I've had a few people ask me how I'm
doing... and a few more things.
My "official" response to
how I am doing is... great... fantastic... awesome... incredible.
I've had a few set backs where my
body has kicked my butt and told me to slow down. I've tried listening to it. I
just feel too good at times and then I pay for it.
I'm still struggling with becoming
100% continent. So, I still appreciate those prayers, even from the little
Irish old ladies' group. (c:)~
I'll be going back to
While I'm at it I would appreciate
prayers for my mother. They found spots on her liver just before I had my
surgery. She found out just before Thanksgiving that the spots are malignant.
2004 may just be the year that sucks.
(c:)~ There have been highlights, though.
If you stop reading here, then I just
want to say, again, thanks for the prayer and support throughout all of this.
Now then...
Disclaimer: The stuff following this
point is not for the squeamish. Read at your own risk.
In trying to explain how I feel I
have to try and understand what was done and then relate that to how I feel.
Somebody asked me what they did. I
thought I'd answered that. But, let me "explain" a little better.
(You may want to stop reading here.)
They removed my prostate and seminal
vesicles.
How did they do that? Well, you have
to understand where the prostate is positioned and how it interacts.
The prostate is located just below
the bladder. The prostate surrounds the urethra like a donut. The urethra is
the tube whereby the urine exits the bladder.
To remove the prostate they whack off
the urethra above the prostate and below the prostate as well. Ouch!!! Well,
you asked.
They remove the prostate and then
reattach the urethra to the bladder. Talk about STRETCHING it!!! I think that's
where my pain is coming from. Or, I should say discomfort. Let's just say that
I've learned that my body wants me to walk VERY slowly and I sit down VERY
gently. It's just "sore". Standing up is a pain. Walking is a
little uncomfortable. Sitting in a chair is uncomfortable. I use the recliner
in the day and love sleeping at night.
If I had to describe it I would say
it feels like being constipated. Although, I don't think that's my problem. I'm
going to double check tomorrow. If I do that web page I've been talking about
I'll be even more explicit on this.
Another friend asked me if I felt
like something was missing. The answer is no. I don't feel like anything is
missing. The prostate itself is about the size of a walnut. I think I feel
stretched inside. That's what I think I feel.
Again, another question was... just
what did the prostate do??? Well, I'm afraid that the male population is just
ignorant. I certainly was. There are basically three basic body parts that are
involved when a man has that special "moment". We're talking the
testicles, prostate and seminal vesicles. As I've said, 2 of the 3 are removed
during "prostate" surgery. The prostate and seminal vesicles add
fluid when a man has that special "moment". So, to be blunt... well,
you can figure it out. But, that's not the entire story. I'll put that on the
web page as well. Let's just say that "all" is not lost. But, having
children is just not possible "that" way anymore.
Ok. This may be going too far. So,
I'll try and just "touch" on it. When they removed the catheter on
Tuesday they gave me 2 "pads" for the trip home. If you're a woman
then, you understand what I'm saying. These are manly pads. (c:)~
Pads suck. At least
for now. I think there's too much pain and discomfort to have full
control. I put up with it up until Thanksgiving. After Thanksgiving dinner I
said, "Enough!!! There's got to be something better". There is.
Nobody TOLD me. Again, I had to go look on the Internet. I figured the word
"catheter" was a good place to start with. That led to me
"External" catheter. That has been MUCH better. A lot better!!! If
you want to know exactly what that is then you can look it up yourself, you can
use your imagination or you can wait and see if I update my web site.
When am I going back to work? NOT
this week, I think. I want to talk to the doctor on Tuesday. If sitting in a
chair is going to continue to be painful or at least uncomfortable then, I may
ask to either work half-days or work from home. Just about everything I do at
work I can do from home. Gotta love new technology!!!
That's about it. I hope I didn't make you cringe too much.
Thanks.
Paul