Follow up

On Friday night my Hernia was operated on by Mr. J Scurr at the Lister Hospital, Chelsea Bridge. Initially I was expecting a Laparoscopic Herniorrhaphy, which is the technique commonly referred to as "key hole surgery". However, after checking into the hospital I was told that I would be having an Open Herniorrhaphy. This is surgery done the traditional way, that is via incision. This meant that once again I had to shave my groin (which I have had to do for my Ablation therapy) and then made my way to anesthesiology, escort by two nurses, for my GA. My anesthesiologist inserted a needle with a one way valve into the rear of my hand and proceeded to inject a large volume of anti-biotics (with the number of MSRA cases in the UK I was glad for this), followed by the actual GA. As usual I felt the icy cold sensation of the chemical moving through my artery and then I was under.

I awoke approximately 90 minutes later without any nausea or grogginess, although I suspect I was a little high. There was no significant pain and all in all I was quite happy. The nurses wheeled me back to my room and I fell asleep again. I was awoken at 2000 for dinner, by which time a very mild discomfort in my groin was telling me that I had indeed undergone surgery. The anesthesiologist dropped by to check on me and told me that a local anesthetic had been applied to my surgical site and that I could expect this to wear off around 0100 - so to make sure that I medicated with pain killers. Taking this on board I asked the nurses at 2200 for painkillers - which eventually arrived at 0012. I took these, but I had missed the boat, and awoke again at 0200 in significant pain, with nausea and hot sweats. Fortunately my symptoms seemed to spur the nursig staff into more action and I was given a raft of meds, which knocked me out until 0700.

After checking out I was unable to get a taxi (none around) so had to bus - with two changes and approximately 1km of walking. This took me two hours to do what is normally 20 minutes, and was painful and difficult. getting home I slept, ate and slept some more. All in all, I have found that a hernia operation is more painful than I expected and is certainly more debilitating. If there was not online shopping via tesco.com, and friends to help I would have been in significant trouble - and would have had to have asked my Mum to pcik me up and take me to Canterbury.

Today I am more mobile, although still hunched over and slow. I will not leave the house until wednesday, by when I expect to be fully ambulatory, as well as having a dental appointment for four fillings. I have showered and checked out my scar - which is of course the second hernia scar at that site (previous one was from surgery 32 years ago). I can't wait to start running, cycling and doing weights again - but I have been advised to do no cycling for two weeks, no running for four weeks, and no weights for six weeks. Obviously there is a grey area where "interpersonal affection expression" is concerned.....

To finish, I am glad I had the operation, and am looking forward to a week of rest at home. I would have prepared better for it (booked taxi, filled up freezer etc) if I had understood the impact of this operation on my movements, but am looking forward to being active again!