Joe Home from Surgery

Hi Folks,

 

Had my surgery Thur 5/17 at 7:45am. Surgery was about 2 1/2 hours and I was awake and in my room by noon. Everything went very well and my surgeon said that it appears the PC was confined within the prostate. I was up and walking by early evening. My stomach was sore but I felt very good otherwise. I spent most of the second day walking around the hospital and outside on the adjoining grounds. Had several small meals on day 2 which were pretty darn good for hospital food (being really hungry probably helped). They discharged me at 6pm on Fri and we headed back to the hotel. 

 

Pain so far is very manageable. I took some Tylenol last night but have not needed anything today. I have been drinking allot of water and passing lot's of pretty clear urine. I'm taking Senna Plus to soften my stools and had a wonderful BM this morning. LIFE IS GOOD!

 

I believe the prayers and positive energy you sent me made a tremendous difference. The information I learned from everybody here made this experience so mush easier than it ever would have been otherwise. You helped me select a world class surgeon and hospital. You told me what to expect at every stage of this process and helped me overcome fear. You suggested I carry the catheter bag around in a small plastic bucket and a bunch of other simple small things that are making recovery so much easier.

 

I'm going to stay near the hospital until the cath is removed (next Wed) and a few days more just to be sure and then fly home. The fear and doubts creep back in on occasion but for the most part I remain very positive. I'll keep checking in here to help keep up the positive attitude.

 

Cheers,

Joe

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Age: 51

PSA  Jun06  4.1  (PSA Jun05  1.2)   DRE negative

1^st Biopsy Nov06 – Atypical cells but no cancer

2^nd Biopsy Jan07 – 1 of 16 cores positive

Stage T1c   Gleason  3+3=6

DaVinci scheduled for 5/17/07

Post Edited (Joes411) : 5/19/2007 2:13:58 PM (GMT-6)

Joe - Such good news! Glad everything went well! You are now officially on "the other side", and heading in the right direction . . that of healing and being PC-free! Yahooooooooo!

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Bob (61) had laproscopic prostate surgery on Sept 27, 2006 - 2/12 malignant biopsy samples - gleason 3 + 3 = 6. Follow up PSA results and pathology results received Nov 14th are NO MORE CANCER! Gleason changed to a 3 + 4; cancer completely confined to prostate; (even a second more aggressive, previously undetected cancer) PSA UNDETECTABLE November 2006 AND February 2007.


Bob also takes Hydroxyurea to control Polycythemia (elevated red & white cells & platelets) has secondary condition . . Myelofibrosis) -- If anyone has experience or knowledge of these, please post us

Hi Joe - so wonderful to see things are moving right along for you, that's great! Your surgery sounds textbook - that's what we like to see.
Do remember, even though you're doing so well, not to over do. Take care of yourself.

All the best,
Susan

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Husband Diagnosed 11/17/05 Age: 63 No Symptoms
PSA: 7.96, Positive DRE
Biopsy Right: 6 of 6 Cores Positive Biopsy Left: 1 of 6 Cores Positive
Gleason: 4+3 = 7 Stage: T2B N0 MX
2/09/06: LRP Restage: T3A NX MX
3 mo. PSA Post Surgery: 11.8, 12.9, 13.9 Bone scan, CT scan, Endorectal MRI, Chest XR - neg.
9/06/06: 6 mo. PSA: 18.8 CT shows distant lymph node involvement Start HT Lupron 3 mo. shots
12/06/06: PSA 0.8
03/07/07 - PSA 0.3

Joe.   I am glad things went well for you and your surgery.  May the road to complete recovery go smooth too.  Counting down to May 30.

mvesr

Excellent news!! Do what these folks are telling you and take it easy! Let someone take care of you and let yourself heal and you'll do great. Take it from me... don't lift anything!!!

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I sure do wish I had found this site pre-surgery!! RRP 10/25/05 I don't remember all the scores. Have had clean checks ever since. Never had to use the pads!!

Thanks everyone. It's great to be on the other side of surgery.

It's now 3 days since surgery. I'm feeling pretty good again today, up and walking about but taking it VERY slow and easy as advised. I am back on my normal diet and the morning coffee ritual keeps the catherer bag humming.

I took 2 tylenol last night before bed, that was the only pain med I needed yesterday. The primary pain is the "1000 sit-up" stomach soreness I have heard about many times from folks here. As long as I can keep from coughing or sneezing it's not a big deal.

I'm cleaning the incisions with plain soap and water in the shower as advised by my nurses. I put a bandage on the JP Drain incision but I leave the Davinci incisions uncovered to heal.

Going to have to cut back a bit on the stool softener, enough said there.

I switched legs for the cath strap yesterday afternoon. Seemed like a good idea to roate legs to switch the pressure from one side of the penis to the other. It actually made my penis feel a litte sore at first but feels fine now.

That's all for now.

