I love it when a plan comes together

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