2 months later -- doing o.k.

Hope you continue to make a good recovery after your initial setbacks!
Watch out for UTI's most people suffer them after RC. Just remember that you had a major surgery and you need to rest and recover; you will regain your stamina levels soon.

I felt the need to reply as it was only 4 months for me. I feel as though I had the same experience, but not to worry, they seem to work themselves out. My post op problem was a huge spike in temp about 1 month out (103.7) Stomach problems and bathroom adventures seemed to takeover my life. I became adept at getting out of boring conversation by blaming nature calls. They still come without warning and are quite violent.
Your stamina will return. Mine started at 0 (My wife accused the surgeon of removing my cute ass during the procedure ) and my legs were reduced to sticks. I started going to the Y at weird hours, so no one was around, and started on the treadmill. At first I was toast after 10 minutes, but with regular visits (4 times a week)I can now do 30 minutes on the eliptical machine and do a rotation on the machines.(very little weight mind you)
Appetite is coming back BIG time, though, with workouts. So I have to watch myself or I will explode. Still no ass though.
Please keep up the good work and focus on the future. If you know it will get better, it will. My minister came over for a visit a while ago and said "Did you ever think you would recover this good when you were in the hospital?" My answer was "Hell YES! That was the plan all along!" I am going to apologise someday for my arrogance. And my misspellings.
Enjoy the progress and push it when you can. Always find humor in everyday happenings, as you already have, and never,NEVER give in to the naysayers who try to pull you back.

thanks margot and harry - the sudden onset of my intestinal pain really kind of freaked me out -- but i've been doing ok since so i'm keeping my fingers crossed - your right about benefiber - just one of those things that makes life little easier -- thanks again -- rob

So glad to hear that things are going well for you and that no chemo is needed. That is great news. My husband, Harry can relate to the intestinal problems you had after the surgery...he also experienced that and lived on ice chips and a PICC nutritional drip for over a week until his insides calmed down and cooperated enough to put food down there again! He also lived on stool softeners a while before we tried Benefiber, which has worked wonders! Your energy levels will return...slowly at first...but just take it a day at a time and don't get discouraged. Best wishes for a full recovery. Margot and Harry

i know -- i know -- it's been 2 months but here's a re-cap
i had surgery 8/22 -- bladder/uterus/ovaries/a bunch of lymph nodes/and a partridge in a pear tree removed and a indiana pouch for a replacement bladder -- found out 5 days after surgery that the cancer had not spread anywhere so no chemo etc. -- recovery was o.k. -- my only real problem was i kept throwing up stomach acid so my throat/hands and face were burned (eeeesh) plus i thew up on on a beautiful flower arrangement that had been just been delivered so they were ruined - oh well -- came home after nine days and boy i was one happy gal !!!!! my husband mark is an angel and melodie you are a saint -- (i just don't how i will ever be able to thank you enough) --- fast forward 5 weeks and i was back in the hospital with some sort of intestinal problem - scan's etc. didn't show anything so my doctor kept me there for 5 days to let my intestines "rest" -- i did have a uti however which i find disconcerting as i didn't have a temperature -- since then i've been doing pretty good - some days i even have enough energy to look at my dirty bathroom and shut the door !!! i'm one very lucky person however to have found this site and melodie (and ginger - and cynthia - and etc.) thank all of you soooooo much rob