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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Prostate Cancer / March 2008Questions from a wife - husband for robotic prostatectomy 3/19
Greetings, My husband, 68, is due for a robotic prostatectomy March 19th. Our situation is that I (65) am totally disabled; he does everything for us. It is my legs, rather the lack of use of my legs that defines my disability. The Myasthenia Gravis affects I receive IVIG treatments http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IVIG every four weeks, and we have that to occur the week of his surgery. My treatment is for a minimum of five days. If needed, I will go to our daughter's home upon discharge. You can see what my in-patient treatment is all about at this entry in my blog http://andlifegoesononedayonestepatatime.blogspot.com/2008/02/one-end-result-for -blood-donation-ivig.html or http://tinyurl.com/3xj647 when I was involved in a blood drive. The day of discharge of the last treatment we went directly out to eat, and then to Best Buy, where I treated myself for seven days of the needle stuck in my hand! LOL Some reverting to childhood for a spell, I guess. ;) Helps sometimes to cope. My need is mainly for there to be someone around, either to help me up if I should fall (it is harder than you think without lower body support), or to be able to call someone for help. This has never happened at home, and it happened at the dentist by our bad judgment. After he admits me on Monday, the 17th, he will go to our son's house, and stay there, and our son will take him to the hospital on the day of his surgery. Our son will stay with him day of surgery and onward until he feels comfortable enough to be at home. We eat sparingly. My foods are simple, but someone else does have to prepare them for me, but it is not slaving over a hot stove. Fifteen minutes at most. We've had a family get-together, and have addressed some of our care issues. I had to stop for a while, and cannot get back in the groove, so if this does cover enough, please let me know what else you need with respect to after care from robotic surgery. I know I have given you enough reading material. LOL I'm headed that way to create some more now. Ragdoll Billie on the *Road to Remission* http://andlifegoesononedayonestepatatime.blogspot.com/ http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/billiewages Striving for a world without Myasthenia Gravis - What is Myasthenia Gravis? http://www.myasthenia.org/amg_whatismg.cfm Non Illegitimi Carborundum > Greetings, > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > My foods are simple, but someone else does have to prepare them for me > I had to stop for a while, and cannot get back in the groove, > If this does cover enough, please let me know what else you need with > respect to after care from robotic surgery. I know I have given you > enough reading material. LOL I'm headed that way to create some more > now. I sure feel sorry for your husband. Your concern for him is obvious. At least he has a good son. > Non Illegitimi Carborundum >> Greetings, [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > I sure feel sorry for your husband. Your concern for him is obvious. At > least he has a good son. Thank you, Steve. Since his retirement, Jim and I lead a very simple, quiet life. We have four *fur babies* that keep us entertained and loved very much. It is Jim's enjoyment, and outlet, to take care of them (feeding, boxes, talking to, and such ;). Yes, our children are very verbally willing to do whatever is needed by us. A verbal commitment; never one we've ever had in the past, so we will see how much now, but I feel *fairly* confident. For almost fifty (50) years he and I have faced and resolved all of the trauma and issues that confronted us, to include our second son being killed when he was sixteen (16) years old, in 1984. We have raised two of our granddaughters, adopting one of them when he was 50, I was 47. We are used to fighting against the current of insurmountable odds by ourselves, even when we have no idea what the road may be like, but if we have some idea, then that helps a little bit (Why I came asking asking questions ;). We are learning about the MG more amd more evey day. I am used to support groups; he is not. I'm going to try to get him over here. He has seen my diabetic group's suppor of me, and how it helped me so much. Thanks Ragdoll Billie on the Road to Remission http://andlifegoesononedayonestepatatime.blogspot.com/ http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/billiewages Striving for a world without Myasthenia Gravis http://www.myasthenia.org/amg_whatismg.cfm > We've had a family get-together, and have addressed some of our care issues. Billie, I hope someone here that has gone thru RP will respond on how soon one can do physical care needed to help you. I think that from reading many people's experience, he will not be able to help you with your physical needs (cooking or help you up in case you fall fetc. for at least 2 weeks, most likely longer). Personally, at his age I would have chosen RT, and thus have very minimal down time. I am surprised that RP was his choice. >> We've had a family get-together, and have addressed some of our care >> issues. