Male cat with urinary blockage, heavy bladder sludge, catheter blocked within hours, vet recommends possible PU surgery. Looking for advice.

I’m really scared and would really appreciate any advice or experiences from people who have gone through something similar.

I’m 20F from India. My 1 1/2 year-old neutered Persian male cat (4 kg) was diagnosed with a urinary blockage. He was repeatedly going to the litter box, trying to urinate but couldn’t pass any urine.
The vet did an ultrasound and all his organs, blood work were normal. Initially found his bladder was empty but there was sludge. Later, he became completely blocked, so they catheterized him under anesthesia and drained his bladder.
When they flushed his bladder, there was a very large amount of sludge swirling around (the vet described it as severe, and I saw it myself). They left a urinary catheter in place, but within a few hours the catheter itself became blocked with debris.
He’s now admitted to the hospital. The current plan is to keep the catheter in for 3-5 days, drain/flush the bladder regularly, and see if he can recover. If he continues to block after that, the vet is recommending a perineal urethrostomy (PU).

Has anyone gone through something similar with their cat? Did your cat recover with catheterization alone, or did they eventually need PU surgery?
If they had PU surgery, how was the recovery and long-term quality of life?
I’m following my veterinarian’s recommendations and won’t make decisions based only on internet advice. I’m mainly looking to hear about other owners’ experiences while I wait and hope for the best. I’m a student, trying my best to afford all of this.