RARP Day Approaches

This has been a whirlwind couple of months.

From a first, routine blood test ordered by my generalist in February. As I moved to France from London last year, I was fairly new to her practice. While I was seeing her about a minor shoulder ache, she asked, ‘Have we done a blood test since you started seeing me?’ All the results were good, but for that pesky PSA of 21+. Then came several months of specialists, biopsies, scans, etc. And a decision to have RARP. They have scheduled me for the 6th of June – actual D-Day! This forum has been a great help, both as a source of information and as a place to feel not alone.

As I am covered by French system, I have had access to excellent healthcare. (Anyone else on this forum in France?) I have found that at times my own ability to converse in French falters under the stress, but at least my urologist is fluent in English! The funniest moments have been with the charming kiné (French for physical therapist) who has been working with me pre-op on Kegel exercises. As I lie there naked from the waist down, she speaks at me very rapidly in an accent I can’t quite grasp! At first I felt like an idiot, but have now embraced it.

My son, our eldest child, is getting his MSc on 1st of July in England. My urologist believes I’ll be well enough to fly for the degree ceremony. We’ll see. (Any thoughts?)

In the meantime, I’ve been running as much as possible, knowing that it will be weeks or months before I can do so again.

I’m going into the hospital on the evening of 5th of July. My surgery is in the afternoon of the 6th. They are planning to keep me until 9th of July (which is evidently standard here for post-RARP). If I can get WiFi, I’ll keep you posted.

Joe -

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Bobby Mac

I think you should rename it P-Day going forward. All the best to you with your surgery and a speedy recovery that gets you to London for your son's degree ceremony!

Joe, I went back to work on day 20. As an alternative to flying, could you take the train? Best of luck to you next monday, see you on the other side!

If your a runner I'd say forget the Kegels, From what I gleamed running is the ultimate pelvic muscle conditioner. I never did kegels and was essentially dry from the moment I removed my Cath in my bathtub. I also averaged 60 or so miles a week (summer) on my Bike.... Keep working out, stay at your ideal body weight, would be my suggestion to stay dry. I went back to work after 2 weeks. Took a while to get back to my distance running and on bike, these 50+y/o bodies are slower to normalize. Good luck!

Hero

Jam

Thanks for the advice and wishes.

I suggested to my doc that I might travel by train to London. He looked at me like I was insane and said, 'Or you could fly. I would.' (I love travelling by train. I've done the Nice to London trip once before - it takes the greater part of a day. From Nice to Marseilles, the TGV has to go slowly because the tracks curve along between the coast and the mountains; then it speeds up to Paris where you have to switch stations at Paris for Eurostar.) Anyway, tickets on BA booked and fingers crossed for making the degree ceremony.

Now I just need to quick googling articles about RARP. Yesterday I read a scholarly article about the anesthesia that listed all the problems that might occur. That was a bad idea, Joe. Today I'm getting the suitcase ready for the hospital and setting up the house for my return. Tomorrow, a haircut. Then I think I'm ready.