Srs

[Frances]

Congratulations April!

[crystalann]

Congrats April and a speedy recovery

[Lilo]

Congratulations April! i am super glad for you may you have a healthy and speedy recovery.

[sterusjon]

Congratulations. Its been a couple of days now and I pray all is going well.

Stephanie

[whowhatwhen]

All in how much did the operation cost?

[Aprilrain]

About $22,000 US.

So I'm doing pretty good, they let us venture out today but we wore out fast. I slept most of the rest of the day. On Monday I get the packing taken out and have to start dilating. The doctor is very impressed with the lack of bruising. Now it's off night night land

[Starling]

Sweet dreams, April.

Lallie

[AllieSF]

Yes, very sweet dreams! Congratulations again.

[Rachel Smith]

I hope all goes well for you.

[Aprilrain]

Started dilutions today. It's not really that painful but it's uncomfortable and messy. The whole procedure is wearing on me!

[Jorja]

The uncomfortableness will go away. Get used to dilating though that is going to be an ongoing thing.

[Aprilrain]

Thankfully not 5 times a day like it is just now !

[Jorja]

After the soreness is gone you might enjoy it 5 times a day.

[Aprilrain]

So I'm pretty disappointed. The pee wouldn't come out so they had to put the catheter back in. That means I'll be traveling with a rubber tube sticking out of my pee hole, oh joy

[Sarah Ellis]

Not good but hopefuly you'll have that out soon. Good to know the general procedures went well. I had a couple of bleeds after mine in September, so spent another 2 nights in hospital. Other than that, no other real problems. Toilet functions were working well as soon as the catheter came out. I wouldn't worry though. It is common to have a few small 'complications' as things settle down. It's probably more so your dignity to suffer while traveling home. than anything else.

[Aprilrain]

I have a letter for TSA so hopefully there will be no problems there. I'm not attached to a bag or anything so it's pretty discrete. If I have to pee I just use the toilet like normal. But yeah having it put back in was a big disappointment for me. Hopefully my girlfriend who's a day behind me will be able to pee today! The dr says everything looks good otherwise. Dilating is still pretty uncomfortable even with the Percocet. Hopefully that gets easier soon as I have a very limited supply.

[Jorja]

Look at the bright side of it. At least you won't have to try and use one of those small airline bathrooms.

You must have posted while I was typing. I see you said no bag attached.

[becky77]

Your girlfriend is a day behind?? Who will look after who?
BTW you look amazing in that picture April.

[Sarah Ellis]

I was prescribed a limited supply of codeine (very similar to perocet, or oxycodone - but not in synthetic form). Not much of that left as it can be addictive over time. I'll switch to ibuprofen soon. But you will both need to ensure you have aftercare in place, as if the rules are the same, you'll likely be housebound for a while. This is both to reduce infection and prevent any risk of a prolapse.

Take care. Both of you........... It's great. But it's a long journey of recovery.

[Aprilrain]

Yes, I can see that it's going to be a long road to full recovery. I'm already tired of dilating, it's more painful and difficult than at first. It's probably just the long travel day I had yesterday, lots of swelling I'm sure.

[Barati]

I saw the omnipresent problem with unsuccessful peeing and re-catetherisation, but that is the american way I suppose... I mean, of course you cannot pee 5 days after the surgery, but many doctors just don't want to see that fact.

At first you can reduce the number / duration of dilations if needed. Let the wound and swelling settle a little bit. And make sure you have a good water-based lubricant, this is crucial.

I hope you are familiar with the proper dilation know-how.

[riki]

good luck

[Aprilrain]

Yes Barati, I'm familiar with "dilation know-how" I was taught, in the hospital, by a nurse plus I have a detailed post SRS instruction packet that I was sent home with. Dr. Meltzer was very upfront about the possibility of re-catheterization. He said that while about 60% of his patients are able to pee after 7 days the rest end up going home with the catheter. I was just really hoping to be one that could pee after 7 days so I wouldn't have to travel with a catheter. It turned out to be a total non-event though and was actually quite useful in the airplane as I was able to pee standing up and avoid sitting on a toilet of questionable cleanliness. Anyway out of the 2 other girls that I knew in the hospital I was the only one going home with the catheter.

Barati, while I'm sure your advice is sound and would love to reduce the number of dilations to 0, I will stick to the instructions I was given by my doctor, 4 times a day for now.

[Barati]

I am puzzled right now...

Who will remove your catether once you are at home? And what if something goes wrong such as infection?

He said that while about 60% of his patients are able to pee

Sorry, but that sounds too stupid to me. Uneccessary gambling with patient's well being - high risk and minimal reward - instead leaving a catether in place for just a few more days until the patient is 100% able to pee (minimal risk and a big reward).

Now I am happy that I didn't made my srs in the usa.

[Nigella]

WTF, you surely cannot be serious Barati, even in the backwoods of the UK our nurses are quite capable of removing a catheter, infact it was a nurse in the hospital that removed mine.