71 yo, RALP in January, overnight stay in hospital, catheter for 8 days. Gleason 4+3, cancer contained. I had a 30 minute drive home, so a hotel stay wasn’t necessary.

Based on my experience, if I faced your decision, I would drive home. An overnight stay in a hotel will not make a noticeable difference in your upcoming catheterization experience, other than perhaps being better rested.

As long as you are able to stop periodically and change or empty the bag you’ll be using, you should be fine. I found that I needed to change/empty my leg bag every 1 to 2 hours, and I had an absorbent pad on the car seat ( which wasn’t really needed). An overnight bag might last the entire trip.

I was most comfortable in a slight reclining position, and slept each night on an overstuffed chair with my feet resting on an ottoman until the catheter was removed.

10 months out from the surgery, and my recovery is progressing very well. PSA remains undetectable, continence has returned, and ED is slowly disappearing.

Get a spare leg bag with straps if the hospital doesn’t give you one. It’s nice to have a spare, dry set of straps after a shower.

Good luck with your upcoming surgery - read Dr. Patrick Walsh’s book (Surviving Prostate Cancer) if you haven’t already. I found that it provided more helpful information than I was given by my urologist and team.

Jim

It took me 7 days in the hospital and 2 weeks at home with my wife doing everything for me. It tore me up good so one night and a recliner. That is going to be very, very hard on him.