5 th day after robotic surgery - Daily Summary

chitown
chitown Member Posts: 90 Member
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
First of thanks to each of you for the support for last 3 months leading to the surgery on June 15. My biggest inspiration and knowledge gathering was from hearing others journey of surgery and recovery. So here is mine for the last 5 days

Day 1 - After watching a movie night before and sleeping 5 hours went to the hospital for 7:30 surgery. Confirmed that I will get Versed, then took the anesthesia and have vague recollection of going to OR and seeing DaVinci written on a machine. Woke up in the recovery room at 10:45 right after what appears to be following some accelerated images of short dreams. No pain or discomfort, or bloating or nausea..just slower senses. Was rolled to the regular room where my fancily met me and was told that the surgery went well with very little blood lost. The first catheter bad was pink and then the color remained normal. Rested in bed till 4 pm and was told to walk soon. The right side of the stomach was normal and painless, but left side the muscle felt tight and achy. Walked 4 blocks and went to bed again. Did more than 2 hours of unassisted walking after. Toradol was given every 8 hours and a suppository at for bladder spasm. Could not sleep due to compression pad on the legs.

Day 2 - Went to walk again at 6 am but the ache was more and could not walk as much or as fast as night before. Weakness due to liquid diet. Doses of antibiotic and Toradol continued. Doc met and said the operation went for 2 hours instead of typical 1.5 due to 'stickines' of the veil around the prostate. But the veil was lifted once only to get the prostate out. Rest went as well as it could get. Felt very weak. Left for home at noon. Pain was only when moving and was very manageable. Rest of the day was rest and waking. Foley pinched a but was fine after bactricin with 4% lidocain. Got tired easily and felt week but was not in pain. Let side of the stomach felt inflamed and lots of gas was released in the night.

Day 3 - Woke up weaker and needed more rest. Walks were shorter and slower. Celebrex, Tovacic, stool softner and levaquin were daily tablets. No narcotic or pain killer was needed. BM came at noon and a meal of eggs and toast was uplifting. Kept catheter clean with Secura and kept putting ointment on every 2 hours. The body was telling clearly when to walk and went to rest. Standing/walking and lying on the bed was fine..sitting was not comfortable. Getting up was getting better. The doc called with the pathology and told the gleason was upgraded from 3+3 to 3+4 but this upgrade meant no material difference. The margins were clear and the cancer was confined to the capsule and the volume was less than 10%. The probability of recurrence with these stats is less than 3% in the lifetime. Happy day in the house. My wife who had kept her grit for last 3 months cried a bit. Big dark cloud that had remained over my head was gone. Ate lot more during the day. Took shower. BM was normal. Slept well.

Day 4. Ate and walked more and more and most of the strength came back. In the morning the scrotum/penis felt a bit tighter and aroused, but other times remained very flaccid. Had drops of pink urine come out 2 times during BM, but not after that. Slept well.

Day 5. Energy and senses almost back to normal. Stretching pain getting better and BM totally normal. No scrotum or penis swelling. Catheter is a nuisance but no pain or discomfort. Stomach is still swollen and tender. One muscle strand where most of the stretching is stiff but is getting better.

Next Wed is catheter removal and then starting MUSE 2 weeks after that. Hoping continence will be normal due to all the kegel and good muscle recovery.

My stats. 48 years old, thin and athletic. Father and uncle died of PCA around 60 years of age, Diagnosed 3/12 but delayed treatment due to sepis after biopsy that put me in ICU for 7 days with a 40% mortality rate. Compared to that the surgery was a breeze.

Happy to share more details if needed

Comments

  • randy_in_indy
    randy_in_indy Member Posts: 496 Member
    Chi Town
    You had a very good experience and it's great news on the path report. Keep up the recovery and let us know how it's going. Looks like due to your attention to getting checked early you have beaten the beast the best you could!

    Randy in Indy
  • DanKCMO
    DanKCMO Member Posts: 42
    Things going great!
    Nice to hear your recovery is going great and the path report was good!

    Hopefully, once your catheter is removed, the recovery will really take off!

    Welcome to the other side!