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > minimal down > time. I am surprised that RP was his choice. He did a lot of reading, researching, and long talks with the doctor(s), one of whom had gone through the procedure himself, and was near his age. His doctor knows both of us, as he is also my doctor (not same reason -kidney stones ;), and we have very good doctor-patient relationship with him. I appreciate your thoughts and input very much. We have a little less than three weeks to look things over. ;) Ragdoll Billie on the Road to Remission http://andlifegoesononedayonestepatatime.blogspot.com/ http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/billiewages Striving for a world without Myasthenia Gravis http://www.myasthenia.org/amg_whatismg.cfm > Greetings, > > My husband, 68, is due for a robotic prostatectomy March 19th. > > Our situation is that I (65) am totally disabled; he does everything for us. Based on 177 robotic patients, median recovery time was 8 days to normal activity, 13 days to driving and 21 days to 100% activity according to this study abstract: http://pmid.us/17919694 That link and a number of other items of interest may be found here: http://palpable-prostate.blogspot.com/2008/01/advice-for-newly-diagnosed-with.html --- The Palpable Prostate http://palpable-prostate.blogspot.com > > Greetings, > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > --- > The Palpable Prostatehttp://palpable-prostate.blogspot.com A lot of those statistics are for men with small tumors confined to the prostate. Mine was more invasive and my recovery was a lot slower...and painful. I would summarize by saying if his numbers are relatively low (psa, gleason, etc.) recovery is fairly quick as there is no huge incision to heal, just 4 small incisions about an inch long, so therein lies the quick recovery. But if the surgery gets involved, the recovery takes longer than just healing some incisions. I myself had a lot of pain in my abdomen, so lifting anything at all was not recommended and I had a low grade fever for almost 3 weeks. At 5 weeks, however, I am feeling very good, and have returned to almost full normal activities. I needed my wife practically by my side for every single day of the first week post op. >> > Greetings, >> [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] >I needed my wife practically by my side for every single day of the >first week post op. No one can predict how any one particular recovery will go. My tumor was very small. Due to scheduling issues I had the catheter in for almost three weeks but one should expect to have it for at least a week to ten days, that alone slows things down a little. I certainly did not return to 100% activity in 21 days, I could hardly sit for any period of time for about 2 months. It was over a year before I really felt like I was more or less back to my "old self" in most ways. Mentally it's more like 2 years to get somewhat close to my "old self" and I'm not sure I'll ever really recover. >>> > Greetings, >>> [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > Mentally it's more like 2 years to get somewhat close to my "old self" > and I'm not sure I'll ever really recover. DoubleOwSeven (I like that) His doctor told him about ten (10) days for the catheter, barring complications. Your recovery is definitely helpful for us. We do not do much anyway, but it helps us know the possible limitations that could ensue. Thanks for sharing. Ragdoll Billie on the Road to Remission http://andlifegoesononedayonestepatatime.blogspot.com/ http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/billiewages Striving for a world without Myasthenia Gravis http://www.myasthenia.org/amg_whatismg.cfm On Feb 29, 9:17�am, "A. Black" <xuv...@gmail.com> wrote: > On Feb 28, 9:27�pm, "Billie" <some...@swbell.net> wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > --- > The Palpable Prostatehttp://palpable-prostate.blogspot.com A lot of those statistics are for men with small tumors confined to the prostate. Mine was more invasive and my recovery was a lot slower...and painful. I would summarize by saying if his numbers are relatively low (psa, gleason, etc.) recovery is fairly quick as there is no huge incision to heal, just 4 small incisions about an inch long, so therein lies the quick recovery. But if the surgery gets involved, the recovery takes longer than just healing some incisions. I myself had a lot of pain in my abdomen, so lifting anything at all was not recommended and I had a low grade fever for almost 3 weeks. At 5 weeks, however, I am feeling very good, and have returned to almost full normal activities. I needed my wife practically by my side for every single day of the first week post op. Jim's is small, and confined to the prostate, or so he has been told, and he has no reason not to. We'll see. That first week he will be at our son's house, and I will be in the hospital receiving my treatment. Out of the way. ;) Then he will stay at our son's until he is strong enough and ready to come back home. That is what I have been trying to glean from you guys. NOT an absolute; just generalities. I am well aware of individualities. After all, I have a chronic disease where the nickname is "snowflake" because each of us is different, no two alike. Thank you  SignatureRagdoll Billie on the Road to Remission http://andlifegoesononedayonestepatatime.blogspot.com/ http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/billiewages Striving for a world without Myasthenia Gravis http://www.myasthenia.org/amg_whatismg.cfm On Feb 28, 9:27 pm, "Billie" <some...