I had my prostate removed by Da Vinci in April 2015. I was also 70yrs in April as well. From January I trained fairly hard, running off road, 3 - 5 miles a day working on the principle that if I was fit(ish) the op would be easier to take on. No idea if this made any difference but it kept my mind occupied. I was in hospital for three days, no real problems except I had to sleep on the most uncomforable mattress in the world!!!
My catheter was in for 14 days which seemed a lifetime! On the fifth day after discharge I decided to start a daily three mile daily hike in my favourite wood. A five mile drive to the wood with a catheter in wasn't much fun but I soon learned how to manage it.
When the catheter came out the nurse gave me a load of free samples, including some pads. That night I wore one and then wet the bed, my one and only time. I really hated those pads!
At first I had to wear a urine bag but I noticed day by day on each walk I was improving. I soon gave up the bags and tried the pads again. When they ran out (I hated them but did not want to waste them) I improvised and made myself some 'penis cradles' from some cheap incontinence sheets. I just cut little oblongs of 3" x 2", folded them longways and sellotaped one end and carried a few of these in my pocket. After I wee'd I just placed my penis in one of these and they were held in place by my underwear. They worked a treat!
I was improving all the time and soon, except for odd occasions, stopped using them. I decided to stop being a patient on 1st June and to resume normal life. On June 2nd I caught the train to Chepstow and walked and camped along Offas Dyke Path for 108 miles (7 days) just to prove to myself I was OK. I was fine except for one small problem. On steeper downhill sections I found that the jarring and the quick movements to steady myself had the effect of making me drip small amount of urine into my underwear. A real irritation!
I quickly bought some new underwear in Monmouth and threw the soiled one in a bin and bought some cheap ladies sanitary towels as well. I cut each pad into three and used one on an as and when I needed basis. This solved my problem until I returned home.
I have since realised that this problem has stayed with me and is the last difficulty for me to overcome. I do not know if I will ever become 100% continent again so I still use my little cradles to keep it well under control. Like today for example, I was in control and peeing normally until at about 13.30hrs, then in an unguarded moment I sneezed and bingo, a small amount of urine passed through. I then had to quickly find a toilet to wee properly.
Luckingly I was only two miles from home so was quickly able to nip home, have a shower and change. This little incident reminds me that I always have to be ready for the odd 'accident' so will start from tomorrow to keep a few of my 'cradles' in my pocket each time I go out.