Robotic Surgery Scheduled Tomorrow Morning Dec 3rd

LBlanks
LBlanks Member Posts: 44
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
Been starving myself all day to be prepared for surgery with Dr. Scott Miller at Northside Hospital in Atlanta on Thursday morning Dec 3rd.

I'm feeling really good about everything and have full confidence in Dr. Miller. He's performed over 1,200 procedures utilizing the Di Vinci robot.

I'll update the forum this weekend.

Thanks for everyones input on this decision process. I'm sure I'll be looking for advice for the care and feeding of the catheter once I'm home. ;-)

Larry

Comments

  • WHW
    WHW Member Posts: 189
    #2
    Good Luck Larry
    I have been away from the forum for a while, but glad I came back just in time to see you moving forward.

    Sounds like you made a confident choice on your direction. Here's hoping that your surgery is an absolute success and your recovery is a non-event.

    Many blessings to you and your family. We'll look for you soon on the other side of this phase of your journey down the PCa path.

    Sonny
  • lewvino
    lewvino Member Posts: 1,010 Member
    #3
    Larry,
    You won't get to read
    Larry,
    You won't get to read this till after you have the surgery but wishing you a speedy recovery.

    Another Larry in TN.
  • NM
    NM Member Posts: 214
    #4
    lewvino said:

    Larry,
    You won't get to read
    Larry,
    You won't get to read this till after you have the surgery but wishing you a speedy recovery.

    Another Larry in TN.

    wishing you well
    Hi Larry wishing you well on your surgery. I slept through mine so it was easy. Follow doctors instructions when you get done and prayers are going out to you today.....

    Nick
  • LBlanks
    LBlanks Member Posts: 44
    #5
    Well, I'm Home....
    Thanks for all the kind words... It's 2:35 pm Friday afternoon, Dec 4th. We got home at 12noon today and I'm feeling pretty good, considering.

    Surgery actually was finished around 3:30 pm yesterday and I woke up in recovery and went to my room about 5pm.

    I don't take pain medicine, but believe it or not, I don't need any.
    I'm a little sore around the belly where they poked the holes and went in, plus with this catheter, I constantly feel like I need to go to the bathroom. Doc said some of the pain is the gas they used and that should disapate on the next 24 to 48 hours.

    I'm scheduled to see him next Friday for a follow-up and to remove the catheter. He said everything looked good, but to be safe, he did remove some of the nerves from one side where the cancer cells were gathered. They won't know anything until the pathology reports get back and they do the follow-up PSA in 30 days.

    Larry
  • lewvino
    lewvino Member Posts: 1,010 Member
    #6
    LBlanks said:

    Well, I'm Home....
    Thanks for all the kind words... It's 2:35 pm Friday afternoon, Dec 4th. We got home at 12noon today and I'm feeling pretty good, considering.

    Surgery actually was finished around 3:30 pm yesterday and I woke up in recovery and went to my room about 5pm.

    I don't take pain medicine, but believe it or not, I don't need any.
    I'm a little sore around the belly where they poked the holes and went in, plus with this catheter, I constantly feel like I need to go to the bathroom. Doc said some of the pain is the gas they used and that should disapate on the next 24 to 48 hours.

    I'm scheduled to see him next Friday for a follow-up and to remove the catheter. He said everything looked good, but to be safe, he did remove some of the nerves from one side where the cancer cells were gathered. They won't know anything until the pathology reports get back and they do the follow-up PSA in 30 days.

    Larry

    Larry,
    Congrats on being a
    Larry,
    Congrats on being a Survivor! Now set back, relax and heal! You will be back to your self as soon as you get rid of that Cath! I'm actually going to be down in Atlanta During the day Sunday. If you would like I could stop in and say Hi in person for a couple minutes, if not I understand. Just let me know if interested. I can be reached at lewvino@yahoo.com

    Larry in TN
  • fathersson
    fathersson Member Posts: 121
    #7
    LBlanks said:

    Well, I'm Home....
    Thanks for all the kind words... It's 2:35 pm Friday afternoon, Dec 4th. We got home at 12noon today and I'm feeling pretty good, considering.

    Surgery actually was finished around 3:30 pm yesterday and I woke up in recovery and went to my room about 5pm.

    I don't take pain medicine, but believe it or not, I don't need any.
    I'm a little sore around the belly where they poked the holes and went in, plus with this catheter, I constantly feel like I need to go to the bathroom. Doc said some of the pain is the gas they used and that should disapate on the next 24 to 48 hours.

