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Hernia Repair....Again
4/13/06 10:09 pmThis past Tuesday I had another hernia repair. The tension free repair I had in September did NOT fail, the defect in my midline just decided to open up all the way to the tip of my breastbone. Literally.
So I used the same surgeon, and he fixed me up again. This time was a little different, because I had a big hunk of fat that had become encapsulated outside the hernia -- not incarcerated, but that would have been the next step. He also found a lot of thin, weak areas throughout my abdominal wall, and told me I have a "Swiss cheese abdomen". The worst one is in the right inguinal area -- he said to let him know immediately if I experienced any pain there, since intestines are there and I could have some major major issues.
He told me when he was looking around in there that he felt it was almost a job for Emory Hospital in Atlanta, and I imagine if the inguinal one goes he'll send me there to have it addressed.
Wonder if they could just put a big honkin' sheet of mesh from side to side across my entire abdomen, top to bottom.... essentially an abdominal wall transplant.
I'm in a lot more pain this time around because of where he was working (right at the bottom of the breastbone), and he had to open one of the lap ports more to get the blob of fat out. Percodans are working pretty well, but if I want to sleep I have to take 2 of them. During the day 1/2 to 1 work pretty good. Because of where he worked, some of the gas got trapped up in the upper ranges of my abdomen, so my shoulders hurt pretty bad.
I'm also having spasms of the entire abdomen when the drugs wear off (that's how I know it's worn off), every time I stand up, shift position, or sit down. I've got my trusty 12" binder on, tight as tight can be. Yes, I holler when I get a spasm. Adds a little drama to the whole thing, plus it's not like I can grit my teeth over it. Imagine the worst charley horse you ever got in your leg, then multiply it by 10 and move it into your belly. That's what I'm talking about.
At least I didn't die.
Lorri
Mostly held together with staples and mesh
So I used the same surgeon, and he fixed me up again. This time was a little different, because I had a big hunk of fat that had become encapsulated outside the hernia -- not incarcerated, but that would have been the next step. He also found a lot of thin, weak areas throughout my abdominal wall, and told me I have a "Swiss cheese abdomen". The worst one is in the right inguinal area -- he said to let him know immediately if I experienced any pain there, since intestines are there and I could have some major major issues.
He told me when he was looking around in there that he felt it was almost a job for Emory Hospital in Atlanta, and I imagine if the inguinal one goes he'll send me there to have it addressed.
Wonder if they could just put a big honkin' sheet of mesh from side to side across my entire abdomen, top to bottom.... essentially an abdominal wall transplant.
I'm in a lot more pain this time around because of where he was working (right at the bottom of the breastbone), and he had to open one of the lap ports more to get the blob of fat out. Percodans are working pretty well, but if I want to sleep I have to take 2 of them. During the day 1/2 to 1 work pretty good. Because of where he worked, some of the gas got trapped up in the upper ranges of my abdomen, so my shoulders hurt pretty bad.
I'm also having spasms of the entire abdomen when the drugs wear off (that's how I know it's worn off), every time I stand up, shift position, or sit down. I've got my trusty 12" binder on, tight as tight can be. Yes, I holler when I get a spasm. Adds a little drama to the whole thing, plus it's not like I can grit my teeth over it. Imagine the worst charley horse you ever got in your leg, then multiply it by 10 and move it into your belly. That's what I'm talking about.
At least I didn't die.
Lorri
Mostly held together with staples and mesh
