Let's Have a Hernia Repair Operation - Step 4 Part 1

Why should you read this? Who should read this?

This post is going to provide some info about what it is like the day of surgery and is primarily for the novice surgery patient who, like me, had little experience with hospitals, doctors, nurses, hospital procedures, etc, and were nervous due to fears of the unknown and well-founded concerns about what can happen even during the simplest of medical procedures. If that is you then read on. 

Wear loose fitting clothing ✅
No food and drink since midnight ✅
Something to read ✅
Fully charged Smart phone ✅
Patience ✅
Driver ✅
Living Will - draft (hmm.. bit of a fail here) ✅
Advised brother and dad and kids ✅
Prayed for doctor and nurses ✅
Credit card ✅
Identification (drivers licence) ✅

These are some of the things you need on the day you go in for out-patient or what is more correctly known as ambulatory surgery. Some of this checklist is provided by the Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) or surgeon, and some of this is what you need to maintain your equanimity or possibly more colloquially known as KYST and GYST. See picture or click links if you don't know these FLA's.

There really is no way around the fact that unless this is the second hernia operation you are having, you don't know what is going to happen, you are extremely nervous, and anything to help you feel prepared is going to increase your feeling of control which helps you relax. There are probably a few readers that can surrender to the situation - my hat is off to you and I salute you and am envious. Most likely though you "surrender folks" are not even reading this because you have evolved past the need for this kind of banter, dry humor, and detailed information.

For the rest of us, doing something to prepare ourselves for the unknown the best we can, lets us relax a little. We have something familiar to fall back on when in a new situation.  For example, when waiting around to be admitted, or laying in the gurney prior

Hospital Gurney

to surgery, having your smart phone that you know how to use, gives you a familiar pattern to engage in which is relaxing.  A book can do the same thing. Or, reciting a prayer you know. Any of these activities engage you in something you know how to do and that will help you concentrate on what you know and forget a little bit about what you don't. That brings us to fear of the unknown.

 In order to help you, the reader, feel better I am painting a picture of what you are likely to experience so when it happens, you will remember and possibly say to yourself "oh yeah, I remember Gutpatch talking about this". That alone will let you calm down because it then becomes a shared experience between you and me.  And, the surgery thing can be a lonely experience. Gutpatch might be one of the few people that understands what you are going through. Check out this article in The Atlantic about extraordinary experiences both good and bad.  I believe that though this article talks mostly about extraordinary positive experiences that it applies equally to something that is usually perceived negatively like surgery.

People who had extraordinary experiences, meanwhile, had “little in common” with those who had run-of-the-mill experiences, and the resulting combination of strangeness, jealousy, and abnormality caused the extraordinary people to feel left out. In other words, you had to be there. Apparently, though, we don’t anticipate the social rejection that might ensue when we try to regale our acquaintances with stories from our trek across New Zealand.

Hey, hopefully you have lots of friends who will call you up, come see you, send you flowers, listen to you talk about how much it all sucks, and bring over food. All I can say is - don't count on it, and if it happens, count yourself really fortunate and say thank-you a lot. But mostly, even if our friends and family know about what you are getting ready to do, they will think it is not a big deal, or they don't want to be too involved because you don't want that, or for a billion other good reasons give you lots of space. If that is case, you are back stuck with Gutpatch. 

Sorry to get a bit psychological here. I think if you understand how things might go, you will have an easier time. And, it is OK to talk to yourself and imagine Gutpatch is there actually telling you this stuff to your face and you are arguing with me and telling me I'm full of it and to go screw off. That is OK!

This is getting a bit long so I am going to break it into two parts.  Part II will be coming soon and cover what is gong to happen once they open the door of the waiting room and escort you back.

Read Part II by clicking HERE!


Please comment below and I will answer all questions. This blog will only become useful if people comment and add their experience and ask the questions which other people share but are afraid to ask. Plus, everyone's experience is different. How did you find out you needed surgery?  Were you scared? How did you deal with it? Was it relief to know? Or, was the info a complete surprise? 

