Cleared for Take-off!

[rglassva]

Went to see Dr. McCammon this morning (12 weeks out from surgery) and finally got activated (although I'd been practicing a little over the last couple of weeks and yes, I told him) - he pumped me up some - definitely not completely - then told me to practice a bit while he left the room - didn't want me to leave without trying both inflate/deflate. So I did, he came back and set me free! Still a bit of numbness on the underside where the incision was done (had to split me from just under the glans down the center - still a bit of swelling around the pump and the testicle on that side is still "in hiding" but I'm done for now - go back in 3 months, although he said if all is good and I had no real reason to see him, I could cancel - he's 100 miles away.
I have no ideas that my little nubbin - flaccid or hard - will ever be involved in any intercourse or penetration but if nothing else, I am VERY looking forward to an orgasm with some wood - it'll be the first "o" in over 12 weeks and the first EVER with an erection. . . . you guys will probably all hear when it happens - literally!
Now to work out payment arrangements - my insurance would not cover any of it - total bill for the operating room and the hospital was $64,000. I understand I get a 30% discount for being self-pay and doc is gonna talk to some folks and see if he can get any costs lowered but . . . it is what it is. . .
Happy to answer any questions anyone has - I'll even e-mail you some pics of the "nubbin" during the healing process - just not quite comfortable posting 'em on here. . .sorry. Send me a private message or post one here.
Rick

[jonbaldbg]

Hospitals and doctors will definitely give discounts for self-pay and often you can negotiate with them based on what they would have gotten from the insurance company as your benchmark. Hope all goes well for you.

[Limpy2016]

Congrats Rick, 12 weeks for 1st time cycling.. wow, im hoping mine will be sooner, im only at 3 weeks post op, i saw you mention
the numbness, i have some numbness as well right up the bottom of shaft, in the middle between the 2 cylinders, did your doctor say the numbness will go away eventually?? im going to find out from my doctor tomorrow on my 1st follow-up since surgery,
im sorry to hear you had such a high bill, but i guess you went in with your eyes wide open, my insurance covered all of mine except for 10% but ive already met my out - of - pocket for the year, so my bill was very low, ,
glad to know all went well
Limpy2016 aka David

[rglassva]

Hey Limpy David (not anymore!) - I had called the hospital estimate line before surgery and gave them all the codes the doc gave me - from that, the estimate was $31K-$42K depending on how much he had to do - guess he ended up having to do a LOT - which I kinda expected - just didn't expect $22k more than the high end of the estimate.
I had a nasty scab/sore that showed up on the top/most of my glans - after it turned black and finally came off, the glans was pretty raw and very sore. I went back to doc at 8 weeks (the sore was mostly healed then) and he didn't wanna try to inflate me then for fear of putting too much pressure on the glans and making things worse. . . so I healed up for 4 more weeks.
Yes, he said the numbness from the incision will continue to subside over time. . .
Glad to hear you're healing well - good luck on your post op visit!

Rick

[jonbaldbg]

Congrats Rick, 12 weeks for 1st time cycling.. wow, im hoping mine will be sooner, im only at 3 weeks post op, i saw you mention
the numbness, i have some numbness as well right up the bottom of shaft, in the middle between the 2 cylinders, did your doctor say the numbness will go away eventually?? im going to find out from my doctor tomorrow on my 1st follow-up since surgery,
im sorry to hear you had such a high bill, but i guess you went in with your eyes wide open, my insurance covered all of mine except for 10% but ive already met my out - of - pocket for the year, so my bill was very low, ,
glad to know all went well
Limpy2016 aka David

Hey Limpy,

I think 12 weeks is an unusually long time to wait for cycling. Everyone is different and everyone's situation is different. I am sure Rick's doctor had a reason for that. I just activated at slightly past 4 weeks and Dr. Kramer said to go ahead and use it. That was good news because I thought I'd be waiting for the 8-week point. I don't have any numbness and my sensitivity is all there (I tested it out solo this morning), but I am still sore and I know that will take a while to go away. I also am hoping to gain some length back, which I'm told takes a while. My insurance too covered most of it because I'd met my out-of-pocket for the year.

[Limpy2016]

Oh i see Rick, i hadn't read any of your previous posts so i wasn't aware of the issues in regards to the scab in gland area, now i do,
and i appologize for just concluding you had a longer than normal recovery , and thanks for letting me know, about the numbness, i was
a bit concerned, if it was usual, or something to worry about... , trying to be optomistic as possible, and i too hope my numbness will subside, its not totally numb, my head, has full feeling, just that bottom of shaft i mentioned before, .. i guess like all of us... going for
in my case 3 weeks so far, you 12 weeks, and jonbaldbg 4 weeks now, thats a long time without unloading... and that in itself has to put unwanted sensations/stress on the body... i know it does for me anyway.. looking forward to finally blowing my 1st load after such a long wait.. ( i still probably have 3 more weeks to wait), and was told, or read that it might not be the most comfortable feeling in comparison to what we are used to .. because of all the trauma the privates have experienced... so.. thats just another concern of mine as well...

thanks for the imput
not so "Limpy2016" anymore
David

[Bionic_by_AMS]

rglassva,
Sorry to see you were not covered by insurance ... looking at one of your other posts you stated you had a two night stay. That's why your bill was so high ... usually a URO will decide if you are an outpatient (in and out the same day) or overnight.

I was a outpatient and the bill was $20,000 (Insurance paid) ... hopefully they will cut you some slack in your bill ...

[rglassva]

So doc set me free but didn't really give me any instructions on "practicing" - I've read on here where several of you were told to cycle once or twice a day? Leave the guy pumped up for an hour or two or three? I'd appreciate any advice in that department if anyone is willing to share. . . .
Thanks.

R

[Bionic_by_AMS]

rglassva,
Pump until you reach the uncomfortable stage ... then wait a while then add a few pumps. Repeat as needed ... yes you can go 1 hr. in the AM and 1 hr. in the PM ... it take 6 months to achieve max results.

[jonbaldbg]

I'm not sure I can handle and hour each morning and evening. I may have to stick with 15-minute sessions. I'm sure longer sessions wouldn't hurt anything. I mentioned that to my doctor and he liked that.