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Posted 2/10/2007 12:07 PM (GMT -6)
Hello to all of you again.  It is Saturday morning, Feb 10th and I had the Da Vinci done on Thursday morning Feb 8th and things are going well.  For those of you who are about to have it done, my experience is very good.  I am up and around and walking well, taking 1/2 a pain pill every 2 to 3 hours and feeling good. 

There is always some good in evrything and while I am already anxious for this catheter to come out at least I do not have to get up 3 or 4 times a night to go to the bathroom, I just lay there asleep and let it  flow.

The pain was not bad and probably the worst thing were the potholes in the road on the ride home, about a 2 hour ride from San Francisco.  They gave me 2 bags, a small day bag and a larger night bag and the info I got from this web site about putting the night bag in a small waste paper basket (I think that was from Swimon, thanks) worked great.  I go back in next Friday Feb 16th to have the catheter taken out.

To sum it up, it was not as bad as I anticipated and while I don't like the catheter, I can live with it for 7 or 8 days and I think I made the right decision on having it taken out rather than do the seeds or radiation.  It is nice to know that the cancer is out of the body and the chances of any thing coming back is slim.

The surgeon said the cnacer was all confined to the prostate and they were able to save the nerves and there were no problems.  They are starting me on Cialis this Friday when the catheter comes out so I stil lhave to go through that and the incontinence, but thanks to this website I have been doing the Kegals and I am sure I will work through that.

I am optomistic the next week will see constant improvement and I am taking it slow and easy to make sure I do not over do things and have a set back.

Good luck to those of you about to have the operation done and I hope you come through it as well as I have done so far.

Motelmat

Posted 2/10/2007 12:15 PM (GMT -6)
Glad to hear all went well. We have an appointment to meet with da Vinci dr in 2 weeks. Please keep us posted and keep having a good recovery!
Posted 2/10/2007 12:21 PM (GMT -6)
Way to go Motelmat! Glad to hear from you and that you are doing so well. Please update us as you continue to recover.
;o) Linda & Bob
Posted 2/10/2007 12:27 PM (GMT -6)
Way to go! Just kick back and heal!
Posted 2/10/2007 12:30 PM (GMT -6)
Thank You for your post. It is good to hear that your surgery went well. It appears that you and I both live in northern California. Look out your window and enjoy the rain today. In fact look out your window and enjoy life today. This forum will be very helpful to you in the next few weeks as you experience all the adventures of healing. Best to You Da Vinci surgery 1/16/07   History 11/05 psa 2.9 6/06   psa 5.8 7/06   psa 6.7   biopsy 10/16/06 gleason 4+4=8 grade T2A   scans and post op confirm biopsy results scans and post op pathology show clear for spread   Post not edited ~ only the bottom white space that was empty!!!   Make sure cursor is at the end of the last word in your message box, hit delete button until it stops then submit.   Post Edited By Moderator (bluebird) : 6/26/2007 8:09:56 PM (GMT-6)
Posted 2/10/2007 12:45 PM (GMT -6)
Hey Motelmat,

Welcome to the other side. Its nice to know that cancerous blob is out of your body where it can't start any more trouble.

Take it easy until the catheter comes out...

Jim
Posted 2/10/2007 12:52 PM (GMT -6)

Lifeguyd,

Where are you having your surgery done, my surgeon at the SF VA also does them at Mt Zion in SF and I would really reccommend him, Dr. Christopher Kane and he has done over 200 of the Da Vincis and instructs the docs at the SF UC Med center on how to do them.

Good luck, we live in Discovery Bay, about 20 miles west of Stockton on the delta

Posted 2/10/2007 2:27 PM (GMT -6)
Motelmat: Your experience is good too hear and thanks. I go for robotic on March 12th and really would lie to get it over with ASAP. No patience. I would be pleased if my time is as good as yours. I will be on this other coast (East ) at Hopkins in Baltimore and will keep all advised. Hope your recovery goes easily and speddily. Barrister

Posted 2/10/2007 3:12 PM (GMT -6)
Be well Motel...glad to have you back.

swim
Posted 2/10/2007 3:19 PM (GMT -6)
Hi ~ MotelMat,   Welcome Home…..   You are doing Great!!!!!    Thank you for the quick update!!!!   The quote below will truly lend to a speedy, healthy recovery ~ so stay true to every word………..    (Optimistic, Improvement, Slow & Easy, Not Over Do It)…. Powerful Positive Words…….   Hugs and Special Prayers for you. In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy   Partial Quote…… I am optomistic the next week will see constant improvement and I am taking it slow and easy to make sure I do not over do things and have a set back.
Posted 2/10/2007 5:15 PM (GMT -6)

Hi Motelmat,

This is such great news to wakeup to on a Sunday morning! We are so glad to hear of your speedy recovery from the initial surgery, and for your good news. We will be thinking of you over the next weeks and hoping the home recovery goes as well. Hope you gets lots of rest, and yes, take it easy no matter how good you feel! Time to let others take over for a while,  and rest up, heal and recover well now that it is over! We share your relief and good news with gladness.

kind regards, Lana & CJ (Australia) :-)

Posted 2/10/2007 7:06 PM (GMT -6)
Good job Motelrat, the hard part is over now just work on your patienace and rest and give yourself time to heal. The time does fly by and you will be over it before you know it. Keep us posted.

norskie
Posted 2/10/2007 7:23 PM (GMT -6)
glad to hear its only the potholes--glad to hear all is well-didn't know about the bag in waste can--can you turn on side or have to stay on back?
look forward to hearing about your porogress-thanks
Posted 2/11/2007 12:21 PM (GMT -6)
Congratulations to you Mat - glad you're successfully on the other side.

