Tips

Well Stevecam, I think yours is a great idea, particulalry those who are just starting on their journey. I had my robot assisted keyhole surgery just under two weeks ago and I would welcome any ideas which would make the fears and difficulties faced easier to manage. I now have got over my initial hurdles but I am now facing incontenence and ED, plus also the sadness that my little friend, who was little to begin with,  has diminished in size. My tips of what has helped me, although fairly minimal, are as follows:

I found the catheter made me really sore and limiting. My overall tip is to hang on as in my case the soreness totally disappeared the day after the catheter was removed. I was prescribed Instillagel to put on the tip which is an anaestetic and lubricatinggel, which helped considerably.

The severe floods I was suffereng everytime I got out of a chair were overwhelming and were not contained adeqautely by pads. I found I was able to make use of a coffee jar placed in position just before I moved to collect the flood. The following and continuous dribbling was then adequately contained in the pads. I have now bought a plastic urine bottle which I now use but funny enough I found the coffee jar easier to use.

Two more general tips. I was absolutely petrified of the operation. If others are the same then they may find, like me, that it was nothing like as bad as I envisaged. Last one - just remain and think positively. Every day is a blessing.

Static,

My little friend doesn't respond to anything yet.

I like your tip about the coffee jar, but I was drinking a cup of coffee at the time.

It was the fear of the unknown that got me every time something new came up.