Living alone, how long after getting RP can I be on my own?

That kind of feels like an insult but I'm not sure.

I did NOT have an easy recovery but I didn't need two weeks for it either. I'm still recovering but I stopped needing someone to assist after a few days, I was able to do it myself. I'm 54, in good health and spent 4 months preparing for this recovery so maybe I was back in the mix sooner than some but I don't look down my nose at people who need longer to convalesce.

And I won't be riding my bike until late summer, as per doctors recommendations - although I got a new seat that has no perineum nose on it so that I could try anyway.

Not at all. Sorry.
You're just doing so much better than some of us.

Which is why I'm going to try to stick around, it was really hard to find success stories but really easy to find the absolute worst stories.

I'm blessed on so many fronts that I'm losing count and I believe in paying it forward.

You have no idea how terrible I feel for those that didn't fare as well as me. I have a support group I attend and I didn't even want to relay my story when asked because all but one were dealing with recurrences and terrible side effects and really horrible quality of life and, truthfully, I broke down in tears telling my story because my heart goes out to everyone dealing with this horrible disease and the bravery of all that make it day to day is admirable.

HAdn't thought of getting second opinions from Mayo or others. That is certainly a good thought. I'll look into that.

Just got a nice Trek DS3 bike this past year. It's awesome, hoping I'll be able to use it this season whether or not I get surgery or radiation. Might has your opinion on seats when it comes to that.

It’s not surgery, it’s radiation. The way it works is that it damages the cells and over time they die out. Almost everyone can drive home.

I don’t know what they/you mean by conventional treatment. Radiation is conventional treatment. Are they doing more than one type of radiation?

You could get a second opinion from someone like Mark Scholz in Marina del Rey, California. He charges about $500 for a second opinion. You can see him on YouTube giving the most of the PCRI conference intros and some great talks. Another center of excellence like recommended by @survivor5280 would also be good.

Yes, they directly insert a highly radioactive material briefly into the prostate then remove it during a single surgery. He used the words "intense radiation". Might be HDR brachytherapy I saw on the web. After that, traditional radiation is done, so yes there are a few different types of radiation.
I'm working on getting a second opinion with the Mayo Clinic in Florida at the suggestion of one of the people here helping me out. I think it was survivor.
This all sucks what we are going through.
I'll look for information on Scholz.
Thanks

I had RARP done at 68. As I am my wife's caretaker, I pretty much was looking after myself the night I arrived home afterwards. It wasn't that big a deal for me.

Hey bonanza, I just finished radiation therapy at Sloan in Commack and met a few men who had what you are having - HDR brachytherapy.
First the seeds are placed - something like an hour - and then they are removed. Two weeks later you have 5 sessions of SBRT (intense radiation to the gland only) or 25-39 sessions of IGRT to the prostate bed and pelvic nodes if your PET showed areas outside of the gland.
They all seemed to do reasonably well except for a bit of fatigue. You don’t mention hormones (ADT) but all of those men were on ORGOVYX.
If you live in NYC, transit options are many so no worries there. If you’ll be commuting it still shouldn’t be an issue - although my wife insisted on driving me.
Sloan Kettering is one of the top 5 in the country (#2 according to most recent stats) so you are in excellent hands. I chose them an hour away over NY Blood and Cancer 5 minutes from my house because their treatment protocol was more inclusive.
As far as surgery is concerned, Sloan must feel that this is not a better option for you because of your PET. Best of luck and rest assured that you will be well taken care of!
Phil

In regard to food you want stuff that will pass easily after RP. No straining for bowel movements for a couple of weeks as you heal. Take a book or tablet with you and expect to spend some time on the can allowing gravity to do its job. You'll feel gut shot after RP and learn to do the roll out of the bed move. It lasts a couple of weeks and is obvious when you actually start healing. I kept a 5 gallon bucket by my bed to empty my cath at night rather than getting out of bed. Had the cath for a week. I was on my mountain bike after 4.5 weeks on the easy trails. Best wishes on your journey.