Gutpatch Hernia Repair Series
1. This Sucks! Step 1
2.  You Have A - I Have A - Hernia?! Step 2
3. Oh Man! Getting Surgery Scheduled - Step 3
4. Let's Have a Hernia Repair Operation - Step 4 Part 1
5. Hernia Surgery Part II

6. Post Hernia Surgery

Flower My Pedi Please - And I'll Take Those Shoes, What a Deal - Scooter Girl Gets Some Pre-Op Glam

Ready for Dancing in these

Flower my Pedi Please!

A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!  You've been told you will not be able to walk for 6 weeks and that you will be in recovery for 6-12 months after surgery, what does that girl gotta do?  

She has to go the day before surgery and invest in an amazing pedicure. 

Nothing completes a girly girl like a bright pink pedi with a pretty flower painted on top.  

Even though I could not sit properly in the pedi

massage chair due to my swollen and damaged hamstring, I managed to sit cockeyed through the procedure while a very nice lady at our local salon took care of my soon to be bed ridden feet.  Being that it was summer and I would find myself indoors for a while, I opted for a very bright shade of hot pink and had her top it off with a daisy hand painted on each large toe.  While I didn't know if it would be allowed to stay on during surgery, It is up to your anesthesiologist, I took a chance and was relieved to find my pretty pink toes staring up at me post-operatively. A little bright spot through my pain wincing eyes.   

This post is simply to bring a little lightheartedness into the story of Scooter Girl's Proximal Hamstring Rupture repair.  

Trying on just for fun paired with compression sock

I have to say that I was very happy with my decision to take care of this pre-surgery pampering.  I have enjoyed glancing at my feet at times while laying down for all hours of the day. It somehow brings the feminine to a place that, much of the time, seems dull and boring.

Girls - Take Care of Yourselves!

I'll Take Those Shoes, What a Deal!

Part two of this post, Ladies?  You know how every now and then you stumble upon a pair of shoes?  You know the ones, high end designer, the last pair on the discount rack?  You do the double take, that glance, which makes you flush with instant recognition that they were just waiting for you and only you, then the hesitation, "what if they don't fit?"

These are the ones!  Magnificent!

A week before my surgery I was out with my husband, niece and grand niece.  He needed a pair of work shoes so the four of us launched out towards one of our favorite shoe stores.  As I hobbled about in discomfort, holding onto the day as a token of a day out before my long recovery and housebound days would keep me inside, unable to sit and unable to stand and walk unaided for many weeks, I ambled to the discount rack.  I had been hoping to spot a pair of shoes for my niece as a gift, however, there, in a perfect brown box atop the little velvet bag and baggie of two extra heels was THAT pair of shoes.  $250.00 Ellie Tahari kiwi and cream stiletto sandals.  I knew in an instant they were for me.  At a half size too small according to the box, I snagged the box off the shelf in such a way that wreaked of sneaky, looking over my shoulder in hopes that no one else was trying to dive in at the same time. I strode over to a little bench, reached down through my pain and put those little kiwi sandals on my feet.  They were a perfect fit!  I stood in them, wobbly leg, "she has conquered."  I watched as my husband made his way over to me, standing tall, proclaiming, "THESE SHOES SHALL BE MY MOTIVATION TO DANCE AGAIN AND BE WHOLE!"
$19.99.  Now all I needed was that pedi and I was ready to be cut open and face what was coming next.

Ladies - Take Care of Yourselves!

New Pedi added 9-26-15 with yellow sunflower
I could finally sit for it.

It helps to feel girly and fresh in my cocoon

Every Event Needs An Outfit -Scooter Girl, Fashionista or Practical Stylist ???

The Gluteal Fold - The crease separating the buttocks from the thigh - according to the medical dictionary and my doctor.

Here are some images to help understand where I am going with this posting.