    I'm scheduled to see him next Friday for a follow-up and to remove the catheter. He said everything looked good, but to be safe, he did remove some of the nerves from one side where the cancer cells were gathered. They won't know anything until the pathology reports get back and they do the follow-up PSA in 30 days.

    Larry

    Good for you
    Great to hear you are doing well. Good luck my friend.
  • LBlanks
    LBlanks Member Posts: 44
    #8
    Questions On Living With The Catheter
    My first night sleeping in my own bed was very awkward. The larger bag they gave me has about a 6 foot long tube, but after connecting it, running it down my pajama leg, there wasn't much left for hanging on the side of the bed. I really felt tethered.
    I ended up rolling up my pajama leg to my knee and bending my knee to the outside endge, then hanging the bag just belong my knee. But still kept waking up all night due to the awkward position and laying on my back.

    Any tricks on how best to sleep with the cathether?

    Also, taking a shower.... should I just remove the bag and shower without it, or should I use the leg bag to shower?

    Any assistance would be appreciated.

    Larry
  • NM
    NM Member Posts: 214
    #9
    LBlanks said:

    Questions On Living With The Catheter
    My first night sleeping in my own bed was very awkward. The larger bag they gave me has about a 6 foot long tube, but after connecting it, running it down my pajama leg, there wasn't much left for hanging on the side of the bed. I really felt tethered.
    I ended up rolling up my pajama leg to my knee and bending my knee to the outside endge, then hanging the bag just belong my knee. But still kept waking up all night due to the awkward position and laying on my back.

    Any tricks on how best to sleep with the cathether?

    Also, taking a shower.... should I just remove the bag and shower without it, or should I use the leg bag to shower?

    Any assistance would be appreciated.

    Larry

    catheter
    When i slept with my catheter i wore boxers and hung it over the edge of the bed in a bucket in case. I used the leg bag when showering. Its was very hard on me sleeping with the catheter so I used the couch for the first 3 days then after slept propped up on pillows. I am glad I only had the bag for 6 days. Hope this helps.

    Nick
  • tpelle
    tpelle Member Posts: 184
    #10
    LBlanks said:

    Questions On Living With The Catheter
    My first night sleeping in my own bed was very awkward. The larger bag they gave me has about a 6 foot long tube, but after connecting it, running it down my pajama leg, there wasn't much left for hanging on the side of the bed. I really felt tethered.
    I ended up rolling up my pajama leg to my knee and bending my knee to the outside endge, then hanging the bag just belong my knee. But still kept waking up all night due to the awkward position and laying on my back.

    Any tricks on how best to sleep with the cathether?

    Also, taking a shower.... should I just remove the bag and shower without it, or should I use the leg bag to shower?

    Any assistance would be appreciated.

    Larry

    Pajama Fly
    Hi Larry: I ran the tube out the pajama fly then over the side of the bed into the large bag. I put the bag in the plastic basin provided by the hospital after there was some leakage one night on the waterproof floor pad. I showered with the large bag on the floor of the shower. No problem.

    Sleeping on my back or right side where the floor bag was located was comfortable. However one morning I woke from sleeping on my left side which pulled the short tube too tight. You guys are lucky. Before surgery, my surgeon told me 21 days with the catheter. But, I survived with only a few days of bladder spasms. Good luck on what sounds like a very successful procedure and aftermath. tpelle
  • Hockey Nut
    Hockey Nut Member Posts: 6
    #11
    tpelle said:

    Pajama Fly
    Hi Larry: I ran the tube out the pajama fly then over the side of the bed into the large bag. I put the bag in the plastic basin provided by the hospital after there was some leakage one night on the waterproof floor pad. I showered with the large bag on the floor of the shower. No problem.

    Sleeping on my back or right side where the floor bag was located was comfortable. However one morning I woke from sleeping on my left side which pulled the short tube too tight. You guys are lucky. Before surgery, my surgeon told me 21 days with the catheter. But, I survived with only a few days of bladder spasms. Good luck on what sounds like a very successful procedure and aftermath. tpelle

    Cath Tube
    Hi Larry,happy for you all is going well.I also have the Foley Cath with about a 5ft. tube and the large bag for sleeping.Like one of the guys said, I too wear baggy gym shorts and hook the bag on the side if a 3 gallon pail beside me. Works good. No problems.As for showering, my Surgeon said no showers until stitches out Monday if wounds are healed.Sponge baths daily for now.Wish you the best on this journey. Ken
  • txbarton
    txbarton Member Posts: 89 Member
    #12
    LBlanks said:

    Questions On Living With The Catheter
    My first night sleeping in my own bed was very awkward. The larger bag they gave me has about a 6 foot long tube, but after connecting it, running it down my pajama leg, there wasn't much left for hanging on the side of the bed. I really felt tethered.
    I ended up rolling up my pajama leg to my knee and bending my knee to the outside endge, then hanging the bag just belong my knee. But still kept waking up all night due to the awkward position and laying on my back.

