Hi everyone,
As the heading says, I had my robotic Radical Prostatectomy just under 3 weeks ago.
I had a PSA test (at my request, due to a family history) in September, a month before my 51st birthday. Result was 5.3 so was referred for an MRI, where they found an 'area for concern'.
Early October I had a biopsy (an 'interesting' experience, but the nurse was brilliant at making it as relaxed as possible, which is not easy when they're poking around in someone's back passage!). Although my prostate was not enlarged, the results showed some cancerous tissue, so I was called in to talk over the options for both surgery and radiotherapy.
The decision was actually very easy, as due to my general good state of health, recent (planned) weight loss, and relatively young age, I was an ideal candidate for robotic surgery, with an excellent prognosis. It seemed just so much simpler and less hassle than undergoing a course of radiotherapy.
The whole process has been very smooth and quick, and my surgery went ahead on Saturday 14th December at The Churchill Hospital in Oxford. The operation went very smoothly, and all the staff were so professional and friendly. I think I was a bit fortunate to have a weekend operation, as it meant the hospital was a bit quieter than during the week. I was released on the Sunday afternoon, after being shown how to put on the lovely compression stockings and how to stab myself with a needle every day (only 9 more injections, YAY!)
The catheter was a new (and not particularly pleasant) experience, but I was fortunate to have it removed after just 7 days, just in time for Christmas. The first week was tiring. Even walking from the hospital to the car was knackering! Sleeping was sporadic, due to tiredness and being unable to sleep in my usual position because of the catheter. I normally have to get up at 3.10am for work, so my body clock was all over the place anyway. I did manage to get out a bit, just a few short walks. Having the catheter out was a big relief (pun full intended!).
Oh, and the first poo (4 days after the op) was the biggest and strangest one that I have ever had!!! My wife, who has been AMAZING through the whole process, had to hold me as it was such a strange feeling.
Since then, I've been trying to stay active, going out with my son (excellent timing with school holidays for 2 weeks) when he took the dog for a walk, and popping to the shops for a paper. We went out to a shopping centre on New Years Day and it surprised me how much it tired me out, which was a useful reminder that things would not be back to normal for a while yet!
Despite showing excellent results when I had the catheter removed, I am experiencing some leakage. I'm fine at night and can hold it ok when I'm sat down, and even stop mid-stream when standing at the toilet, but I get quite a bit of 'stress leakage' every time I move. It feels really odd having to concentrate on holding your bladder when I'm out and about. I definitely need to pay more attention to my pelvic floor exercise regime.
One thing that I'm really grateful for is the support I've had. I'm a regular Twitter user, and I posted about my diagnosis, which got some really lovely replies, and 3 in particular. One from a local friend whose dad had the op 18 months ago and offered to put us in touch. Mark has been brilliant! It's been like having a 1-to-1 mentor. We met before my op and he went through everything that the hospital don;t tell you. How things would feel, coping mechanisms, and all the little tricks he found, like which were the best incontinence pads and making sure to get some black jogging pants ( for comfort and because black doesn't show any leaks) for going out in. He called round a couple of days after my op to see how I was getting on and to see if I had any more questions. He's been very honest and open which has been so helpful. I never thought I would be sat in a pub talking to a stranger about toilet habits and erections, but here we are!
I also heard from another Twitter user who had the op a couple of months ago and he's been checking in every few days too. The 3rd person I heard from was a 43-year-old guy whose dad had gone through prostate cancer a couple of years ago and he had been putting off getting tested, even though he knew he should do. He has now scheduled a test and is in regular contact, which feels great to be able to helps someone else :-)
Anyway, well done if you've got through all that rambling :-D I'm planning on going back to work mid to late February, but I've got plenty of stuff to keep me busy at home in the meantime. Once kiddo goes back to school (and we've FINALLY finished eating all the Christmas rubbish), I should be able to get back into some sort of routine.
Bye for now :-)
Darren.