Realizing that within days I would be receiving a slice in my gluteal fold of 8-9 cm, and three screws embedded into my Ischial Tuberosity (sit bone) which will hold my proximal hamstrings in place through the tendon to which they are attached, I had a realization that regular under and outer clothing would not be the recovery fashion of choice.  After pondering this for a short while, I instantly came up with my plan, after all I am a fashionista right?  Boy boxer shorts, tank tops and tee shirts and thong underwear where what I set my shopping sights upon.

This ended up being a simple task as I pondered the selections in my local "big box store", you know the one, as I happened upon packages of very colorful old fashioned cotton boxers in the men's section.  Colors of oranges, pinks, blues, lime and lemon.  I actually tried them on and found the bigger size, in my case medium, was the better choice because they fell loosely over my gluteal fold.  I proceeded to the ladies tee shirt section and to my delight I found tee shirts and tank tops in every color found in the boxers.  Onto the ladies underwear department and voila, thong underwear and simple cotton sports bras in mix match packages, in the same colors!  All on the cheap, yet as I checked out with my lot, I felt quite happy with myself and my bags full of color coordinated post operative attire.

Here is a sampling:

One must not lose sight of fashion just because 

they are going to be laid up for several months with a cut along the panty line and screws placed just beneath said cut.

As an additional bit of fashion advice concerning the day of outpatient surgery and dressing for the ride home, invest in a comfy granny gown, found at the same big box store.  My husband had the idea, which I at first questioned, being that the styles went against my fashion style and judgement.  He went out the day before surgery and just bought one going on the hunch that I would be comfy for the ride home wearing a long, gently flowing gown.  He was right, I admitted as he placed it over my head before leaving the hospital for the groggy ride home.  No undies needed and the ride home was cozy as could be wearing this:

The moral of the post op fashion story, dress for comfort, but do not compromise on style when you will be wearing the same kind of clothing for weeks on end during a long recovery period.  In my case, I am still enjoying the selections 7 weeks post op while in my cocoon, unable to drive. You will appreciate the colors and coordination and have some sense of control when you cannot wear your favorite pre-surgery attire.  

Trust me however, during such a long recovery, you will open your closet, pull out your favorite items and glance at them with longing.  At this point, they will not provide bodily comfort however they will motivate you to look ahead into the future, beyond recovery.  In the end, I think Scooter Girl is both fashionista and practical stylist!

I hope this has helped someone out there toying with this same issue.  Stay tuned for more stories from Scooter Girl, tales of a Cartwheel injury, Complete Proximal hamstring Tear/Avulsion/Rupture....all three will come up on a search.

Thank you for reading my stories, please feel free to comment and share yours.

Ma, Do You Want To Be Lame For The Rest of Your Life? Get an MRI ! Notes from Scooter Girl

There comes a time when your kids speak to you with firm, emphatic, COMMAND!  "Mom! go get an MRI, call right now."  "Ma, do you want to be lame for the rest of your life?  Get an MRI!"  Your leg will never heal right and you will physically be half the person you were!  Those words cut right through the fog that had been lingering over me for a week after the cartwheel.  I had been going it alone, not thinking it was so bad.  I wanted to believe that it was just a bad tear.  Yet, it only felt worse, and to top it off, I was concerned about spending money on myself for medical treatment.

I made an appointment to see my primary doctor right away.  They were able to get me in within two days due to a cancellation.  At the appointment my pain level was really high and after climbing up to the exam table, getting the once over of the leg by my doc, climbing down and standing, due to my inability to sit properly I nearly passed out as the pain level was through the roof in several places behind my upper leg.  She said she could not tell how severe it was and referred me to the organizations non-surgical ortho doc. several days away.  I was spasming so badly in her office she offered me a shot of Ketorolac Tromethamine (Toradol) in my right buttock.  She also gave me a prescription for Tizanidine for muscle spasm.

