The surgeon and physiotherapist are both very pleased with my mobility and have told me that things appear normal. Sometimes a pre-existing condition such as respiratory problems make pre op medication riskier and is not recommended. This is something you'd rather avoid. Demand adequate medication, be your own best advocate. Those are good survivor tactics.
Unrelieved pain has enormous physiological and psychological effects on patients.
The Joint Commission believes the effective management of pain is a crucial component of good care. I hope that this story helps even just one person avoid the pitfalls I myself fell into. Then I could better understand the need for this to have happened. Complete resource for bladder cancer with input and information from patients, created by Wendy Sheridan.