    Dan (18 days post op)
  • bdhilton
    bdhilton Member Posts: 846 Member
    chitown...happy that all
    chitown...happy that all went well and your recovery sounds uneventful...You have my number if you want to talk...peace
  • griff 1
    griff 1 Member Posts: 114
    post op
    thanks for the posts i go in wed 23rd so all this is very helpful. i am getting very anxious and wished i was not going, i want to go camping instead. i,m glad you are doing good, i hope mine goes that good. good luck griff
  • griff 1
    griff 1 Member Posts: 114
    chi town
    the cath is what i am worrying about, it sucks to even think about it. on a good note both my brothers from out of country and out of state are coming for morale support and to hang out. real nice of them that is for sure. good luck to all. griff
  • chitown
    chitown Member Posts: 90 Member
    griff 1 said:

    chi town
    the cath is what i am worrying about, it sucks to even think about it. on a good note both my brothers from out of country and out of state are coming for morale support and to hang out. real nice of them that is for sure. good luck to all. griff

    griff1
    The anxiety should get better as you get closer to 23. Try to stay busy and also talk about your thoughts and feeling often and candidly..that should help the most. Regarding the catheter, I am on the 7th day today and it has been more of a nuisance than pain and discomfort. I went out to dinner with my kids on Fathers day to a nice restaurant wearing the leg bag. Did not even think of it when there. My suggestion is to buy Secura cleaner (find a local medical store for that) and get Bactricin with lidocaine. CVS has one with 4% lidcoine that I got and has worked good for me. Best wishes. Keep us updated and let me know anything I can share.
  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,339 Member
    Best wishes
    ....with hope that your recovery continues to be speedy and successful........Ira
  • Trew
    Trew Member Posts: 932 Member
    How you do awaken
    How you do awaken memories.......

    I still think being zapped up by an allien space craft and being supjected to medical experiments makes a better story.

    I hope your recovery continues on the positive side.
  • griff 1
    griff 1 Member Posts: 114
    chitown said:

    griff1
    The anxiety should get better as you get closer to 23. Try to stay busy and also talk about your thoughts and feeling often and candidly..that should help the most. Regarding the catheter, I am on the 7th day today and it has been more of a nuisance than pain and discomfort. I went out to dinner with my kids on Fathers day to a nice restaurant wearing the leg bag. Did not even think of it when there. My suggestion is to buy Secura cleaner (find a local medical store for that) and get Bactricin with lidocaine. CVS has one with 4% lidcoine that I got and has worked good for me. Best wishes. Keep us updated and let me know anything I can share.

    chitown
    thanks man, you are very helpful. good luck to. griff
  • chitown
    chitown Member Posts: 90 Member
    6 months post surgery report
    Follow-up to my previous 5 day report. Overall good but the journey have been uneven.

    Continence - Slow but steady improvement. Stabilized at about 3 months. Now only slight dribble when doing crunches, active sport. Not a bother

    Penis pain - Bothered for quite sometime. More like pain in urethra, also in the scrotum
    Surgeon told this is just tied to the healing process of the surgery. The pain reduced over time. Now aching scrotum once in a while. I understand that all surgery pain goes away at about 10 month.

    Incision wound - Two of the port got infect with pus, pain all. Took antibiotics, one got better. The drainage port was still infected and not healing for about 4 months. Found a suture was accidentally left behind that was causing the problem. Once it got taken out it healed fast. Though the surgeon kept insisting that all sutures were to be dissolved. This suture was made on nylon and was left in by accident.

    Stomach pain and swelling - One side of the stomach hurt a lot initially. Think due to bloating and calipers pulling the muscle during surgery. The pain subsided in 2-3 months. But had gone before the surgery with a flat six pack belly and right after surgery came with a big beer belly. It has gotten better but still not where it was before the surgery.

    ED - due to penis pain could not start the injection or MUSE for first 3 month. Though was taking 25 mg Viagra daily..though the surgeon was not supporting need for Viagra.
    Trimix injection, starting 0.15 did the job and now about 0.05 does the job and plan to stop it soon. Taking injection once a week. Still taking 50 mg Viagra ever other day. Getting nocturnal erection almost everyday and normal erection between 2 am to 9 am almost everyday. During the day it is still not normal, and intercourse during the day is only Trimix enabled.Am very hopeful of the progress. 10 months, I am told is the getting to normal date. I also use Encore pump which I think helps too.

    Mental state: BIG surprise here. When the body healed and then I think the mind said - what about me, take care of me now! - I began getting anxiety attack, was losing confidence on small thing, worrying about small thing, feared every negative thing will blow up to be bad, not sleeping well, low energy, job troubles...a mess. Talked to my psychiatrist sister and 2 other friend who are psychiatrists too...they were clueless. Seem post surgery area mental issues are new or patient dont bring it up. In any case took some anti-anxiety meds and Prisiq anti-depressant. Much better now, ADVISE - Beware on mental symptom and dont be shy to address them.

    Learned how critical support of friend and family is and how individually we are weak without this support. New perspective to life now..still working to put the pieces together!!

    Happy to address any question or detail anything else
  • chitown
    chitown Member Posts: 90 Member
    6 months post surgery report
    Follow-up to my previous 5 day report. Overall good but the journey have been uneven.