Bill
Posted 2/11/2007 1:55 PM (GMT -6)
1588 I'm thinking that was a question about laying on side with catheter bag in the container beside the bed. Bob was able to lay on his side, facing the side the bag is resting. Good luck.
Posted 2/11/2007 3:27 PM (GMT -6)
Motelmat,

Thanks for your post.  I loved the comment about the potholes.  That was my exact experience.  I think we must have hit everyone of them on the way home!

I'm glad you are doing well.  I had the same surgery, the daVinci robot and it went very well.  Let us know how the Cialis works for you.  I'm still trying to figure out what is the best for me.  It isn't the drugs but I'm trying the injections and going to try the vacuum I think.

Hang in there...the cancer is GONE and that is the BEST feeling ever!

John

Posted 2/12/2007 5:58 AM (GMT -6)
motelmat, glad to hear that all went well, you are feeling good, and are on the road to recovery. rest and take it easy. the week will fly by and soon the catheter will be gone, too. take care, kat
Posted 2/12/2007 11:50 PM (GMT -6)

To 1588

You asked about laying on my side, yes the catheter tube is long enough for me to lay on either side or on my back. since I normally sleep on my right side and on the left side of the bed (looking from the foot of the bed, on the right side looking from the head of the bed) Ijust set thewaste paper basket on the floor with the night bag init.  The first night at home, I had so much fluid in me that I woke up at about 4:30 AM and I reached over and lifted the bag to check to see how full it was and it was almost full so I got up and    emptied it, but since then I have been able to sleep all night without filling it up.

I was up all day today, Monday, working in my home office at my computer and making phone calls and I took a very slow 15 minute walk.  When I got back my right testicle was very sore so I took a couple of pain pills this evening and have been taking it easy and it seems to be okay now.  If I am okay tomorrow I will walk a little farther, but will watch it to make sure I am not over doing it.  I think for only being out of the hospital 3 days I am doing fine.

The only sore spot is along my stomach, it looks like one of the incisions was at my navel and the others were in that same area.  I do not have any stiches or staples, just the sterry strips so that makes it easier.

Mat

Posted 2/13/2007 11:15 AM (GMT -6)
Way to go Matt! You are one of us now! The brotherhood of the otherside! God bless you and your family. Thank God for the skill of your surgin and Robbie the Robot!
Your friend,
Pete
Posted 2/13/2007 3:03 PM (GMT -6)

Hello again,

got a question, I have had very little pain n the past 3 days sinc eleaving the hospital last Friday, but yesterday I did a very slow walk arund my neighborhood and then had a lot of pain in my right testicle.  I took some pain pills yesterday evening and the pain went away overnight and it is back again this morning.  My right testicle is black & blue and still hurts, I have not had on any underwear since the surgery and when I did my short walk I put on some loose jockeys and I wondered if they were too tight and that caused it and I had them on for awhile this morning (took them off when I thought they might have cuased the pain) and maybe that started the pain up again.  

Other than the walking I have just been sitting in my home office on the computer and the phone so I thouhgt I was not putting any strain on things.

Have any of the rest of you experienced anythnig like this?  I dont like being on the pain pills and thought after yesterday morning I was gong to be off them until this hit.

I go in Friday morning to get the catheter out and I dont want anything to delay that wonderful moment.

Thanks,

Mat

Posted 2/13/2007 3:20 PM (GMT -6)
I noticed that my left testicle was a little tender for a 3 or 4 days and it went a way in time. I mentioned it to my doctor and he wanted me to let him know if it continued but it did let up with-in a week. Hope this helps a little

norskie
Posted 2/13/2007 4:45 PM (GMT -6)
I had tenderness and discoloration of the testicles a few days after my surgery. Thankfully my daughter who attended my outbrief from hospital remembered they said if that happened I need support (put the briefs on) so I did that. Next day tenderness gone as well as discoloration! Give that a try.
Posted 2/13/2007 7:31 PM (GMT -6)
USMC, thanks, I wil put them back on and try that, it is not getting any better today with them off.

Posted 6/12/2007 1:43 PM (GMT -6)
Partial Quote from a posting by Mat *Motelmat BTW, I have had 2 PSA tests since the opeartion and both are .001.   Hi ~ Mat, It’s been way to long.   I decided to post here on this thread… and add your links below.   It will truly be helpful for Newbie’s.   I hope you’ll give us an update on how things have gone for you over the past 3 months…    You can certainly guess what we keyed into on your current thread… Woo~Hoo      The forum is truly growing rapidly and we need members to pop back now and again to let us know how they are doing!!!   I’m so glad to see you! Take care ~ and you’ve always been in our thoughts and prayers. In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy   Threads Started by: Motelmat (direct link ~ just click on the titles!  once there   Reminder to click on the REFRESH icon ) ED Suppository After surgery I am fine, now I have a hernia New PSA teste Testosterone Operation over, all is well Da Vinci tomorrow Just Thanks and support for the VA Going to meet the surgeon Need information on PostateCancer treatments
Posted 6/12/2007 1:44 PM (GMT -6)
    Yea !   ~   Mat,   1st   PSA…    !!! ~~~~ >>>   Woo ~ Hoo   <<< ~~~~ !!!   undetectable 2nd   PSA…    !!! ~~~~ >>>   Woo ~ Hoo   <<< ~~~~ !!!   undetectable   Cause   for    celebration!!!!!   Definitely!!!      What a wonderful day it is ~ each and every-day ….             Enjoy it to the fullest.     Yippeeeee!!!!!! From   Lee & Buddy   *      *      *      *      *      * The ultimate “goal”… we all strive for… Thank you for sharing ~ that your goal has been met…. It is very important to “all ”of us!   This is a way of positive feedback… A way of showing others Hope… and a way of Sharing.    J   Caring is Sharing ~   Thank You for Sharing   J
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