A European introduction to FrankTalk:

[BritinSpain]

Hello everyone! I thought as I’ve just become bionic, and I’m English, I could share a European perspective with the group.
Here’s my Historical timeline and Medical data:

Age 35 - Get married.

Age 36 - Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Daily radiotherapy. Scan field from knees to belly button. Result, permanent infertility, but cancer cured. I’m alive! Libido and erectile function not affected.

Age 36 to 63 - Life stuff. Work hard, play hard. Vanilla.

Age 63 - Early Retirement, move to Spain.

Age 66 - Wife becomes ill, any sexual activity dwindles to nil.

Age 67 - Wife passes away. Stopped smoking, started exercising, dietary changes, lost about 20 Kgs. (45 pounds).

Age 68 - New girlfriend! BUT, (wouldn’t you know it) - Evidence of ED surfaces. HARSH! IRONIC! Register the problem with Spanish GP, no rapid action available or forthcoming. Blood tests carried out. Viagra and Cialis, the usual. The Spanish health system is generally very good, but Urology, and Andrology, - “it’s not life-threatening” - does not move fast…..
“Fuck this, I’m going private.” There was no alternative…

Age 68 - Private Clinical consultation - Penile Doppler Ultrasound.
Confirmation of EHS 2 with Alprostadil injection. Ultrasound of corpora cavernosa were normal. Vascular study: findings compatible with arterial dysfunction. Viagra and Cialis ratios/strengths tried, Alprostadil injections. Tadalafil 5mg daily, producing some morning wood. Single dose Alprostadil was tried, with Bandol (an oral spray of Sildenafil, also known in the USA as Hezkue), resultant EHS 3 but no penetration, and silicone penile ring. (EHS 3 again) A “double dose” of Alprostadil was injected, also with Bandol, and the ring. No change. When the option of “triple dose” injection strength was approved by the doctor, neither of us was keen, or tried it. That made my mind up. Enough’s enough…
New blood tests were ordered, to compare LDL and other markers against 6 months ago. Enquiries were made about the next available surgery option, for the “local” option, also with London and Madrid for comparison.
Local: Early September date - 24 hrs in hospital, 3-week checkup. First consultation already done. Surgeon: Dr. Natalio Cruz, from Seville.
London: An early August date - 24 hrs in hospital, 3-week checkup.
Surgeon: Professor David Ralph. Extra consultation and travel involved.
Madrid: September, maybe later. Mid -September, if you’re lucky.
Surgeon: Professor Martinez-Salamanca. No overnight hospital stay included, same-day discharge, need hotel, travel, checkup next morning,
3-week checkup with more travel.

Age 69 - Paid my deposit, and chose the LOCAL option.
And on the same day….
More than 4 months after my initial consultation, I received a letter from the Spanish health system for an initial Urology consultation, an exploratory chat. I will go, to advise them of my situation and progress in the private health sector.

Pre-Op:- All the research in the world cannot combat the nerves, but decision made, we’re going in…partner support is invaluable here.
Op day: - I’m scheduled for late afternoon, all went fine with registration, then suddenly we’re off…kiss sweetheart Adios, meet my surgeons in
pre-op, meet my anaesthetist, then don’t remember anything for a while…
In post-op, my surgeon tells me everything went well. A little tear of joyfulness…and I can’t feel or move my legs…it’s normal, I’m told…
Back in the room, slightly restless, the mummy wrap is huge. Slept fitfully, had to fast before surgery, so had some light food/water at midnight. Needed pain meds at 04:30, (balls on fire….) drip provided. Otherwise, ok.
Op + Day 1: Catheter/drain out, mummy wrap off. No use of weights or frozen peas here…Then discharged, girlfriend driving. Sofa time…

I’m now on day 12 post-op (or later, depending on when I get to post this online) and I am willing to chat about any/many aspects of the procedure, including some funny observations, in future posts. Don’t even get me started on Spanish private health plans, what they say on this subject, and what they will or won’t cover…
One possibility now being explored is whether the extensive radiotherapy I received for Hodgkin’s roughly 30 years ago contributed to later vascular and/or neurological damage. I’ve asked the original hospital to retrieve my historical radiotherapy records, if they still exist.

If you’re in the U.S., remember I’m ahead 6 hours from East Coast time.

Twelve days post-op, do I regret doing it? Not for one second.
Ask me again when I’ve learned how to drive the bloody thing…