    Continence - Slow but steady improvement. Stabilized at about 3 months. Now only slight dribble when doing crunches, active sport. Not a bother

    Penis pain - Bothered for quite sometime. More like pain in urethra, also in the scrotum
    Surgeon told this is just tied to the healing process of the surgery. The pain reduced over time. Now aching scrotum once in a while. I understand that all surgery pain goes away at about 10 month.

    Incision wound - Two of the port got infect with pus, pain all. Took antibiotics, one got better. The drainage port was still infected and not healing for about 4 months. Found a suture was accidentally left behind that was causing the problem. Once it got taken out it healed fast. Though the surgeon kept insisting that all sutures were to be dissolved. This suture was made on nylon and was left in by accident.

    Stomach pain and swelling - One side of the stomach hurt a lot initially. Think due to bloating and calipers pulling the muscle during surgery. The pain subsided in 2-3 months. But had gone before the surgery with a flat six pack belly and right after surgery came with a big beer belly. It has gotten better but still not where it was before the surgery.

    ED - due to penis pain could not start the injection or MUSE for first 3 month. Though was taking 25 mg Viagra daily..though the surgeon was not supporting need for Viagra.
    Trimix injection, starting 0.15 did the job and now about 0.05 does the job and plan to stop it soon. Taking injection once a week. Still taking 50 mg Viagra ever other day. Getting nocturnal erection almost everyday and normal erection between 2 am to 9 am almost everyday. During the day it is still not normal, and intercourse during the day is only Trimix enabled.Am very hopeful of the progress. 10 months, I am told is the getting to normal date. I also use Encore pump which I think helps too.

    Mental state: BIG surprise here. When the body healed and then I think the mind said - what about me, take care of me now! - I began getting anxiety attack, was losing confidence on small thing, worrying about small thing, feared every negative thing will blow up to be bad, not sleeping well, low energy, job troubles...a mess. Talked to my psychiatrist sister and 2 other friend who are psychiatrists too...they were clueless. Seem post surgery area mental issues are new or patient dont bring it up. In any case took some anti-anxiety meds and Prisiq anti-depressant. Much better now, ADVISE - Beware on mental symptom and dont be shy to address them.

    Learned how critical support of friend and family is and how individually we are weak without this support. New perspective to life now..still working to put the pieces together!!

    Happy to address any question or detail anything else
  • chitown
    chitown Member Posts: 90 Member
    chitown said:

    6 months post surgery report
    Follow-up to my previous 5 day report. Overall good but the journey have been uneven.

    Continence - Slow but steady improvement. Stabilized at about 3 months. Now only slight dribble when doing crunches, active sport. Not a bother

    Penis pain - Bothered for quite sometime. More like pain in urethra, also in the scrotum
    Surgeon told this is just tied to the healing process of the surgery. The pain reduced over time. Now aching scrotum once in a while. I understand that all surgery pain goes away at about 10 month.

    Incision wound - Two of the port got infect with pus, pain all. Took antibiotics, one got better. The drainage port was still infected and not healing for about 4 months. Found a suture was accidentally left behind that was causing the problem. Once it got taken out it healed fast. Though the surgeon kept insisting that all sutures were to be dissolved. This suture was made on nylon and was left in by accident.

    Stomach pain and swelling - One side of the stomach hurt a lot initially. Think due to bloating and calipers pulling the muscle during surgery. The pain subsided in 2-3 months. But had gone before the surgery with a flat six pack belly and right after surgery came with a big beer belly. It has gotten better but still not where it was before the surgery.

    ED - due to penis pain could not start the injection or MUSE for first 3 month. Though was taking 25 mg Viagra daily..though the surgeon was not supporting need for Viagra.
    Trimix injection, starting 0.15 did the job and now about 0.05 does the job and plan to stop it soon. Taking injection once a week. Still taking 50 mg Viagra ever other day. Getting nocturnal erection almost everyday and normal erection between 2 am to 9 am almost everyday. During the day it is still not normal, and intercourse during the day is only Trimix enabled.Am very hopeful of the progress. 10 months, I am told is the getting to normal date. I also use Encore pump which I think helps too.

    Mental state: BIG surprise here. When the body healed and then I think the mind said - what about me, take care of me now! - I began getting anxiety attack, was losing confidence on small thing, worrying about small thing, feared every negative thing will blow up to be bad, not sleeping well, low energy, job troubles...a mess. Talked to my psychiatrist sister and 2 other friend who are psychiatrists too...they were clueless. Seem post surgery area mental issues are new or patient dont bring it up. In any case took some anti-anxiety meds and Prisiq anti-depressant. Much better now, ADVISE - Beware on mental symptom and dont be shy to address them.

    Learned how critical support of friend and family is and how individually we are weak without this support. New perspective to life now..still working to put the pieces together!!

    Happy to address any question or detail anything else

    And also have two reading of less than 0.1 PSA with 6 mth check
    up now