?Don't look back.?   Wow, can I relate to that great piece of advice I just
read on this board..  Because that's exactly what I'm starting to do?  arg?.
(I should have checked into this NG waay before now?)

A few months ago I found out I had a PSA of 10.4 and a quick trip to a
urologist (w/ biopsy) proved a cancer with small spots of up to 7 on the
Gleason scale.  As a rather young (acting) and otherwise healthy 63 year old
(with a lineage of lot's of old folks still around) my pee doc highly
recommended radical prostate removal (to ?get it all?)  - which occurred
November 12th, 2004.    OUCH!!!

Post op results (8 days after the surgery) were ?looks like we got it all?
(pathology of surrounding lymph node and other tissue proved ?clean?) , PSA
of 1.47 (which the doc claims is ?expected?), and ?the cancer was contained
in the left side of the prostate, so we had to take those nerves.  But, we
left the ones on the right.?  Which I thought was great news - because I was
a fairly horny old dude prior to this whole debacle - and, couldn't wait to
?get back in the saddle.?  I pretty much could stop my flow right in the
doc's office when the cute little nurse ?yanked? the cath out (thar's a
treat.. lol) during that 8 day later check up.  I haven't used ?pads? since,
but from time to time a strain or ?one too many? martinis causes an
unexpected ?gush?.. arg?

It's been 7 weeks and I feel quite well other than I still have a rather
sore belly (he went in the ?front door?) and some very tender areas inside
to the touch.  So sore and tender that I haven't felt comfortable enough to
go back to exercising (light weights, stomach crunches, lay back bicycle,
etc.) even on a very light basis.

I think I prepared myself very well physically for this whole process by
losing 20 of my 195 pounds during the 4 weeks prior to the surgery and
reducing my cholesterol from 230 to 123 with rigorous exercise, drastic
reduction of fat intake in my diet, and the help of 10 mg Lipitor tablets
each day.  And, mentally, though I was scared out of my mind about the
surgery itself - I thought I was ?ready to rumble? the cancer and ?put up?
with the consequences of the aftermath of prosectomy (I hope I'm spelling
this correctly.)  Especially after my pee doc told me about him being able
to ?save? some of my nerves?.

Common sense tells me that after what my insides have gone through that it
is going to take quite awhile for the body to heal up and adjust to the ?new
arrangement? down in my innards.   But, that hasn't stopped me from looking
down at grumpy old purple Charley everyday (not even close to as purple as
he was that first week after the surgery, though) and wonder just how long
it is going to take for him to come back around.   But, so far he just
?hangs around? in a little bit of pain - and, won't even ?wink? at me.

Which is fine - because, like I said, I know it will take time?  But, that
doesn't keep the old mind from starting to wonder if it might never happen?
or, what would life have been like if I hadn't opted for the operation?.
And, all kinds of silly thoughts like that.  Which is why I appreciated the
?don't look back? advice.  As, I needed this right about now.

So, if I can't ?look back? I've got to ?look forward??.. to WHAT??   (lol)
Have any of you guys that have had complete removal (w/ nerve sparing) got
any advice for me as to just how long it might be before old Charley can
join the ranks of the ?well enjoyed?'  (lol)

(I know I'm treating this very serious topic with lot's of levity, but, hey,
if I don't laugh at it a little bit - it'll drive me nuts?)

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have,

Paul