It is most certainly good to be at home. The Seton staff were excellent and my stay there was better than I expected, but there’s no place like home.
I’m not really in a lot of pain. I’m taking my pain medication (generic vicodin) about 1 per 6 hours, sometimes less.
Got in 2 walks today and think I’ll get a routine of 3 walks a day going tomorrow. I sleep well, but the down side is I’m stiff as a board in the morning or if I sit for a couple of hours or more at a time.
Thanks for you love,
Don
At 6:53 PM -0800 1/28/06, someone asked:
>Hey Don-
>Im glad you are home! I bet its much better to be at home than at the hospital.
>I hope you continue to recover well. Is your pain real bad?
>love you
Post operative biopsy:
1) No Cancer in Lymph nodes.
2) No Cancer beyond margin (where surgeon cut).
3) There is one area of concern, which means a small chance of finding Cancer in the future.
We will track this closely with PSA screenings starting in about 6 weeks. If Cancer is going to show-up it should appear within 2 years.
My near term focus is to manage the recovery and regain normal function enough to drive and return to work.
I have an appointment with my Doctor next week to remove the staples and the week after to remove the catheter.
fyi,
dws.
Just saw the Doctor and he said I can go home !!!
More news tonight after I get settled.
dws.
This is just an effort to record my experience as I recall it. Appreciation for prayers & love from friends, family and pastors will follow.
I reported for pre-op at 5:30, very easy to find parking at that hour.
Gave blood for typing and screening, listened to a couple more horror stories about hospitals from dear friends & family (note for future … don’t do that).
Then chatted with the Doc, agreed on a plan about 7:45 and dozed off about 8.
Prep and surgery lasted from about 8:00 to 11:00 and recovery from about 11:00 to 14:00. I was in my room about 14:00.
According to Jo Ann, the Doc said visually things look good. He could see the nerve bundles clearly and feels they were spared. No visual evidence of cancer outside the prostate. We should have biopsies of the prostate and lymph nodes nearest the prostate Friday.
I’m feeling good and I was very happy to see faces of family & friends as I was wheeled up to my room.
Monday evening I sat up on the side of my bed and then stood beside the bed with the care of Jo Ann and a nurse. I slept very well Monday night without aid of morphine from 11:40 to about 5:30 and then dozed from 5:30 to 7:00 trying to give Jo Ann as much opportunity for sleep as possible – bless her heart.
Tuesday I managed to walk up and down the hall on my own 2-3 times and enjoyed many wonderful and uplifting visits from friends, family & pastors starting about 7 AM and until sending Jo & Abbi home about 9:00.
Tuesday night I fell asleep about 11:00 and slept like a baby till about 5:30, not even waking fully for each check by the nurses.
Today I feel even better than yesterday, writing this standing beside my bed Wednesday morning about 9:00 and hope to be home this evening … if everything ‘goes’ well.
Thank you all for your prayers, love and care.
dws.
The message below to my kids & wife was written at 1:00 AM, Monday, January 23, 2006 … about 6.5 hours before surgery to remove my cancerous prostate.
At that time I was truly frightened and not sure at all I’d see my kids again. Looking back on that time is a lot easier than looking forward was.
The point was not being optimistic vs pessimistic. Neither was it about predicting or expecting the worst. It was all about facing a moment and accepting that the worst could happen and I might not see my kids or my wife again after this final goodbye.
And yet, this moment was complicated by the fact that I didn’t want to frighten them prior to the surgery.
Now we get to celebrate that this wasn’t my final goodbye!
Here I sit,
Listening to Darden Smith, Field of Crows
Loving the feeling that music brings
Wondering what tomorrow brings
Frightened
Wishing I’d said so much more
Ben, Conner & Abbi,
Celebrate what yesterday gave … eagerly seek what tomorrow offers.
I hope I didn’t asked too much of you.
I hope I asked enough.
Always … always … always be true.
Practice what you know.
Trust your hunger to know more.
Let others teach you.
Never give up.
Always treasure your gifts.
Love others, as you would have them love you.
Listen to your mother, and grasp for all she offers.
Trust your heart.
Practice listening & watching for God.
Life is hard … and will never be fair.
Savor the Sweet … and the Bitter.
Was Gonna, Could’ve, Should’ve … are not thoughts that count.
Master learning … and practice it the rest of your life.
Jo,
Thank you for loving me, staying with me, holding me, accepting, pushing, lifting, loving me, caring for me, giving all, accepting all I offered, birthing and mothering our beautiful children.
Here I sit,
Loving the feeling that love brings
Wondering what tomorrow brings
Hopeful
Wishing I’d listened so much more
Wishing I’d written more
Love,
dws.
Friends,
You have a place at the table of my soul.
Thank you
for
loving me
correcting me
questioning me
supporting me with gifts seen and not seen
letting me give to you
picking me up
teaching me
carrying me
praying for me
holding me
loving me
Thank you
dws.
my road 