Joe

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Age: 51

PSA  Jun06  4.1  (PSA Jun05  1.2)   DRE negative

1^st Biopsy Nov06 – Atypical cells but no cancer

2^nd Biopsy Jan07 – 1 of 16 cores positive

Stage T1c   Gleason  3+3=6

DaVinci scheduled for 5/17/07

Way to go, Joe! Welcome to the other side! Your are right to take it real easy. I had a cold right after I got home from surgery, and found it helped a lot to have a sofa pillow within reach. When I felt a sneeze or a cough coming on, I hugged it to my belly. It was a lot less painful for me that way.
Linda and Bob call the catheter "Mr. Hang." I hung mine inside a five gallon pail and carried it around the house that way. My kids refered to me as the "Bucket Man." It is a great day when that comes out!
Keep "Healing Well!"
Mike

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June 2005 - Age 53 PSA 4.8 at regular physical
October 2005 - After several rounds of anti-biotics, PSA 5.2 at Urlogist
November 2005 - Biopsy negative
July 2006 - PSA 5.9 at regular Physical
October 2006 - After several more rounds of anti-biotics PSA 8.1
November 2006 - Second biopsy - Positive
December 2006 - Gleason (3+4=7), Tumor T1c, CT Scan and Bone Scan Negative
January 2007 Robotic Prostatectomy - Tumor confined but larger than thought, only one nerve able to be spared. Margins clear.
February 2007 - Three to four pads a day, no erection with viagara.
March 2007 - Down to two pads a day, had first intercourse with Erecaid pump and bands, otherwise still flat tire.
April 2007 - First Post-Surgical PSA 0.02 and a great relief! Down to one pad a day. Still unable to achive erection without pump. Patience..Patience!!!!!!

Sounds great Joe! Keep up the good work. I went through a bottle of Senna Plus the month after my surgery and it was a great help. Better to be loose as a goose, than be constipated -- believe me.
Hang in there. Things will get better by the day.
Great to hear from ya!
Tom

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54 years old

PSA = First ever was 9.8 in late Oct. ‘06, two weeks later, 10.1

DRE: Negative

Biopsy results 11/22/06 (6 out of 8 cores positive), both lobes, Gleason 3+3 = 6

Da Vinci Robotic RP surgery, City of Hope, Jan 12, 2007

Post surgery pathology – Organ confined, Gleason still 6, margins clear.

First post-surgery PSA -- Undetectable, 2/20/07

Hey Joe- Always a great day when they pull out that cath! I hope it was just as I explained. Not much pain, the anticipation is worse that the real thing. Yes, at least for me, the stream gets better as you go along. First few days, a good few seconds then dribbles and drabs. Gets better as time progresses also the time between having to go gets better too. Remember your Kagels but dont overdo them. Let us know how the path report comes out, Im sure it will be fine so far we have been almost mirror images of each other.

 

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Diagnosed 1/26/07

Stage Tc1

Gleason 6

PSA 3.8

12 samples, positive in one 15%

Age 51

Surgery (robotic) May 4 2007 City of Hope

Procedure uneventful

Biopsy - 1% involvement, no bladder neck, Gleason 3+3, Tc1

Joe,

Where did you have your treatment done? Your description sounds like what my Dr has told me to expect, and I'm headed Ohio State for DaVinci with Dr. V.Patel. I also will be in one night, discharged the next day, then staying local in a hospital for a week until cath removal.

Your story sounds pretty encouraging. Which is what I'm in need of right now.

M

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Age, 53

PSA 3.76, Gleason 6, T1c, scans negative

psa doubling time 35 months

Still researching and deciding treatment options.  Leaning towards da vinci robotic.

Joe,

I have been gone several days and just noticed your post. Sounds like you are following the path most of us Da Vinci guys have trod. The walking really helps. Your experience with the urine stream is exactly the same that I had. It does get better. In my case it was about four months post op when I felt that I was back to normal with my continence. The perineum aching should have hit by now. To me that was the most concerning feeling as it was never the same and kind of came and went over the first few months. The healing takes longer then you would think.

Welcome to the other side and being hangless!!

Tamu

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Diagnosed 7/6/06, 1 of 10 core samples, 40%,Stage T1c, Gleason 3+3

Da Vinci on 11/01/06, Catheter out on 11/13/06

56 Years Old

Post Op Path, Gleason 3+3, Approx. 5% of prostate involved

Prostate Confined, margins clear

Undetectable PSA on 12/18/06

No more pads as of 1/13/07

Began injections in April '07

Joe - Hoping your path report was all good.

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Diagnosed 1/26/07

Stage Tc1

Gleason 6

PSA 3.8

12 samples, positive in one 15%

Age 51

Surgery (robotic) May 4 2007 City of Hope

Procedure uneventful

Biopsy - 1% involvement, no bladder neck, Gleason 3+3, Tc1

Maybe the pathology department all took off early for the holiday weekend! We called for mine 5 days out from surgery.

Congratulations on not leaking! Hoping to be where you are in that department very soon.
Curt

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Age 52
Diagnosed 2/19/07
10 of 24 cores positive
Gleason 3+3=6 Changed to Gleason 7 after surgical pathology
PSA:3.3
DaVinci Prostatectomy May 11, 2007 at Univ. of Mich. Hospital
Stage: T2a
Pathology: May 16 - Cancer confined to prostate, Margins, Lymph & Seminal Vesicles all CLEAR!
Father and Uncle had prostate cancer