I went home that day, knowing that something was really wrong, called my son, who lives in Asheville, and his response was of major concern spoken with authority.  While my husband didn't think it was as major, my son had a bad feeling about it.  He was incredibly angry that the doctor didn't order an MRI that day and implored me to call her office and have her write an order for one immediately and to go ahead and call an MRI agency and make my own appointment.  Honestly, it all seemed so difficult for me.  I have been healthy my whole life and navigating medical calls and appointments was looking like an arduous task ahead.  He spelled it out for me, about being lame the rest of my life, walking with a limp, never having my healthy leg again.  His words cut right through me!  My kid, the one I spent his life caring for, guiding, consoling, disciplining was now in the role for the first time of instructing me with firm voice and tough LOVE!  My sister, who lives in Kansas City was mirroring his same concern and at the same time she was trying to guide me on now to arrange my own MRI.

I was able to get my MRI referral and make an appointment with an independent imaging company the next day.  My husband drove me and by this time he was beginning to suspect that my injury was more complicated then a hamstring pull or belly tear.  (the belly is what the middle ground of our hamstring is referred to, typically the location of a regular sports injury tear, when some of the fibers have torn cross-ways).

I spent my half hour in the MRI tube, joked around with the technician about how I had injured myself with a cartwheel, and upon finishing, I looked at her in the eye and said, "okay, I know you cannot tell me anything, but should I be worried?"  She looked back at me and said, "It is good you listened to your pain." Then upon leaving the facility, with my disk in hand, the other tech yelled across to my husband, "she deserves a really expensive dinner out tonight, but no dancing!"  Chuckles abounded, I was worried.

I put that disk into my computer as soon as I got home.  After figuring out how to open the files, I was able to see the 200+ images.  Of course I could not tell what I was seeing with the exception of one thing.  The bad leg was completely white on the images.  Swollen tissue compared to the other leg and white stringy webbing.  I sunk, I knew it was not a good thing I was seeing.  The next morning, Friday first thing, my doctor's office called to confirm that I was keeping my appointment on Monday with the Orthopedic Doc.  Her nurse was very concerned and just blurted it out ---- "you have a complete hamstring tear and will possibly need surgery, please keep that appointment!".

                                                 One of the images

Hamstring research commenced - now I knew my life was about to change, I called my son and my sister and thanked them for making me act.

You just never know what will happen when you do a cartwheel AND listen to your kids when they speak with wisdom!  

Thank you for reading.  I have much to tell going forward, stay tuned and I welcome your comments and good humor.  Rachel - Scooter Girl.

Oh Man! Getting Surgery Scheduled - Step 3

Gutpatch Sees the Surgeon

When writing this post the first time, I tried to be humorous and witty and light-hearted. After reading the draft and realizing it was anything but those things, I left it on the shelf a few days. While getting mad at a file cabinet and trying to undo my stitches and thinking back about this time (yea - random actions and thoughts coalescing at a weird moment) , I realized there was just nothing humorous going on at this point. I was scared and in the unknown.

Yea, I had consulted with a couple doctor friends long-distance, my local nurse friend and others who had the operation. But, at this point, I'm thinking have I jumped too fast? Should I get a 2nd opinion? What am I doing? Here is what was going on at this point. Sound familiar to anyone?   

There is a protocol most of us have to follow in order to keep the insurance company happy. First you have to go to your general practitioner (GP) and then they refer you to a surgeon.

The office where my GP (who is a nurse practitioner) works could not get me in for about a week and a half. I did a little studying up on inguinal hernias since I was fairly certain that would be the diagnosis. After a drop your drawers exam, he confirmed that indeed that was what I had. He had assisted one of the local surgeons (Dr H) many times and he said that guy was a very confident surgeon. He also mentioned there was a new, younger woman who recently moved to town that was highly skilled.

One of my river rafting friends has been a nurse for 30+ years and recommend Dr H without me even asking. Another friend had used Dr H the year before. And, I found out Dr H had been doing something like 50 -70 hernia operations a year for several years. So, I made an appointment with Dr H. A couple weeks later on a Thursday I see Dr H who confirms the hernia diagnosis with a physical exam, says x-rays and/or ultrasound are not needed, and asks when I want to do this. I'm thinking these things always take forever to get scheduled and say the sooner the better. He asks. "How about Monday at noon?".  OK, I stammer out, and off he goes to the next patient. I get a booklet of dos and don'ts for before the surgery, and a pre-op test request I need to have done at the hospital: EKG and blood work for various things, and some kind of questionnaire to fill out and submit when checking in to outpatient. They send me over to the hospital which is next door and I spend 15 minutes getting the blood drawn and the EKG done.  

