Belated Surgery Update

First things first.  Today is my only Grandson's 5 birthday.  Happy Birthday Logan.  Come see Poppy.

It occurs to me that I haven't updated my post surgical status for some time.  No change that is really noticeable.  Incontinence was one of the issues that I was told I would have to deal with.  Anywhere from one week to 2 years was the time frame for that to be resolved.  Everyone is different so there is no way to put an accurate number on how long.  I have been reluctant to even mention this was a problem for me at all.  It is a problem for me.  There has been some improvement over the nearly 2.5 months since surgery.  I could point to the first couple weeks and say there is significant improvement from that time, but since then there is little change at all.  Although some days are better than others.  It has had the effect of some weird humor between Kim and I, or when a close friend asks how I'm doing, I just tell them pretty good, except for peeing on myself and everything.

I do have to work around this with almost everything I do.  From going places, to any strenuous exertion.  Time is a big factor also.  I must have facilities available at any moment so long stays out somewhere or drives can be problematic.  If I am sitting, I have almost no issues.  However, as soon as standing or walking is necessary there is a problem.  When you sit, it shuts everything off, almost normal.  Unfortunately I would be easily embarrassed if there was an accident in a public place.  There are work arounds but nothing is really convenient and public rest rooms for those work arounds really is the worst thing I can think of.  It's not to bad and I'm not complaining, just updating the status of how things are.

Late last week Kim and I were running a few quick errands.  I went to get out of the car at the first stop and I felt a quick sharp pain in my abdomen.  It was located exactly between two of the closest incisions.  Not real bad, it just got my attention a little.  I have had practically zero issues with the surgery/incisions from the time I awoke after the surgery to present.  I wondered what was going on with this latest for a bit and promptly returned to the errand at hand.  Getting back into the car it happened again.  Throughout the rest of our errands it began to happen more and more.  What is going on?  Later that afternoon I was just sore constantly in that area and started feeling around.  I felt a pronounced lump in the area where I felt the first pain.  Hmmmm, what is going on here?  I had Kim feel it.  I told her I was pretty sure there was no infection as I felt fine.  But it was sore to the touch now.  Since it was Friday and the doctors office would be closed soon, I asked her did she think we should give him a call.  I didn't want this thing to gradually worsen all weekend and not be able to contact the doctor.  I didn't want to over react either, which has put me in critical situations before.  One trip to the ER already was enough.  Uncharacteristically, she had no real answer, telling me I was the only one that could decide whether to call or not.  I thought she ALWAYS told me what to do lol.  Yeah, I know she is right, but not really what I was expecting.  I decided it wasn't bad enough to worry about and just deal with whatever happens.  It turned out that it was better by the next day and by Sunday the lump and nearly disappeared.   I am guessing that there must have been some sort of adhesion that probably tore loose and got swollen between the incisions.  There is still a slight lump but I have to really search for it now.  All is good at this point.  I just didn't expect there to be an incision issue this long after surgery.  I will probably forget all about this by the time I have to go for my next follow up in April.

Just don't get in front of me when I am making a run from the car to the house or wherever.  

Happy Trails