In reading your post I tried to go back to my feelings during my diagnosis, surgery, post surgery, etc.. It was absolutely an overwhelming process for me. My surgery was a few months out and it took me about a month or so to get to the grit your teeth mode (as I call it) and look at it like any other unpleasant thing you have to get through to get to the other side. I thinking of things like, boot camp, the police academy, difficult physical trainings etc..

I don't think I could have gotten there in 8 days. Hopefully you will be able to do that. The treatment has to be done, we all know that, after the healing things will be better on the other side. However, never likely quite the same. Like anything else it's a matter of perspective, looking at it from your side, it's of course very daunting. From the other side of the treatment you'll likely feel like the time with the cath and initial healing went pretty quickly. At least I did.

The first weeks after surgery there seems to be quite a range of reactions from folks here. In my case, having never had a catheter, it was weird and a little scary for the first couple days. Oddly enough, I got used to it pretty quickly. By the time they removed it, it was just a nuisance, again from the "glad that's over" when they take it out, you'll realize it wasn't all that horrible. Just follow the teams directions and stay in touch with them if you see feel anything you don't like or understand. I had a little dried blood come through that kind of freaked me out. It was normal it turns out. I suggest that you ask anyway though for the peace of mind. I sent some pretty weird photos through the medical portal....just sayin'.

I stayed home about two or three days as I remember, then started walking around the block and on from that to normal going about. I had a smallish leg bag that I could switch out for the big one you carry around. Within 4-5 days I was going about my business, stores, visiting friends etc.. Just slower and less than usual.

Post catheter, I was incontinent for the first weeks, mostly stress incontinence. I was okay unless I sneezed, coughed, laughed, bent over too quickly..., I had to be near a bathroom though and I wore smallish pads if I thought I'd be in a situation where I might not have a bathroom option. I did kegels like a maniac. Many here will suggest you try to get your med team to prescribe specialized PT for this. I wish I had done that, it'd given me the confidence that I was doing them correctly.

It took me about a month or so before the docs would clear me to the gym again, they are very concerned about the patients causing hernias by trying too much too quickly. I could workout pretty well initially just has to use the restroom a couple times during the sessions. The one thing I did have trouble getting back to was running, that one took a couple/few months as I remember, it turns out, it's a bit of a continence test for me. LOL

I also recall how the healing process is continual but slow for about a year or so, after the initial "getting back to life." I continued to feel better, heal if you will for at least a year, maybe even a little longer as nerves healed and maybe your body compensates for the changes.

Best of luck to you in your treatment and recovery. One of the things I discovered when I "told my story" was that there are a LOT of people who have gone through this, you're not alone and there's a world of knowledge out there for you to tap into. Game Face On!