Surgery and The Hospital Stay

I chose surgery, a radical prostatectomy, where a large, single incision is made in the lower abdomen. The goal is to remove the entire prostate gland, the seminal vesicles and sometimes surrounding lymph nodes. When I woke up after surgery, they were removed. Thankfully.

I was in the hospital for eight days. I don't remember much the first few days because I was in pain and heavily medicated. I woke up with two catheters - one in my penis and another exiting my abdomen.

I didn't see the surgeon the day after surgery. Lying in that hospital bed and not fully understanding the outcome was frustrating. I wanted clarity. I wanted to know:

Did they get it all?

What happens now?

What does this mean for my life?

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