Well, it's been awhile since I've updated the blog here on Facebook. On June 17th the day of my surgery, we arrived at the hospital around 11:00 a.m. for my scheduled 1:00 p.m. surgery. In the 2 hours prior I was prepped for surgery and given anesthesia. I would wake up some 6 hours later. Surgery lasted about 5 hours, as expected.
When I awoke and was coherent, the doctor came in and told me that the surgery was a great success and that in his opinion it didn't look like any of the cancer had metastasized. What great news!
After I fully recovered from anesthesia, they rolled me into a hospital room where I would spend the night with my new buddy, the catheter. Sharon stayed with me overnight in the M.D. Anderson/Banner Health Hospital.
I loved my surgeon and thought he did a great job and was very compassionate. I did find out that he graduated from University of Texas Medical School, the rival of my former alma mater Texas A&M University. I guess this means I'll have to cheer for the University of Texas in sports now a little bit more than I used to.
My overnight stay in the hospital was mostly uneventful as the anesthesia was still taking charge of the pain. I was still unable to do anything other than lie there in the bed and was disappointed when they came in and told me that I couldn't eat regular food until the next day.
As the second day arrived I was treated to a big breakfast and was thrilled, especially since I hadn't eaten for a day and a half. I had no issues with solid food so they had me get out of bed to walk around the hospital wing I was staying in.
They fed me lunch and dinner and I did a few more walks. This may be too much information but when I started passing gas I had finally passed the test to be discharged. Just after dinner I was discharged and they let Sharon and I go home.
I have been home a week now and although it was rather rough the first few days, things are improving incrementally day by day . At first I felt like I was in a car wreck. Everything hurt so it was very difficult to get up and move around much less walk. I made myself do so as I was told this was the best therapy.
By the fourth day of recovery, I was outside walking a third of a mile several times a day. The pain is still there but not nearly as bad as the first few days. It sure was great knowing that I had the care and support of my wife Sharon who helped me with many things that I have normally taken for granted.
Now here I am a week post-surgery and I would say that I'm now about 70% normal. I walk about 3/4 of a mile several times a day and the pain is finally to the point I no longer have to take any meds.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow since it's my follow up doctor's appointment. It is also the day that I will get this catheter out which was attached to my bladder. We will also be shown the detailed pathology on my prostate cancer.
I must mention that so many people have reached out to us. We have felt the love fully and these messages lifted us up. Thank you all so
much!
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