Been home 1 week postop

Today I'm thankful for a talented surgeon!

I got home from open surgery with Dr. Moul at Duke last Thursday (surgery was Wed). Friday was pretty tough, but after that, I've made nice improvements. I was off pain meds by Saturday, working from home by Monday. I've had very few bladder spasms and the catheter is more of a nuisance than anything else.

I'm up and active, walking and using the elliptical many times a day - being careful not to do too much.

Catheter removal and pathology reports coming Tuesday - fingers crossed!!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone

Mike

Mike,

It sounds like you're right on schedule. The best stories come from the guys who have a pretty female nurse to pull the catheter. For most of us, catheter removal is a non-event. "Take a deep breath and let it out slowly" is the advice given. And don't watch. Then drink LOTS of water. You might pass a few clots over the next day or so.

Let us know how your pathology comes out. Oh, and ask them to give you a scrip for daily cialis. It does wonders for the blood flow down there...which both promotes healing from the surgery and helps willie get back to his old self.

John, for me, I had them do the catheter cuz they pulled the staples at the same time. I also heard too many horror stories about guys who tried to pull it on their own without deflating it. And one guy who I know personally who got tangled up in the hose and tripped over it..and pulled it out. OUCH!

Good luck Mike, getting the catheter out is akin to life changing. Recovery from that point on goes from 5 to 60 mph. Couple that with a good pathology report, and it will be a great day. Fingers crossed with you

Good luck with the catheter removal! It should be a sightly weird non-event. Get used to strange interactions with nurses -- pulling catheters, asking about your erections, etc. For the first week after surgery I felt better every day. Then recovery slowed down somewhat, and it was not always clear that I was feeling better each day, although the trajectory was still good. I needed frequent naps. After I went back to work teaching two weeks post-surgery, I was okay during the day but after I got home I nearly collapsed with tiredness. Six weeks post-surgery I felt nearly normal. With luck you'll do even better, but just be prepared for glitches along the way. Your body has experienced a major trauma and it takes time to recover.

And sleeping is so much more comfortable. I felt like a new man being able to roll left and right without worry of the catheter being pulled.

Mike,
Its good to hear all went well. I had RALP in March and don't think it could have went any better. I am a bit older than you, but pathology reports are similar. Another milestone will be your PSA numbers. Mine were great and pray that yours will be too. On the other fronts, I was continent a couple months out, with only a squirt sometimes when sneezing. Also an occasional squirt with orgasm, that feels much like it used to when I still had all the plumbing intact.
Best wishes.
Mack