My Dad's Prostate Surgery

[IlPug]

yay!

Note: this post has no point other than me being happy - considered posting in BBV.

My dad had prostate surgery on the 14th (a laproscopy - keyhole surgery) and all is good. He send out and email today.


[ QUOTE ]
Good day! And a good one it is, even if a bit cold outside.

This is just a quick note to let you know how my surgery went. I
went into the hospital (George Washington University Hospital) early
last Wednesday morning and by 8:30 AM was out and being wheeled into
surgery. I woke up in considerable pain sometime after 12:00 noon.
I do remember a mask being put over my mouth and nose as I heard the
instructions "Breath, Mr. Bish! Breath!" It seems that they had
given me Fentenyl (sp) as an initial pain killer when I left surgery
and I didn't tolerate it well. I was forgetting to breath. Thus the
pain I felt as they had to get that out of my system before they
could give me morphine. It seemed like forever but it wasn't, I'm
sure, before the morphine came and by 3:30 PM I was in my hospital
room with Malu by my side. Still slightly out of it but at least
somewhat coherent.

My afternoon was spent just trying to figure out what I could do
without hurting. My stomach muscles were very sore from being
stretched by the gas they pumped into me and that seemed to be the
worst of the pain. The catheter was none too comfortable either but
as the afternoon wore on it became at first just irritating and then
tolerable. A doctor came in before dinner and told me that I could
have a normal diet starting Thursday morning and also indicated that
everything looked good. He said that after my "dinner" (all liquids
but delicious, just the same) I should get up and walk. About 8:00
PM, less than 12 hours after the first incision, I did just that and,
with a nurse and Malu by my side, shuffled about 100 yards up and
down the hall surprisingly with little pain. I was rewarded with ice
cream. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

On Thursday a very tall doctor came in with 3 other doctors in tow.
I had just finished my french toast and was in a pretty good mood so
when she said she was going to remove my drainage tube and that it
might "bite" a little, I just smiled. Then she removed it. I wanted
to hit her but there were just too many of them. But she left on a
high note by telling me that I would go home right after lunch. As I
move around in the bed I noticed a measurable improvement in the
amount of pain and my ability to move. The catheter was still
uncomfortable but my stomach muscles were not quite as sore. I got
up then and walked unassisted up and down the hall way until I had
covered, by my estimation, about 300 yards. I then went back to my
room and sat down. I refused to get back into bed not out of bravado
but because it felt better to sit. I noticed that the TV was very
limited in the number of channels it offered and ended up watching
Tyra Banks.

Lunch and the doctor came at the same time and he told the nurse that
as soon as I finished lunch I could go home so at 3:00 PM I left the
hospital and got into a taxi for the ride to Reston. It wasn't that
comfortable a ride but the thought that I would be getting to see
Rachel Camille and relax in my own bed was motivation enough. Upon
arrival home I found a straight backed chair and sat down to look at
the baby and felt just great. About an hour later my sister-in-law,
who had come down from NYC to help Malu, noticed that there was some
blood on my t-shirt. I went and laid down immediately but soon
figured out that it was just seepage from a pool in my naval and not
fresh bleeding. But as I had already been up and out of bed most of
the day, I stayed in bed getting up only to empty the bag every two
hours. Some tylenol #3 helped with the pain and I got some excellent
sleep the first night at home.

Friday, I woke feeling a good 20% better than I had the day before.
I could actually walk fairly normally--no more shuffles--and I could
sit more comfortably without any pain. Well, with very little pain
if I sat still. In the evening, per the doctor's orders, I took band-
aides off three of the incisions--yes, they were bad-aides--and a
dressing off the 4th which was just under my naval. I was amazed at
how small the 3 holes were and the 4th, which was larger because that
was where the prostate came out, was still very small. I stayed up
all day, save for a 2 hour nap in the afternoon, and went to bed
feeling tired but better. And again, tylenol #3 ensured a good
night's sleep.

Saturday morning was again better than the day before. Still sore
stomach muscles but no shooting pains when I moved. Walking was a
breeze and I enjoyed sitting talking to Rachel Camille--she doesn't
understand why I don't hold her--and getting smiles from her. In the
evening I took off the 5th and final dressing over the hole that had
been for drainage. Again, a small incision and no pain there.
Again, I was amazed. While this was the 1st day I could shower, Malu
asked that I wait for Sunday to give the incisions an extra day of
healing and I thought, "Well, if she doesn't mind how I smell, why
should I push it?" I went to bed at 11:00 PM. Just one tylenol #3
this time and a good rest.

This morning I woke about 8:00 AM to go empty the catheter bag and
noticed that again I felt better than the day before. So much better
that my challenge from here on will be to not overdo it. I sit here
with no pain--well, ok, a 1.5 on a 1 to 10 scale--and feeling much
better. I still can't lift anything so picking up or holding Rachel
Camille is out of the question but I can move about without feeling
discomfort. Life is good.

It is amazing that less than 5 days after a major surgery I'm able to
feel this well. Every day has been better than the day before and
using the robot was a smart decision and now I can concentrate on my
recovery. Tuesday I'll get the catheter removed and find out the
results of the biopsy on my prostate. I can tell you that your
prayers and good thoughts and wishes have been greatly appreciated.

God bless,

Bill

[/ QUOTE ]


I know its not a particularly risky surgery/cancer, but it is a relief! He has control of his urethra and had been doing kegels - the catheder comes out tuesday. Also, he felt some 'stirring' down below this morning, so thats promising.

Cliff Notes: Dad had prostate sugery. It went well.

[Woolygimp]

You're talking about your dad's uretha...

I'll let someone else come with a valid, yet meaningless insult which should make you regret saying the word 'dad' and 'uretha' in the same sentence.

[neuroman]

Glad to hear your dad is all right, no way am I reading that tldr though.

[Los Feliz Slim]

[ QUOTE ]
Glad to hear your dad is all right, no way am I reading that tldr though.

[/ QUOTE ]

[evilgenius]

I'm glad that you are glad that your dad is stirring down there!

[microbet]

tldr, but how old is your dad?

[delta k]

My dad is 58 and getting this done next month. I hope it goes as well for him as it did for your father.

[kmak]

Best wishes to your father.

[matt2500]

Best wishes. My dad had the same cancer surgery almost a year ago, and I know how bad it can suck for the first while after. Catheters = no fun at all.