Posted 6/9/2007 9:30 PM (GMT 0)
I am an absolute example of "selective retention". My surgery went well. My surgeon said it couldn't have gone better. I had been walking regularly and pain had gone away quickly except for penis irritation around the catheter despite regular cleanings, neosporin application etc.
I say this because in reading the forum items, I assumed that I would be one of the wonderkind, having regretted purchasing extra absorbent pads never needed and only a drip or two extra after catheter removal. I ignored all the other stories describing months of incontinence as being a small statistic and not applicable to me. I am sorry for that oversight and now understand (only a little bit) as to what that might mean.
At any rate, I have no great benchmark, but think my penis took a beating either after surgery and/or during regular catheter use. I say that as 90% of my appendage was major bruised and I had pretty substantial discomfort with the catheter. Whether that is relevant or not, I don't know. The catheter removal I was told should have been painless. The removal itself was, but injecting water up the catheter to fill the bladder was pretty uncomfortable.
My wife bought me Serenity for Men, but the absorbency was low to normal and just didn't do the trick. That first day home I had absolutely no control. I had been doing Kegels 3 times a day prior to surgery and have now moved to hourly as best I can. At any rate, I soon understood that my biggest problem was getting out of a chair, car or bed. In so doing I flexed the muscles I knew stopped the stream and was able to stop the accidents until I got to the bathroom to void. As a result today my lower extremities feel worn out.
I thought I was over walking around semi-nude, but if I need to do the drip cup deal I have read about and force things a bit, I will. I posted though just to remind anyone who thinks that the catheter removal is the end of the line, might want to rethink their expectations (or not, if you are lucky). I will persevere and update on progress or lack thereof. I am up to walking a couple of miles a day though, which is nothing compared to my old workout, but is progress since I first got out of bed to walk to the nursing station.