Surgery day + 14 days

I notice that when I step out of the shower in the morning, I am not “dripping”
as much urine, while I towel off anymore. Perhaps there’s progress with slightly
better urine control today.

I still try to limit my time
sitting at the computer and try to walk and do light, standing up activities.
This is two weeks after surgery and I am totally capable of going anywhere
and doing anything, except lifting heavy objects, running races etc. I do have
to wear absorbent pads for leakage, but that’s not doing too badly in my book.
No one knows that you have them on anyway, so who cares?

Surgery day + 15 days

Usually, when I feel a squirt or a leak it’s mostly after getting up from a seated
position to a standing position, or lying in bed or on the couch watching
TV and then getting up. Coughing and sneezing can also cause a squirt.
(Technical term for this – I believe – is “stress incontinence.”)
First thing I do in the morning is drink of few small glasses of water.
I’m pretty much back to my normal life now.

I go out for coffee in the am, drive anywhere and everywhere – do
whatever I want but don’t go the gym to lift weights or do rigorous exercise
yet. As I’ve said before, I’d much rather be “conservative” in these early days
to ensure that everything will heal properly.

I don’t seem to mind the absorbent pad changing as much today. Maybe my
leaking is slowing down, maybe it’s becoming more routine, I don’t know, but
it’s not the “hassle” it was during the first two weeks.

Surgery day + 16 days

Looking back at the whole experience more than two weeks later, the big
picture is that I would say that the hardest parts were 1) the bowel prep before surgery, 2) the
after effects of anesthesia & that bloated feeling after surgery, and 3) eating only
watery foods at first.
Oddly enough the robotic surgery itself was basically painless and symptom-less.
Isn’t it strange when the prep phase and the anesthesiology are the worst
parts of the whole ordeal?

Actually, I am chomping at the bit now – I feel like going back to the gym
today. However, being as conservative as I am, that is, babying myself to the
nth degree to avoid any relapse or having to backtrack or go back to the
hospital and redo stuff, I’m not going to chance it.

Surgery day + 17 days

I weighed myself and see that I dropped about 5-7 pounds from my pre
surgery weight.

So far, absolutely no wetness on the bed at all, or at any time since the
surgery. When I do get up to urinate, I never get that feeling that I haven’t
voided completely – it’s a complete bladder void job each and every time, and
there’s no delay, there’s no waiting, there’s no full feeling even after you go.

On the number of absorbent pads used per day – this number varies
according to how much water and/or other fluids I’m drinking on any given
day. In my opinion, there’s no magic number to tell me how I’m doing. I have
had 6 pad days (drinking a lot of water) and I have had 3 pad days. It varies
with how much fluid I’m taking in.

General note on continence – it seems to improve in the mornings and relapse
in the evenings. Apparently this is because the muscles that control the flow
of urine get more tired in the evening.

Surgery day + 18 days

Continence overnight is getting better. In other words, it seems like
continence in a laying position or prone position is returning faster, because
my Depend® underwear is not as damp in the morning.

Took a nap this afternoon and then stayed in bed watching football for
about 90 minutes, after which I got up and emptied my bladder fully with
no dribbling and a full stream. There was no feeling of anything being left in
the bladder. Again, it’s like I was 18 yrs old. Bladder control while in a prone
position is progressing very well.

Surgery day + 19 days

A light went on in my head…you have to work at this. You have to put forth
effort to help regain continence or at least speed up the process of regaining
urinary control. So I did some extra pelvic floor exercises (kegels) as prescribed by my
doctor.

For whatever reason, I stepped out of the shower this morning, shaved in front
of my mirror/sink and did not leak at all. Usually a few drops would hit the rug
underneath me. This morning – nothing – just like shaving in the old days.

Surgery day + 20 days

Almost 3 weeks after surgery, and I am pretty dry overnight now. And not
“dripping” in the morning in the shower, after the shower, or in the kitchen
while having a glass of water in the morning. It’s a definite step in the right
direction and it’s noticeable. However, as the day progresses, I revert back to
producing pretty wet pads, especially around dinner time.
As I’ve been saying all along, my urinary control is better in the morning, but
still not great in the evening. Note: you (the reader) should not compare your
situation with mine. Your experience could be better or worse. Every case is
different.

Surgery day + 21 days

Went to the gym this morning for the first time after surgery. Doctor did not
clear me to do this, but I will take it easy. Oddly, after getting there, I felt so
“normal” that I had to consciously force myself to take it slow. I had to tell
myself – dial down the intensity and fight the inclination to get back to my old
routines with weights etc.

I walked a few laps around the track for about 10-15 minutes, then
used a super light 5 or 10 lb. dumbbell to do some light resistance work. All
exercises were upper body only (obviously no squats) and were done
standing, so as not to compromise anything still healing down below. Felt
great and drank a lot of water while there.

Surgery day + 22 days

Went to the gym again this morning at 6:00 am. Walked slowly on treadmill
for 10-15 minutes and did some light upper body weights. Drank water whenever
I walked by a water fountain.

Continence is coming back better in the morning. After a shower, I can walk
around the house and sit at the PC in a robe and there is no leakage. As
the day wears on, however, leakage picks up again.

I used to actually feel or sense a small squirt during my everyday activities,
and I still do occasionally, especially getting up from a seated position like
from watching football on TV, or working at the PC. But now, I definitely feel
that less and less.

Click here to continue to pg 5

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