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| That's me - supervising |
At this point I was still wearing both catheters and the collection bags. I really couldn't wait to get rid of them. What I failed to realize was the fact that these collection bags are MUCH larger than the neo-bladder. And after loosing the bags (the following day) the amount of time I could be away from a bathroom had been drastically reduced.
Limited range:
So, three weeks after surgery (Monday, 6 December 2010) I am finally using the neo-bladder. I can do pretty much anything I ever could except now I have to stop every hour or so and pee. I am assured that this will improve as the new bladder stretches and I develop muscles, I haven't used for a while, to gain better control. After a few days of working with this thing I am mainly sore.
Like a baby:
After removing the catheter (Foley), the doctor sent me home with a list of instructions and a male maxi-pad. I had no idea what to expect but he assured me that I would have little, if any, control to start with. And he was right. I am still in awe at what I have going on inside of me and I can't wait to get started at figuring this thing out.
So, it's back to basics. How do I know when I need to pee? I feel a little leak (this new bladder has no nerves to tell me when it's full). So when I feel a little leak, I run to the bathroom, sit down, lean forward and relax. Some pee runs out (there are no muscles in this new bladder help this drainage). So I try some of the other abdominal muscles and find a way to push some more out - a little bit at a time. The doctor also showed me how to push on my stomach with the ball of my hand, starting at my belly button and sliding down to my pelvis. Of course this is right over my stitches (healed now but still a little sensitive to this sort of thing). So after a minute or so of this, nothing more seems to be coming out. Before getting up the doctor wants me to unplug the SPC (Supra-Pelvic-Catheter) and measure how much - if any - runs out. This is a test for how well I did at evacuating the neo-bladder. He's hoping for less than 100 cc's. I am far below that (maybe 10 cc's ) so I've done well.
Now I go about my business and wait for another 'sign'. It takes about an hour (a little longer if I'm sitting down) and then back to the bathroom for another round. I don't have much control over stopping these leaks but I seem to be able to control the flow to the point where it doesn't start running out until I sit on the toilet and consciously relax. I believe this control comes from the muscles I have been building up with the kegels (which I am now doing in ernest).
After the first full day of this hourly exercise, I am pretty tired of it all and my muscles, and stitches, are pretty sore. Thank goodness for the SPC that I can connect to the bag and let that collect the pee for the night. I get no leakage during the night - as long as that catheter doesn't plug.
The second day goes better and it seems like it is taking more like 2 hours between leaks (average 1.5 hrs. ). It also seems like I'm going more so I'm thinking the new bladder is beginning to stretch a little. My muscles down there are still stiff and sore so I lighten up a little on the kegels.
At the end of the first week I'm still at around 2 hours but I'm getting a little better at holding and at releasing. I'm still very grateful for the night reprieve (the 'overnight bag') and the maxi-pads stay pretty much dry during the day.
Saturday morning, Jordan and I went to see "Harry Potter; The Deathly Hallows Part I" and I almost made it through the whole movie (would have if they hadn't shown 20 minutes of trailers). Then Debi and I went to the neighbors holiday party and I had a couple tasty beers. So I'm getting used to going out and gaining more confidence in my ability to control this new stuff.
Next challenge will be removing the SPC and having to make it through the night. Do I see Depends in my future?
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