Progress and problems

As these blog posts are intended for anyone facing a glansectomy I felt it appropriate to show an image of the area of my leg from where the skin graft was taken. This was taken, at home, on the 17th May - my operation was on 1st. Thus I no longer had need of dressings, and healing was going well. The size of this is 4.5 cm x 9cm.

As I write on 28th May I have to say that I need to conatct the hospital tomorrow as the actual graft, which replaced my glans, has not been 100% successful. (My actual follow-up appointment is not for two weeks) I could see patches of darkened flesh when I left hospital and these eventually shrivelled up and peeled away. Underneath is a area covered with a yellow 'pus' like substance; it is not bleeding. I can see where the edge of the graft has taken but I do not think the flesh will grow back where it has come away. I am talking of an area the size of a 5p piece.

This is all rather annoying but was always possible. I just hope they don't have to repeat the whole operation. I will let you know.

Glansectomy Update

I had my operation on 1st May. I arrived at 0715 an heard I was on first. At 0905 I was wheeled down to theatre and by 0920 I was out of it. I came round at 1315 in recovery to be told that the operation had lasted 2 and a half hours: I had absorbed quite a lot of anaesthetic (I discovered) which was why I was so tired for several days, but I was certainly not 'zonked' as used to be the case 25 years ago if I was put out. It turns out that they had had a tea break in the middle of the operation because somebody had not turned up to do the frozen section and needed to get in a taxi to get from the Leicester Royal Infirmary to the General Hospital.

I was on bed rest for 24 hours after which I could get about a little but was not anxious to go very far. This improved. I was in not pain at all from the operation itself. The skin graft donor site has been sore until now, on an doff, but this is normal and healing had gone well.

I was allowed home on Friday 4th and I took things gently. The catheter was removed in Friday 11th for which I drove myself to Leicester. I have been for some short walks down to the shops but I am not ready to go back to work; luckily I am signed off until 28th.

For anyone facing a glansectomy I hope all this has been reassuring. I keep saying "so far, so good" as I have not had the histology results yet. I suppose I feel oddly 'lucky' to have had surgery in the same area before. Possibly going from normality to the lack of a glans might be a sudden bodily change needing more adjustment.

It is amazing how the body heals and how the surgeon can repair things which have gone wrong. I am looking forward to getting on with my life - once I have had a bath!

(Not checked for typos)