Dr. Tewari, of the Dept. of Urology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, shares both clinical and psychological dimensions of recovery and healing.

Actually the first morning is very important because by that time we know exactly how the patient is going to do down the road. The pain is the most in the first twenty-four hours, so the patient has to, kind of, go beyond that pain and be able to get out of bed and walk. I kind of insist that they should get out of bed and be walking two to three miles before they leave the hospital. I've even counted how many rounds they have to do on the floor to be equal to two or three miles. I really believe that walking early helps them get their bowel function back, pain medication requirements low, and they definitely lower their risk of blood clots in the legs. The second thing we want to know is that the scars and everything are healing, his catheter is (unknown), he is not in undue pain. And once we make sure, and evaluate that, then we, kind of, begin making arrangements for him going home or going to the hotel.