As the wife of one who is scheduled for robotic prostate surgery in a few weeks, I would welcome advice , information and insights regarding how to best care for and help my husband.
What should I expect in how much I should or should not do?
Correspondence from wives who have "been there " would be great.
Thanks
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I am in exactly the same situation and would also appreciate advice on taking care of him and me.
The main points:
1. Show your caring attitude/ affection and assistance when he wants it...The first day he must get up and walk...make sure to be at his side for the walks...
2. Physically he will be tired, weak for a few days after surgery.
3. The catheter is a real pain and has to be cleaned every day...I was doing this for him but after 2 days ...he wanted to take care of it himself. The catheter was taken out after 2 weeks.
3.VERY IMPORTANT: THREE DAYS AFTER SURGERY , MY HUSBAND CAME DOWN WITH SEVERE CHEST PAINS...SO MUCH SO THAT WE CALLEDTHE EMS.
HE SPENT THE NEXT 2 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL AND HAD BATTERIES OF TESTS TO DETERMINE CAUSE..HEART ATTACK? GALL BLATTER? ETC ETC.
WE WERE NOT IN THE TOWN WHERE THE ROBOTIC SURGERY WAS PERFORMED...SO THE ADMITTING DOCTOR HAD TO TRACK DOWN THE ROBOTIC DOCTOR...
LONG STORY SHORT...ROBOTIC SURGERY REQUIRES THAT THE STOMACH / SuRROUNDING ORGANS ARE MOVED BY BURSTS OF AIR pumped INTO THE AREA...The excruciating pain was the result of the gases that did not disappate...if only the Doctor had told us about that side effect , it would have saved us much heartache and fear...riding in the ambulance was not fun. The attending physisician at the hospital delivered this news after two days of futile testing and finally a conversation with the prostate doctor.
I did the driving for 2 days ...
The urine leakage requires pads.
Thank you so much for these insights- especially the chest pains. As and if you think of other things you'd like to share all will be appreciated. We just got our surgery date- two week? Are there any special thing we should make sure we have in the house? If you are too busy to answer - no worries. Thanks so much and best to you and yours
Kathy