to my new car, its been sitting for nearly 5 days in the same spot, to put something in the glove box. To my horror, the entire center of the windshield is cracked from top to bottom. No bad weather, no evidence of anything hitting it or being thrown at it, unless it was a large bird (but no dead bird or blood). In SC, if you have full coverage, you get free windshield replacement, no deductible, so I am covered. Allstate going to come to my house Saturday to replace it. Good thing for insurance, as its one of those rain sensing ones, and if I had to pay for it, it would be 1,200 bucks. Same thing happened on my former Lincoln, was broke in the exact same place, for no apparent reason. Strange.

Hoping tomorrow to be able to wear boxers again, that would be the first step in being able to wear clothes again without cringing in pain. If it works, will next try to find a loose pair of pants. One step at the time. I would not recommend this op to any guy, and less there was strong medical evidence that it was needed. Turning out to be the most painful recovery of any of the many surgeries I have had. Very sensitive area, obviously, with many nerve endings and vascular points.

My concern, is still getting a lot of oozing, same liquid as before the op, but coming from right side of where I was cut. My fear is that this op didn't really get to the real root of the problem. My other surgeon (not the one that did this) had his suspicions on this very subject. Will see if it starts to clear up/dry up in the days ahead. Hate to think I did this and going through all this for nothing.
Posted 4/19/2016 3:58 AM (GMT 0)
So very sorry your recovery is this bad, many more prayers...
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