@swbell.net> wrote: > Greetings, > > My husband, 68, is due for a robotic prostatectomy March 19th. > > Our situation is that I (65) am totally disabled; he does everything for > us. Based on 177 robotic patients, median recovery time was 8 days to normal activity, 13 days to driving and 21 days to 100% activity according to this study abstract: http://pmid.us/17919694 That link and a number of other items of interest may be found here: http://palpable-prostate.blogspot.com/2008/01/advice-for-newly-diagnosed-with.html --- The Palpable Prostate http://palpable-prostate.blogspot.com Thank you. I will be reading that. Jim will stay at our son's house until he feels safe to come back here. Catheter of at least ten (10) days (barring complications). He'll not be required to do anything during that time. DIL is a nurse, and will be taking care of him. Ragdoll Billie on the Road to Remission http://andlifegoesononedayonestepatatime.blogspot.com/ http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/billiewages Striving for a world without Myasthenia Gravis http://www.myasthenia.org/amg_whatismg.cfm On Feb 28, 9:27 pm, "Billie" <some...@swbell.net> wrote: > Greetings, > > My husband, 68, is due for a robotic prostatectomy March 19th. > > Our situation is that I (65) am totally disabled; he does everything for > us. Based on 177 robotic patients, median recovery time was 8 days to normal activity, 13 days to driving and 21 days to 100% activity according to this study abstract: http://pmid.us/17919694 That link and a number of other items of interest may be found here: http://palpable-prostate.blogspot.com/2008/01/advice-for-newly-diagnosed-with.html --- The Palpable Prostate http://palpable-prostate.blogspot.com Thanks for all of these. Quite a bit of information there. I'lll make sure he sees that site. Probably put it in his bookmarks while I have his computer. hehe His payment for my having to set him up. Nice site, btw. I am considering changing my blog layout, and was looking at the one you are using. Not sure yet, though. Ragdoll Billie on the Road to Remission http://andlifegoesononedayonestepatatime.blogspot.com/ http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/billiewages Striving for a world without Myasthenia Gravis http://www.myasthenia.org/amg_whatismg.cfm > Greetings, > [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] > What is Myasthenia Gravis? > http://www.myasthenia.org/amg_whatismg.cfm Hello there Billie, I have completed the Robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. I lived alone and had to ask my daughter who lived three hours drive away to give me a little help. Luck would have it that she came down with a problem of her own in her gallbladder and underwent Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery for her problem. She went through her procedure three days prior to my scheduled operation. She was so well recovered that my procedure went off as scheduled. She is a very strong girl, and nurse as well. I was released on day four with a catheter still attached. My daughter stayed with me until I was back in my camper, then she had to get back to her hospital duties. Due to the extensive involvement of the urethra the catheter had to remain in for some ten days. I was able to attend to my own needs for that period of time and then with help from my daughter one more trip to the Urology clinic was made for the removal. Within another ten days I was able to pack up my Camper and travel the three hours to where my daughter lives. I have been reading this news group (ng) for a while and have a hard time getting the full benefit out of it due to the acronyms and abbreviations used with out their clarification. I hope you are able to grasp the advice you read here. Check with your hospital for home health care support. SignatureBILL P. Thank you all for your responses. Jim : Greetings, : [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] : upon discharge. You can see what my in-patient treatment is all about at : this entry in my blog http://andlifegoesononedayonestepatatime.blogspot.com/2008/02/one-end-result-for -blood-donation-ivig.html : or http://tinyurl.com/3xj647 when I was involved in a blood drive. The day : of discharge of the last treatment we went directly out to eat, and then to [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] : What is Myasthenia Gravis? : http://www.myasthenia.org/amg_whatismg.cfm >Thank you all for your responses. Jim Welcome to the group, Jim. Feel free to chime in whenever you need to or feel like it. this group can't offer much more than support; but, you can expect plenty of that! We'll all be pushing good thoughts your way on the 19th. Burney RP in 1995 (age 52) RT in 2000 ADT (Casodex) 10/06 - 8/07 Latest PSA - 0.18 burney dot huff at mindspring dot com |
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