Last sleep before the big day. Possibly a journal.

[Kiwias]

Kiwias, you are truly a fortunate man. Best wishes for safe travels on Tuesday.

- Chuck

My biggest problem at the moment is boredom, and I am really looking forward to flying home on Tuesday.

Thanks Chuck,
I'm really looking forward to getting back to all my home comforts plus my own bed.
At this stage I have no concerns about the travel. I have business class booked which has lie flat so I should be very comfy. I'm hoping to sleep for most of it.
I have also kept my compression stockings from the surgery so they should be helpful.
I'll probably do my last daily update today and just post tomorrow if there is anything useful to tell about the flight.

[Kiwias]

5701.jpg

My life for the last week.

[Kiwias]

Day 7 Update — Final Daily Entry

A quick update as I reach the one-week mark, and this will be my final daily post.

Things continue to improve steadily. The pinching sensation at the left/base of the shaft, which was the one symptom that persisted all week, has now almost completely disappeared. My overall discomfort is now very minimal — more of an awareness than actual pain — and moving around feels natural again.

I spent nearly two hours today travelling in the car as a passenger and had no issues at all. That experience has made me feel much more confident about my flight home. If a long car ride is this comfortable at this stage, flying should be perfectly manageable.

Swelling has also reduced significantly. In fact, it’s now absent more often than it’s present, and I’m beginning to see much more of the normal contours and definition returning. Everything looks cleaner, smoother, and far less "post-op."

For completeness, the only small symptoms I hadn’t previously mentioned were two minor scabs on my glans (one of which fell off yesterday) and some dry, flaky skin on my scrotum that I first noticed around the same time. Both seem entirely superficial and are already settling down.

From here I’ll stop the daily check-ins. My next update will likely be after my review and when I begin cycling, or sooner if anything unexpected comes up.

Thanks again to everyone who has offered guidance, reassurance, or encouragement. The support has made this first week much easier.

[Kodixx]

Kiwias, again congrats on a good outcome, and thank you for the detailed journal on your experience. Look forward to hearing more !

- Chuck

Day 7 Update — Final Daily Entry A quick update as I reach the one-week mark, and this will be my final daily post.

[Kiwias]

Travel Day Update (Post-Op Day 8 - written on day 9)

I wasn’t actually planning to do an update today, but after yesterday’s experience I thought it might be useful for anyone who has to travel in their first couple of weeks post-op.

I flew home yesterday, and overall the trip went smoothly, though it definitely took more out of me than I expected. We left our rental at 8 a.m. Melbourne time and had about an hour’s drive to Tullamarine. Check-in was easy, and I was able to relax in the lounge before the flight. The plane was slightly delayed and took off around 12:45 p.m. I managed to sleep for about an hour in the air and was reasonably comfortable for most of the flight.

By the time we landed in Auckland around 7 p.m. (NZ time), I started to feel a noticeable increase in discomfort. The combination of sitting for long periods and general end-of-day fatigue hit me all at once. The aching was more pronounced than anything I’d felt in the previous couple of days.

After the drive home, we arrived about 8:30 p.m. I took a warm bath, which helped, and followed it with some pain medication before bed. That settled things down, but it was definitely the roughest part of the journey.

Having done it now, I’m very glad I waited the full week before flying. Even though the flight itself isn’t especially long, the total travel time ended up being more than 12 hours, and during most of that I didn’t have access to the things that make recovery easier — ice, bathing, being able to lie down, taking pressure off the pump, and so on.
Flying business class was absolutely the right decision despite the extra cost. The extra space and ability to adjust positions made a real difference.

For anyone else planning travel: prolonged sitting and limited mobility will almost always increase discomfort temporarily. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong — it’s simply the swelling and pelvic tissues reacting to being held in one position for too long. Expect some rebound aching, especially later in the day. A warm bath, gentle movement, and pain relief usually settle things quickly.

This morning I’m feeling well-rested and very glad to be back home. Having all my usual comforts — my own bed, proper bathing, familiar surroundings — makes a huge difference. Now that I'm settled in, the discomfort is already easing again.