One of my main concerns was anesthesia because I had a step-mom and step-dad and father-in-law all develop dementia or Alzheimer after undergoing a general anesthesia (GA). I wanted a local and not GA if possible. He said bring this up with the anesthesiologist when admitted for the surgery.  He said with the local they numb out the area being operated on and put you into lala land. With GA you are put out completely.  I forget to ask what type of surgery he is going to do - laproscopic or standard though he did confirm the insertion of a mesh material.  

The mesh is used like a tire patch, left in place, and your tissue grows in and around this stuff providing a hopefully permanent fix to a hernia on that side. Hence, my post-op nickname now of Gutpatch.

I also found out post-operation there is another option using a "da Vinci" tool which is a robot-assist device.  One friend had a very good outcome with this going back to work in a couple days and almost fully recovered in a couple weeks.  If, God forbid, my right side ever needs repair I am going to seek out someone who uses this technology.   

I get a call on Friday from the hospital regarding a couple things. First, my blood work and EKG look good. Then they interview me over the phone about medical conditions, current prescriptions, what vitamins do I take, etc. Then I get instructions about not eating or drinking after midnight the day of the operation. Also, someone from the financial side calls to say if I pay the day of the operation I can get a discount. In a daze I agree and then realize when talking to my wife later, I am not really sure what I've agreed to.  

Then of all things I'm talking with a good biking buddy telling him about what is going on and he says, "I would never let Dr H cut me! He messed up some kid by getting him infected and went back in and that didn't work and then they had to take him to another hospital 60 miles south, blah, blah, blah.  Oh, and by the way, I shouldn't tell you this now, so forget what I just told you. Besides, it is all third hand."  

Well, Holy Jesus, Yikes, Oh My God and now I am physically sick to my stomach scared.  And, thinking back to the conversation with my GP was he saying something in code not wanting to overtly say anything negative about Dr H who does 50 - 70 of these operations per year? "He is a confident surgeon".  He didn't say he was a good or excellent surgeon. He sort of sounded upbeat when talking about the new, young woman surgeon and then sounded serious talking about Dr H as "confident". Oh man, did I miss something here I should have asked more about? Should I delay and get a 2nd opinion? 

I decide to call the hospital and ask for infection rate data. They ask me to leave my name and number and say someone will call back. Indeed, the Infection Coordinator calls back in under an hour and I quiz her. They have had no infections in the last year. There were 90 hernia operations done last year and Dr H did 80% of them. I ask what were the infection rates of previous years and get a run-around answer like either she doesn't have the data or does not want to share it. 

After sharing all this with my wife later in the day, she asks what are you going to do. I've already decided that all this doubt is like the negative self-talk that tries to stop me when kayaking or rowing my cataraft through a Class 3+/4- rapid. And, it feels like the pit in my stomach at the top of a 40+ degree snowy slope before I ski down. The correct course feels like I should do what I do in those circumstances. Put the fears aside, relax into the situation, and freaking go for it! One thing I have learned is that if fear freezes you up, then the worst will probably happen. If you stay loose and reasonably confident yet still careful and not over-confident, things usually and always up-until-now work out alright.  So, I'm going forward with the operation next Monday and just a weekend to fret my way through. 

Click HERE to read the next exciting post about hernia repair!

Please comment below and I will answer all questions. This blog will only become useful if people comment and add their experience and ask the questions which other people share but are afraid to ask. Plus, everyone's experience is different. How did you find out you needed surgery?  Were you scared? How did you deal with it? Was it relief to know? Or, was the info a complete surprise?  

