• Posted by Dana on May 22, 2011 at 11:59 am

    Another quick question, my husband has this thing about driving, how soon after a radical cystectomy will he be able to drive, not to strenuous or far, just driving?
    P.S I realise how serious this surgery is but I don’t want to over worry my husband too much, yet anyway.
    His surgery is next week.

    Herb replied 13 years, 5 months ago 7 Members · 9 Replies
  • 9 Replies
  • herb

    Member
    May 27, 2011 at 3:23 am

    Dana: tell your hubby — I am 72 year old retired priest and I had my cancerous bladder and cancerous prostate removed on 9/11/10 and I now do everything I did before the surgury — have there been some adjustments? — yes — but at my age I was already adjusting: for growing old is not for sissies. You are amongst friends here and I still can pray up a storm. Hang in There, Herb†


    Age 72 had radical 9/11/10 have conduit everything is fine, grateful to be a cancer survivor. Lost Dad and Brother to Cancer both in their 50’s.
  • billm

    Member
    May 26, 2011 at 12:47 am

    Hiya Dana,

    My doc said 4 to 6 weeks. If there was a need to drive, have sombody that could take over and keep the drive short and wait for the fist post op checkup.

    Bill


    5.24.10 Final staging T2G3 7.28.10 Started Gemcitabine, Cisplatin neoadjunctive chemotherapy
    11.2.10 RC with NEO 11.18.11 First year CT shows possible liver tumor
    12.8.11 Confirmation of TCC BC mets to the liver 6.27.12 Final round of Dose Dense MVAC
    7.26.12 Final scans showed no tumor or no metabolic response10.18.12 Wife leaves, now a single dad
    10.31.12 New scans show metastic return to liver 2.4.13 New scans for treatment, no other sites found
    2.20.13 New chemo regiment started, will run at least 12 weeks
  • dukel

    Member
    May 25, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    Dana, Sorry George and I didn’t mean to steal your post. I guess like your husband we get carried away with the driving thing. We will all be pulling for you and your husband. I hope he feels good enough to want to drive even before six weeks. But mainly we hope his surgery goes well and the recovery goes well. As you can see George and I have both been through the surgery, and a year or two down the road our lives are not defined by surgery or cancer. I think we are just more then ever appreciative of life.
    Wishing both you and your husband the best.
    Duke

  • gkline

    Member
    May 25, 2011 at 1:10 pm

    Duke

    Oh Yeah! I am absolutely the luckiest guy! I was on the same track that Legends have driven cars in anger. I could feel their presence.
    It is no secret among this group that I am a cancer survivor. This year I had a great encounter with another racer who had colon cancer(he is a Dr.) and races too!
    We had a great conversation, and he wanted to give me chopps for telling my story to fellow racers (that life does NOT end with cancer) and he was pleased that I add my voice to this site, even though I have very little medical knowledge.

    I just want the people who suffer with this disease to know;

    We will NOT let this cancertake our lives away![/size”>]


    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!

  • dukel

    Member
    May 25, 2011 at 2:38 am

    GKLINE wrote:

    Dana

    Driving? Oh Yeah! You gotta have goals! 6 Weeks!

    But It will go by like nothing! He won’t feel like driving for 6 weeks, So, no worries!

    Just spent the weekend Driving…. At Watkins Glen Raceway! Now THAT’S Driving!

    George :laugh: :laugh:

    George, “driving at Watkins Glen Raceway” did you stop and take a second to look up and say “Am I lucky or what” Hope you had a great time!
    Duke

  • gkline

    Member
    May 24, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    Dana

    Driving? Oh Yeah! You gotta have goals! 6 Weeks!

    But It will go by like nothing! He won’t feel like driving for 6 weeks, So, no worries!

    Just spent the weekend Driving…. At Watkins Glen Raceway! Now THAT’S Driving!

    George :laugh: :laugh:


    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]

  • dukel

    Member
    May 23, 2011 at 3:45 am

    Dana. Driving, Really? I love my classic cars and driving them. But driving is going to be the last thing on your husbands mind for quit awhile. I have had a lot of surgeries, etc. over the last 20yrs. and this neo surgery and recovery is right up there when it comes to pain!

  • Guest
    May 22, 2011 at 6:42 pm

    6 weeks is the magic number for him to take the wheel…for all of the reasons Catherine mentioned.

  • catherineh

    Member
    May 22, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    Hi Dana… I understand your concern about your husband and I hope all goes well with his surgery. As far as driving, I only had a partial cystectomy (open surgery) and I was told not to drive for two weeks post surgery. His time may be longer because his surgery is more invasive than mine was with the bladder being removed. He is going to be pretty sore for several weeks.

    Even though it may feel like it’s not strenuous, any action of the legs and feet puts stress on the abdominal muscles where the incision will be, plus the internal sutures where things have been rerouted. It is vital that nothing gets pulled loose or torn internally.

    Secondly, driving or even riding in a car for the first little bit puts one at risk of being in an accident that would traumatize the surgical area… even a minor one.

    He will need to get over his “thing” about driving for a while. I understand that because I have a phobia about other people driving as well, but I had to rely on a trusted friend to drive me the 300 miles (483 kilometers) home from the hospital.


    Best wishes… Catherine

    TURBT 1/21/10 at age 55
    Dx: T2aN0M0 Primary Bladder Adenocarcinoma
    Partial Cystectomy 2/25/10
    Vanderbilt Medical Center
    Nashville, TN

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