I’m 77 and I’ve had bladder prolapse for at least 12 years. I had corrective surgery in 2016 and it was a disaster. At the time, it was grade 2-3.

Five days before my scheduled surgery, I went to the ER because I was experiencing all the symptoms of a UTI.

I provided a sample and they confirmed a UTI because my urine was cloudy. They did not culture it. They put me on oral antibiotics and assured me that I would be flushed with antibiotics during surgery.

The surgery was through the military system and conducted at a very large military hospital by a supposedly qualified URO/GYN. I elected to have the abdominal repair because the vaginal repair had a far worse long term failure rate.

When I was under anesthetic and the surgeon had begun, the doctor elected to perform a vaginal repair, in spite of my wishes, because she encountered adhesions. Evidently her time was more valuable than respecting my choice.

I spent one night in the hospital and was then sent home still catheterized. I was in excruciating pain from the UTI, even just from emptying the catheter bag.

A few days later my husband took me back to the ER because I clearly still had a massive UTI. This time they cultured it and it turned out the I had pseudomonas. Pseudomonas is a potentially deadly hospital-born infection which was probably introduced by a CNA who cathed me for a urine retention test the week before my scheduled surgery.

Eleven months after the vaginal repair, it failed. The prolapse returned and it was then a grade 4. I was left in a much worse situation than I was before the surgery.

Flash forward to yesterday when I underwent a Colpocleisis surgery, which pushes the bladder back into place, secured and the vagina closed to prevent a prolapse recurrence. (I’m 77 and I’m just fine with no vaginal intercourse).

This was just yesterday, so I’m in the worst phase of healing, but if you’re patient and have questions I’ll do my best to provide helpful answers.