Blood in Urine and Other Issues After Prostate Surgery

I remember having to contact my father’s urologist to confirm his appointment for the next day's check-up. It had been 7 weeks since he had prostate surgery. He was at home recovering, and this would be his second visit to check on his progress. The doctor informed him that he should recover by the sixth or seventh week following surgery. He told me he was feeling strange. I wasn’t sure what that meant.

Blood in his urine after surgery

I wouldn’t let my father talk to doctors without me being present. I know he may have wanted to say things in private, but I wasn’t having it. On this day he told the doctor that he had blood in his urine, and the color had changed. The blood wasn’t there during the first few days after surgery.

The urologist urged him not to worry about the weird happenings, saying many people have exhibited them and still healed fine. But for me, my anxiety was high, and I needed clarification to relax my mind.

How long it lasted

The bright side was that he no longer felt bloated, and the pain during urination had subsided. He also said that he was using the bathroom less frequently. I was hoping that he was on the right track to recovery, despite the color of his urine and the blood in it.

The blood in his urine only lasted for a few weeks thankfully. They watched him closely because he had been a smoker and was "considered" elderly. I can recall them telling him not to take aspirin. He didn't have to take any treatment.

Recovering from surgery

After the surgery, he didn’t do much but anything in the house. The first few days after surgery were the most challenging, as he was on a liquid diet until he could pass gas. He was able to eat a good meal after that.

He was not happy about having a catheter for the first week. He said it was unpleasant. The leaking and moving it about was difficult, but after 6 days, it was removed.

In the beginning, he had to wear adult diaper pants because he wasn’t supposed to wear anything that could put pressure on his body. A broth is still his nourishment, but he avoids coffee and other caffeine as advised by his urologist.

Why he chose that treatment

You know I didn’t even know much about what prostate cancer was initially. I learned more after my father's journey began. He had started to have trouble emptying his bladder and pain while passing urine.

He said that he dismissed these symptoms until they got worse. But as the pain persisted, he decided to see his primary doctor, who referred him to a urologist. The PSA test was performed, and it revealed that his PSA was 8, from what I recall.

Of the several treatment choices available, surgery was the best option for him. After a few days of preparing, he was ready for surgery, which lasted about three hours. He spent a day in the hospital for observation before being released the next day to go home.

Looking toward the future

As we look down the road, hopefully nothing else will happen. He has been doing very well since this happened to him and is looking forward to the future.

We are all in this together.