I love it when a plan comes together

gumbyrun

I had my daVinci in Pittsburgh on Friday, 2/26/10. Surgery went well and I was in my room by 13:00 (I think.) I had an extra wait because I requested a private room. Nurses in recovery and on the floor were excellent. First night went well. Good meds - morphine and percocet. Unfortunately, I took some bad advice on Saturday and the doc (not my surgeon but the guy from his practice who made rounds...while reading his Blackberry...) put me on solid foods that afternoon and has his resident remove my Jackson-Pratt drain from my side. Well, 12 hours later I'm doubled over in pain - I did not do enough walking I guess even though I was up every hour - and the hamburger for lunch is like cement in my gut. I suffered through Saturday night and Sunday, unable to eat. On Sunday night, I feel warm liquid flowing down my right side - the incision for the JP drain openned and the RN attached a "penis pouch" over the incision and collected fluids - steadily - for another 24 hours. I am sure this added to the "pressure."
The Nurse Practitioner came in Monday morning and got me "turned around" - back to clear liquids, more walking, and lots of use with the air/inhale thingy that measures the volume of air you inhale. I didn't even get that until Monday and my doc said that does as much if not more to move the gas than walking. I was diagnosed with a paralytic ileus. Pain , for me, was 9 out of 10.
Good news is the gas started moving Monday night and I was released Tuesday afternoon. The drive back to State College, about 2 1/2 hours, was the best of my life.

Catheter and staples were removed on this past Tuesday and we reviewed the path report. I don't have all the details but the cancer was confined to the gland and did not move into the seminal vesicles. PSA test in 6 weeks! It was what we expected but as my wife and I were walking around the strip district in Pittsburgh it hit me that it was out the same way it eventually hit me when I was first diagnosed. The tears did flow. My dad always said my kidneys were too close to my eyes.

I must say that when we got home I was whooped.I had gotten used to the catheter and it sure was different having it out. Its been out for two days now and the tip of my penis is still a bit sore and not very happy looking.
Doing my kegels and looking forward to cutting back on pads. It leaks now and I don't even know it.

All in all, the plan came together pretty well. If anyone wants anymore specific details, please ask. Also, feel free to contact me by email if you'd prefer. gumbyrun@comcast.net.

And by the way, thank you thank you thank you to all of you guys for sharing your experiences and thoughts through this message board. I don't know how I would of (will continue) to survive without it.
Cheers!
Mike

Trew

End result
The end result is a bit different for all of us who had surgery, but somewhat the same, too. Mike, I hope the healing goes well for you.

And I have cied a number of times, too, since surgery.

lewvino

Glad you are doing well.
Glad you are doing well. Keep us posted on how things progress and on your follow up PSA's.
We all like good news!

larry

randy_in_indy

Way to go Mike
Sorry about the idiot who told you to eat solids....I was on a liquid...only soups...cream of mushroom, chicken, for about 4 days following my surgery...my first solid food was mashed potatoes...then I finally graduated to pizza...and some chuck roast...eat small amounts...more often throuought the day than big dinners each time it will help. Also take the stool softners.... as they help too. Hopefully time will help the leaking. It sounds like you had no postitive margins...ask the doc for a copy of the post op path...they cannot deny that request...then you can slowly go through it and ask questions on your next visit...hopefully you had no postivie margins in the surgical margin..and clear everything else. Welcome to the other side...of healing now.

Randy in Indy

bdhilton

welcome back
Gumby...Sorry to hear your experience was a tad complicated… but the test results sound excellent with the containment of the cancer…so much to be happy about….

My surgeon provide me a pamphlet of what to expect from A-Z immediately after surgery –months out…I had open surgery (March 3) and stated 2 nights at the Hospital and one night at a hotel then flew back to Atlanta… Only complication (knock on wood) so far was that the surgeon decided to put me on a blood thinner because my mom 50 years ago had a blood clot in her leg so I did not get Toradol like most folks…but outside of passing gas the second day (which was big pain + no pain killers) I stopped taking morphine after 12 hours and just took 2x325mg Tylenol (which I have stopped as of last night)…Now just waiting to see my doc get the cath out on Monday (I hope) and get the results which I am sure I am anxious about (just do not realize it yet)… again you have much to be thankful for

Best to all

shane59

yes I know the feeling
I couldn,t eat solids for 3 days kept chucking up everything juice was all I could handle and jello was revolting, As for your incontinance I found with the pad even now if I wear firm fitting underdaks I don,t leak as much Just this week 3 days dry .I am 3 months post surgery now and starting to feel 99% human again, I think my prob was over thinking and not drinking enough fluid to retrain my blader then going to the toilet to often without trying to hold a bit longer all starting to make sense now . Best wishes for the future it doe,s get easier with time Shane