JimStein-My Journal

[St1pan2019]

Yesterday at midday I took one tablet of ibuprofen, not that I needed, but for pain prevention. No pain today, 2nd day post op. I will see how I feel later. Try to use the frozen beans on the bottom of my sac. I do not feel the cold. Tomorrow I will use a plastic bag full of hot watter since the bath tub is dirty. I will try also to get the catheter out. I am kind of aprehensive about that. Never had it. I did not eat, but few mini bagels with philadelphia cheese, coffee and water when I am taking the antibiotics. I will try to drink more water thou. Laying flat on the bed is painful and I am afraid to spend too much time standing up.

Same here with respect to pain , just going with ibuprofen since yesterday afternoon so we are similar in terms of pain looks like. Not looking forward to removing my own catheter but getting it out of my junk trumps any fear that I may have about doing it myself. Stay healthy my friend! The worst days are hopefully almost behind us !

[Skier123]

Hang in there guys ... a coupe more days and you will be home free.

You got this!

[JimStein]

It took me from October when I called the office to 9th of January when I had the surgery. Maybe I am unique since I just wanted to have it done ASAP, which was not the case, and no questions asked since reading your experiences I did not know specifically what to ask. Not that I know details or remember fine points.
All I was thinking is that Dr. Eid is well known and a world class doctor. Monday I will see him to get follow up instructions.

[JimStein]

1 hour ago I saw my jewels. As someone suggested I got some pain med before taking out the catheter. I was really scared because in case I will get stuck I wouldn't know what to do. So I used the siringe given and took the 10ml out. I pulled and pulled and the tube came out. The hard and painful part was to take off the sticky bandages off my belly.
I took a shower and the bandage that covered my sack did not come off. I cut with the scisors most of it but the portion entangled with the suture is still there. Tomorrow I will see the doc anyway. The jack strap given was size 32 and I am 38-40, so I just use my own underware for now. I guess the doctor left some water in the tubes. I've tried to feel the pump but is not there, I cannot find it and I am scared to play around. I will find out tomorrow.
I feel more confident now and looking forward to heal and start a new life. Oh, what a feeling...I should have done that years ago. Imagine when I will put it to work...honestly, my life was over, now I am a new born!!

[Dave52]

Your situation is almost identical to what I went through.I also took my catheter out before having seen Dr Eid. It went pretty smoothly and boy it felt a lot better to get rid of that thing. Tomorrow you’re going to get activated, Myra is likely to pump you up and show you how to deflate it then you’re good to go. I don’t know how long of a trip you’ve got home I had a five hour car ride. That ride was no fun but a couple of pain pills and things kind of settle down. The first week‘s gonna be tough make sure you do the hot bath thing it’s been over a year for me now there’s absolutely no pain works fine wife is happy good luck hang in there.
Dave

[JimStein]

Thanks Dave, I am taking the train from Queens where I stay until the end of the month and then return to UK. My sac is swollen , but there is no pain. I am glad that I was able to take the catheter out. Hope I will be able to manage the pump.

[St1pan2019]

Glad you are in good spirits Jim and yeah taking that catheter out was so good and I had so much relief afterwards. I can feel my pump and and the release button but the pump bulb is so hard. I feel like I am going to slip and crush a nut.. scary! Also the skin on my sac was getting sore when pushing on bulb . I hope I will be able to move this bulb on my own as I have a weak grip due to my scleroderma condition. I was hoping in the beginning I could rest my sac on something hard like the bottom of the bath or the small end table beside the bed and then press down on the bulb until the bulb softens up and then I can do it normally with just my fingers. Time will tell but just glad I can feel it at least so early on after surgery. I will be in to see Eid on Monday morning as well for activation. Maybe we will run in to each other!

[JimStein]

St1pan, I will be at 9:00 to see the dr. Hope to make your aquintance. I was afraid to search for the pump. Left side of the sac is more sensitive so I said to wait for dr.'s instructions and it is to early anyway to mess with my nuts. Wait for dr.'s instructions, don't hurt yourself. We need time to heal and do it right.
Anyway, even partially inflated I feel like a superman...lol....imagine the confidence when I will have the first encounter; satisfaction guaranteed!
Now I am envious for the good time the brothers have it already...lol

[Dave52]

You guys need to be patient one of the things that I found at the very beginning of my situation was when I was in the bathtub was use the face cloth to hold the pump around my sac kept things from slipping out of hand it worked really well and once you’re sitting in the tub everything kind of relaxes and it’s easier to find the pump release valve, The first little while is really really stressful. But don’t worry as the weeks turn into months things get much better there’s a few other tips like rolling up two towels and put them in the V when you’re sitting in a chair so there’s no pressure on your sack trying to find the right kind of underwear I think I bought five different types some work for a week or two back to regular underwear now . The pump gets easier to use after while about two weeks in the dog years are going to start to bother you . But that lasts for about a week or two maybe three then you find the right amount of fluid to either leave in them or drain out takes practice . I wish you the best of luck if you want to PM me that’s fine .
Dave

[JimStein]

Thank you Dave, I'vs seen Dr. Eid this morning first time post- op. He showed me a model of the pump and I found the pump well behind the nuts. He deflated first and inflated again. He measured 15 cm compared to 14 1/2 before op. He said he made it longer. The sac hurt when he deflated and pumped, but I forgot to take any pain meds before the appointment. I was not able to deflate it. Doctor said to leave it deflated and keep it up on the belly, and to come back on Thursday. Since I do not have a bath tub to use, it is too dirty, I bought a heating pad as he suggested. Will see how it goes. I've asked him about the cilinders and he said he used 22 cm Coloplast Titan. Well, it is done now, I am waiting for the time to go by, to heal and learn how to pump and deflate. I am glad that I've made plan for longer stay being afraid that something will go wrong and I will get stuck in UK before getting help comming back.