    Any tricks on how best to sleep with the cathether?

    Also, taking a shower.... should I just remove the bag and shower without it, or should I use the leg bag to shower?

    Any assistance would be appreciated.

    Larry

    Bag
    Larry,

    Glad your surgery and initial recovery is going well.

    Sleep - I did shorts and didn't have a problem with the length of the hose.

    Shower - Unless you are unusual and don't pee in the shower go without the bag.

    VB
  • LBlanks
    LBlanks Member Posts: 44
    #13
    Got It worked Out

    Well, after reading all of y'all's comments (yep, I'm from the south), I got a process worked out.

    I found a 2' extension tube at a local private owned drug store for $3 and plugged it into the bag. I then used boxer shorts to sleep in and hung the bag on the bed rail just at my knee. That worked fine for sleeping.

    For the shower, I layed the bag outside the shower door and left the door cracked open a bit. Had the shower on low pressure. Then after drying off, I swap over to the leg bag.

    Doc told me when I was released on Friday that I could shower right away, just to not "scrub" incisions since they had glued them together.

    Finally got relief from the constipation today (Sunday)

    Had fairly clear urine on Friday (day after surgery) but all day Saturday, urine was bright cherry red. Also had some real cramps yesterday afternoon and found that the cath tube had become stopped up with a small mass about the size of a dime. Like a clot.

    Just pressed the tube right at the connection where the stoppage was located until I forced it thru then the cramping was releaved with the release of the backup of the bladder.

    Otherwise, things are going well. Still no need for any pain meds other than Tylonal since surgery.

    Larry
  • txbarton
    txbarton Member Posts: 89 Member
    #14
    LBlanks said:

    Got It worked Out

    Well, after reading all of y'all's comments (yep, I'm from the south), I got a process worked out.

    I found a 2' extension tube at a local private owned drug store for $3 and plugged it into the bag. I then used boxer shorts to sleep in and hung the bag on the bed rail just at my knee. That worked fine for sleeping.

    For the shower, I layed the bag outside the shower door and left the door cracked open a bit. Had the shower on low pressure. Then after drying off, I swap over to the leg bag.

    Doc told me when I was released on Friday that I could shower right away, just to not "scrub" incisions since they had glued them together.

    Finally got relief from the constipation today (Sunday)

    Had fairly clear urine on Friday (day after surgery) but all day Saturday, urine was bright cherry red. Also had some real cramps yesterday afternoon and found that the cath tube had become stopped up with a small mass about the size of a dime. Like a clot.

    Just pressed the tube right at the connection where the stoppage was located until I forced it thru then the cramping was releaved with the release of the backup of the bladder.

    Otherwise, things are going well. Still no need for any pain meds other than Tylonal since surgery.

    Larry

    If you want to see more red urine
    Take an aspirin. Aspirin will cause bleeding from the healing wounds. Ibuprophen may also.

    Stay on the Tylenol as you're doing.

    VB
  • LBlanks
    LBlanks Member Posts: 44
    #15
    LBlanks said:

    Got It worked Out

    Well, after reading all of y'all's comments (yep, I'm from the south), I got a process worked out.

    I found a 2' extension tube at a local private owned drug store for $3 and plugged it into the bag. I then used boxer shorts to sleep in and hung the bag on the bed rail just at my knee. That worked fine for sleeping.

    For the shower, I layed the bag outside the shower door and left the door cracked open a bit. Had the shower on low pressure. Then after drying off, I swap over to the leg bag.

    Doc told me when I was released on Friday that I could shower right away, just to not "scrub" incisions since they had glued them together.

    Finally got relief from the constipation today (Sunday)

    Had fairly clear urine on Friday (day after surgery) but all day Saturday, urine was bright cherry red. Also had some real cramps yesterday afternoon and found that the cath tube had become stopped up with a small mass about the size of a dime. Like a clot.

    Just pressed the tube right at the connection where the stoppage was located until I forced it thru then the cramping was releaved with the release of the backup of the bladder.

    Otherwise, things are going well. Still no need for any pain meds other than Tylonal since surgery.

    Larry

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