ed byde

So, it's been about a week now and things are going just swimmingly.

All functions are back to normal: regular visits to the reading room and
the urine is running clear and yellow. Very little pain: just the "muscle
sorness" at the incision site and some low level pain in my penis.
The only thing that had me concerned was some blood leakage around the
catheter when I had a bowel movement. I decided it was the same stuff that
was in the JP drain before they took it out and I wasn't going to worry
about it.
I put real clothes on today for the first time, rather than sweat pants and
bunny slippers. I think I'll walk down to the 7-11 for a six pack.

Ed

jimhoney

I don't know what you mean by JP drain, but yes, that blood outside the
catheter is a nasty but normal little surprise.

jimhoney

palmer_ent

hi ed - i agree about the blood being a big surprise.

i had it so bad that on the first BM, blood ran down the front and the
toilet and had a pool of blood about an inch or so in diameter. it was
the night of the day i just got out of the hospital. i called my
surgeon's office and he returned saying that was normal. i thought, why
didn't he tell this before i left the hospital?

~ curtis

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional

shorty

Mt thoughts too when I squirted blood and called the Doctor. "Oh thats
normal" was the reply. It would have helped if I had been warned. Shorty

otfiddler

Speaking of "Why didn't he tell me ...? I made an appointment to see
the doc today because my scrotum was swelling to twice or three times
its usual size btween morning and bedtime (one week post-op) and I
felt like Elsie the cow when I walked. He said "Yeah, that happens to
some guys, buy an athletic supporter, it'll stop on its own pretty
soon."

In fairness though, the nurse was the one who wanted me to come in,
doc was in surgery and not available to talk to me, and she was just
being cautious.

Larry

john loomis

A JP drain is or are 2 little plastic bottles, that hang down on either side
of the belly button. They have a small plastic tube, that enters that area
and drains the surgery site. The nurses come and empty the bottles, and the
Dr. comes and yanks it out after the bottle comes clear. they are drains
that allow fluid and excess from staying in the surgery area and let it get
out.
Great invention! Not fun with bottles hangin about but what the
hey....tubes, bottles, staples...."Can I go Home Yet" ! John Loomis

john loomis

Good idea.....walking, and getting a six pack! Good luck and keep us
posted. Bladder spasms come and go. You just have to bear it until the
cath is out.
The bladder is not happy with something in it besides pee! Funny how that
is? Anyway, keep track of all the differing things. Some may need
attention, orthers may not.
I slept better in a recliner for 2 weeks. (my choice and advice from another
RP person)
Keep doing it ED. you are a fighter or else you would not be in sweats!
John Loomis (a fighter from birth)

jsm45

My doctor gave me lots of excellent information outlining what to look
for but there was no mention of the swelling. I also had tremendous
swelling of my scrotum. One nurse at the hospital had casually
menioned that some men do have the swelling. Two weeks or so after
surgery I was worried and called the doctor's office. The resident on
call talked with me and said it was normal and would get better. The
next day the swelling was almost gone. Should have called earlier I
guess.

Steve M

alan meyer

I just wish "That's normal" and "Don't worry about it" always meant
that something is normal and not to be worried about.

You can't help wondering if it really means, "Hmmmm, we screwed
up and hurt you more than we had to, but there's nothing we can do
about it now and we sure don't want you ever to think we screwed
up."

I bet most U.S. doctors live in fear of being sued. They don't dare
admit that anything went wrong because an aggessive lawyer could
jump on such an admission.

Wouldn't it be nice if everyone could just focus on making the
patient well?

Alan