Hi Stephanie,
A RC is a radical cystectomy is the removal of the bladder, lymph nodes and possibly the prostate or parts of the prostate. I did get a neobladder. It's been 3 weeks, I'm waiting to get my catherer out on the 28th and will enter the second stage of recovery. That is learning how to use my new bladder. I can't tell you how very important it is to have a surgeon that does hundreds of these operations a year. If your surgeon does less than 50 of these year I would highly recommend you find a surgeon with more experience. My fast recovery is completely contributed to the experience of Dr. Joseph Smith, Chairman of Urology at Vanderbilt Medical Center, in Nashville, TN. He was a pioneer in this operation. My surgery only took 3 hours and I was in the hospital for 6 days and feeling relatively normal in 12 days. Getting up and moving and walking the day after the surgery is very important even though your husband won't want to do it. Waking up the bowels is the key to getting out of the hospital and feeling normal. This is a very tough surgery, I'm 48 and was in ok physical shape prior. I don't know how old your husband is or what kind of physical condition he is in. I had bladder cancer for 12 years, the last 8 I was cancer free until this nasty tumor showed up. So it was time for it to go. Any other questions please ask as I'm more than willing to help any way I can. If his operation isn't until January he may want to start walking before the surgery. Remember walking is the key.
Tim