The Final Countdown
I know it's been a while since I've posted but there hasn't been much to say on this front for a bit. However, as I get closer to the surgery, I have a few things I can share.
First, I started the Cialis last week. My surgeon wants this to ensure maximum blood flow before the surgery so I started it 2 weeks before the scheduled surgery. No bad side effects but, I can say, I've noticed that they do work. I've never taken these sorts of pills before, but I have noticed a difference. Maybe I did have some prostate symptoms after all. But I have noticed longer erections since I started taking it. Of course, it could be a placebo effect, but I don't think so as I wasn't really expecting to notice any difference.
Today, I had some pre-surgery tests to make sure I can handle the anesthesia. Pretty standard stuff: vitals, blood, urine, and an EKG which I hadn't had before. The only interesting part about that was that it took longer to set up and tear down than to actually run the test. I had a dozen or so sensors stuck to me, then I don't think it was more than 2 minutes before they were removed. In any case, everything came back normal (like I said, before this I haven't had any real health issues). I get the battery of health questions and I give my standard line that I'm a very boring case outside of the cancer. The pharmacy tech came in to review my existing prescriptions and all I have is the Cialis for this procedure (and after). I do start a 3-day round of Bactrim (an antibiotic) before the surgery and I have standard wipes to use for pre-surgery sanitizing. I also have an energy drink that I'm supposed to take 3 hours before the surgery. It's basically carbs/electrolytes in case the surgery goes longer than expected (about 3 hours), especially since I will be on a clear liquid diet and doing bowel cleanse the day before.
Beyond that, I'm just trying to enjoy life and have a normal summer. The surgery is set for the morning of September 8 (next Friday) so now that my tests came back clean, I should be ready to go and, hopefully, take a big step towards being cured. But that's a ways away. In any case, I will post updates as I have them and feel up to it. As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or just want to talk about this stuff.
Please note: This blog is based on one man's experience and is for educational and support purposes only. Nothing in this blog should be considered medical advise. Always consult a physician to properly evaluate your particular health issues.