Gutpatch Hernia Repair Series

1. This Sucks! Step 1

2.  You Have A - I Have A - Hernia?! Step 2

3. Oh Man! Getting Surgery Scheduled - Step 3

4. Let's Have a Hernia Repair Operation - Step 4 Part 1

5. Hernia Surgery Part II

6. Post Hernia Surgery

You Have A - I Have A - Hernia?! Step 2

Gutpatch Learns The Truth

How do you know you have a hernia? My distrust of the medical establishment had put me in a position that at the age of 55 I had not had a physical exam in over 35 years. Getting laid off from my tech manufacturing career had me in a new part-time job of being a bicycle tour guide. So, at the age of 55 I got a full physical exam since I needed it for a California Commercial Drivers License. Everything was pronounced fine and even the finger in the patooty hernia exam was negative and I never gave hernias another thought until five years later.

Now at age 61, four friends and I were heading across the country from the west coast to ride a 215 mile seven day mountain bike trip going from Telluride, CO to Moab, UT.  We are going to be staying in huts stocked with food and water that also have bunks. So, the weight we carry on the bikes will be much reduced but this is still a big physical effort for seven days straight through mountainous backcountry. We arrive in Grand Junction, CO a few days ahead of time to get acclimated and do a little mountain biking for three days before embarking on the hut to hut trip. I'm taking a shower and notice a funny looking pouch next to my pubic bone on the left side. I'm thinking "what the heck is this?" and don't really know what to do.  I had not experienced any sustained pain and could only imagine all kinds of deadly medical conditions ready to slay me. My motel roommate immediately brought up Alien. Why do I drink? Hmm...

Fortunately for me, one of the women on the trip is a nurse and I showed her "the pouch". She exclaimed, "oh, you have a hernia, but, it is not going to get you out of this trip - haha!".  Oh really - I am so not laughing. Imagine the grumble bear now. But, on one level I am relieved it is not something unknown that requires cancer screening or something. 

So, I did the trip and never felt a thing.  When I got back, my GP (general practitioner) looked at it and referred me to a surgeon.  And, at least for me, in the year 2015, no more finger in your butt to confirm a hernia. Thank God for that!  

The truth was that thinking back, I could remember a couple episodes of big gut pain that only subsided after laying down - which was probably what it took for the intestine to go back inside. That means I cannot ignore this and should seriously consider getting the patch job done.  

I also decided to do a little weight workout of curls and shoulder presses isolating the muscles to avoid any use of the core. About 20 minutes afterward I felt sick to my stomach. Now, some people like my wife thought that was a stupid experiment. But, I needed another confirmation that surgery was needed. In the next post, I'll discuss picking a surgeon and learning more about the procedure and what it means to get a patch.  

Read the next part of my adventure with a hernia by clicking HERE!

Please comment below and I will answer all questions. This blog will only become useful if people comment and add their experience and ask the questions which other people share but are afraid to ask. Plus, everyone's experience is different. How did you find out you needed surgery?  Were you scared? How did you deal with it? Was it relief to know? Or, was the info a complete surprise?  

Gutpatch Hernia Repair Series

1. This Sucks! Step 1

2.  You Have A - I Have A - Hernia?! Step 2

3. Oh Man! Getting Surgery Scheduled - Step 3

4. Let's Have a Hernia Repair Operation - Step 4 Part 1

5. Hernia Surgery Part II

6. Post Hernia Surgery

Cartwheels, Lady Urinals and Scooters Oh My!

It is a rare occurrence to completely tear your proximal hamstring off of your ischial tuberosity, your "sit bone".  Water Skiers, Bull Riders, and now introducing Cartwheelers are among the active group of people finding themselves with such acute ruptures.

The Cartwheel:
How did I find myself, a 50 something active woman, cartwheeling into this surgical procedure?  It all seemed rather simple, nothing extraordinary.  I exercised in a Zumba class one afternoon, came home, found a patch of grass on my front lawn beckoning me to spin a cartwheel and 1/4 of the way around, crack, like a Louisville Slugger bat, a knife jabbing feeling in the back of my leg, that was that.  An MRI later indicated that my hamstring was 4.5 cm retracted and forming a nice hamburger like lump behind my leg.  More post MRI details later.

