Today was decision day!

11 years 11 months ago #41798 by GKLINE
Replied by GKLINE on topic Today was decision day!
Ooops Sorry. I was blathering away and got caught up in the "Usual suspects" of recovery.
Thanks Mike. I must keep my brain in gear when I respond. I think I was texting while driving or had the radio up too loud. And, as my wife tells me; "Men cannot multitask" So true. I can hardly singletask.

But I hope you get the idea Jack. You are in control of the recovery. It is a matter of 6 inches sometimes. The 6 inches between your ears.

George

Light a man a fire and he is warm for an evening.
Light a man ON fire and he's warm forever.

08/08/08...RC neo bladder
09/09/09...New Hip
=
New Man! [/size]

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11 years 11 months ago #41789 by motomike
Replied by motomike on topic Today was decision day!
It looks like you will have much the same procedure as I had in 2010 so I'm in my 3rd year cancer free. After the surgery it just takes awhile for your digestive system to get back online. That is normal. There are quite a few conduit folks here who will answer any questions as they come up.

I'm 70, retired heat/air contractor. After 4 months of keymo ileal conduit (IC) surgery removed bladder & prostate May 2010

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11 years 11 months ago - 11 years 11 months ago #41787 by mmc
Replied by mmc on topic Today was decision day!
Welcome! I got the neobladder a few years back.

The good news for you is that the ileal conduit surgery is the easiest of the three primary options. It still will not be a walk in the park though. Chew gum after surgery. This helps wake the intestines and that is the key to recovery and going home. Walk the day of or immediately after depending on what time your surgery is. The nurses will know.

Stay on top of the pain but don't try to use so much pain medication that you have none at all. The pain meds delay the waking of the intestines.

I think George may have forgotten what ileal conduit is or missed it in your post. You are not going to have any internal storage so continence really isn't a question. You will always wear the bag. You can still do pretty much everything with the bag including scuba diving if you so choose.

The urethra problems rule out a neobladder but not an Indiana Pouch. Not sure if you spoke with your doctor about that option.

Quite a few folks here with ileal conduit so they will be prepared to give you all sortsvof great pointers on urostomy supplies, skin care around the stoma, different products to try out, etc. some is trial and error but in time it will become second nature.

Keep up a positive attitude. Keep us informed. Keep studying and ask us anything. Btw, be sure your doc is planning to do nerve sparing surgery for the prostate removal. You want a surgeon who does tons of these. It is closely associated with better outcomes.

Best of luck!
Mike

Age 54
10/31/06 dx CIS (TisG3) non-invasive (at 47)
9/19/08 TURB/TUIP dx Invasive T2G3
10/8/08 RC neobladder(at 49)
2/15/13 T4G3N3M1 distant metastases(at 53)
9/2013 finished chemo -cancer free again
1/2014 ct scan results....distant mets
2/2014 ct result...spread to liver, kidneys, and lymph...

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11 years 11 months ago #41786 by HLamb88937
Replied by HLamb88937 on topic Today was decision day!
I recently read a forum about a guy that made the same decision. After a year he claims the only thing that he can't do now is slide into first base. You will be O.K.

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11 years 11 months ago #41784 by GKLINE
Replied by GKLINE on topic Today was decision day!
Jack
WELCOME! Too bad You had to Join! But welcome to the survivors group. And we know you will survive... That 75% is greatly increased for the patient that gets aggressive with cancer
Good for you. You have done your research. Decided the best treatment for you. Made the decision that Life is worth fighting for and are already looking at POST-OP
Good for YOU!
As you may know by now.. this is a big surgery indeed. And it is very survivable. But the recovery time is rather long and tiresome. The need to walk is starting on day 2, and never ends. Mike is a HUGE advocate of chewing gum as soon as possible after surgery (but no swallowing!) And I am here to give you some good news.

"You will be incontinent!!!!" Now this may not sound like good news; It is a really Good Excuse for lots of things. For some reason, men seem to have singled this out as their #1 fear after surgery. So, why not celebrate it as a right of passage! With time, it becomes controlable and becomes a night time thing. If you have been looking at the conversations here, then you realize the worry some people put on this. I am here to say "Stop worrying! You will be incontinent! And the sooner you get over the worry.... The sooner you will get control"

There are many here who will give you great medical advice ..... I am not one of them. But the best way to recover is to let nature take its course. You will recover! But it will take time. And you will get frustrated. But you must keep a sense of humor about it. Keep that sense of humor and it will keep your family and friends close to you. And THAT is the key to recovery. Having a great support group is the best medicine you can get.

I know! I had it! It has been 3 1/2 years for me. You will soon be here giving this advice to others.

Good Luck
I am sure we'll be talking before and after surgery.

George

Light a man a fire and he is warm for an evening.
Light a man ON fire and he's warm forever.

08/08/08...RC neo bladder
09/09/09...New Hip
=
New Man! [/size]

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11 years 11 months ago #41782 by john14108
Replied by john14108 on topic Today was decision day!
Jack, I just had my surgery on Feb 27th and had the neo-bladder installed. Im sorry you are becoming a member of our "club" but you've made the right decision. You will be cancer free once the surgery is over.

John

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