The Lady Urinal:
Jumping ahead a bit here, a 6-12 month recovery process looming.  Days 1 - 3 post op from out patient surgery and we find our Lady Urinal a HANDy device. Imagine if you will, you are unable to sit properly on any surface, for this entry, note the toilet is in context here.  I could barely stand, let alone hobble to the bathroom in the middle of the night, high on Oxycontin, dizzy coming down from anesthesia and ready to wet myself uncontrollably.  Calling out for a trusted person to help me stand up bedside, spread towel on floor, grab the Lady Urinal, position it between a working leg and leg frozen in time, from an incision spanning one's gluteal fold, just inches from said urinal placement, all while holding on for dear life, in near tears from the pain in my as$, was the procedure. In my case my trusted person was my husband.  The best 15.00 investment I have ever made.  More post op potty stories to come.

The Scooter:
She was a scooter girl, a 10 point turn hooter girl...sung to the tune of Skater Boy by Avril Lavigne.  In the case of my procedure, the recommendation of the Knee Wheeler by my doctor has been both a great help for getting around efficiently as well as in gleeful style - most days anyways.   Loosely worn boy boxers, zipping through the house and learning to use the break lock effectively while parking for such issues as toileting, making coffee, folding clothes and getting back into bed conjure up a curious vision.  Where would I be without my little red scooter.  I am afraid I would be nursing sore underarm folds from crutches and would miss out on the gentle glides down the ramp after physical therapy.  The decision to buy the wheeler with the all terrain wheels was a great choice.  It works well through the grass and over cobble stones and takes thresholds quite well.  More on getting around post op later.

My posts here are intended to help people with impending or post op surgery. Finding the humor in such tumultuous times has been helpful and having a friend to share the experience with who is in the throws of mending from surgery at the same time has greatly aided me in not feeling so alone in experiencing the feelings and emotions that go along with this process.  

Thank you for reading.  Scooter Girl.

This Sucks! Step 1

Hey, Gutpatch here to talk about Day 2 after hernia surgery and while brushing my teeth I decided to brush my tongue and got the brush a little tiny eensy bit far back and induced a little gag. Did you know that when you gag it makes a muscle down in your gut contract? I didn't either. And, when it contracted it felt like my guts were coming up because they had just been stabbed with a white hot knife.

Welcome to the world of hernia surgery recovery.  How did I get here and where am I going?  We are going to explore the world of people getting surgery who have little experience with it. Hopefully there will be resources that will help you. And, if you just had hernia surgery we will not induce gut laughs. That is another story.

What is an inguinal hernia?  Check out this link to the U.S. Library of Medicine.  Here is their intro paragraph if you are too lazy to click.

Inguinal hernia repair is surgery to repair a hernia in the abdominal wall of your groin. A hernia is tissue that bulges out of a weak spot in the abdominal wall. Your intestines may bulge out through this weakened area. During hernia repair, this bulging tissue is pushed back in. Your abdominal wall is strengthened and supported with sutures (stitches), and sometimes mesh.

This stuff is sickening isn't it? Yea, and it gets far, far worse. This is just the start.  

There is a video that does a good job of explaining and showing more if this has not been enough info.  Check this link.

Are you wondering what the odds are you have a hernia?  This checklist of symptoms will give you an idea of your risk factor and what can be done to reduce your chances.... http://colorectalsurgeons.sydney/

Since this blog is for people who are getting ready or convalescing from surgery,  your comments are extremely important. Please share you experiences because everyone is different.  

Read the next step in this adventure clicking HERE!

Gutpatch Hernia Repair Series
1. This Sucks! Step 1
2.  You Have A - I Have A - Hernia?! Step 2
3. Oh Man! Getting Surgery Scheduled - Step 3
4. Let's Have a Hernia Repair Operation - Step 4 Part 1
5. Hernia Surgery Part II
6. Post Hernia Surgery