Going under the knife!

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justalonewolf007

Member
Apr 30, 2007
657
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Well, the big day is Feb. 27th (if I am healthy enough by then)! I'm going in to have surgery to repair a defect in the muscle wall of my abdomen.

Technically it's called an umbilical hernia. Supposedly, I've had it all my life, but during the past 4-5 years is when I noticed it. This past year has been an increasingly uncomfortable one, as my guts try escape through the defect at every possible chance!

I'm told the recovery is not a pleasent one at all, and that activities will be extremely limited for quite some time. Has anyone experienced this? How long before I'm able to throw a leg over my beloved little CR again? :whoa:
 
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jayden122

Member
Aug 4, 2007
59
0
good luck with ya op mate, i had an operation on my back on the 30th december but my crash was on the 17th of december, havent ridden since and will be a good 4-5 weeks before i can again :( i hate injuries haha, hope everything goes well mate,
 

IndyMX

Crash Test Dummy
~SPONSOR~
Jul 18, 2006
5,548
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Amo, IN
I didn't have the same surgery, but something similar I suppose.

I had to be cut open due to colon cancer. From my breast bone to my man parts.

Supposedly it's one of the worst surgeries there is for pain, due to the fact that they cut open the abdominal muscles.

I was walking around and starting to function in a couple of weeks. However, I wasn't able to really do much heavy stuff for about 4 or 5 months.

Granted, I had the extra added bonus of having to do chemo for 6 months, which made the recovery from the surgery a little harder.

For a few weeks after your surgery sneezing, coughing & laughing are not fun. Anything else that would stress the abs or diaphragm is going to be unpleasant.

Just take it easy, and don't rush it.
 

squeaky

Roosta's Princess
Damn Yankees
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Mar 28, 2003
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Best of luck to you and I hope you have a quick recovery!
 
J

justalonewolf007

Member
Apr 30, 2007
657
0
Gotcha - stay away from fuzzy animals that I'm allergic to, don't let anyone tickle me, and stay healthy.

Not looking forward to it, but should be good to get done.

I'm a little worried about having the "sleepy stuff" (Doctor was putting everything in "kid" terms which was frustrating). Any tips for dealing with that and the waking up process?
 

IndyMX

Crash Test Dummy
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Jul 18, 2006
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The knockout stuff is easy..

If they are giving Verced, ask them to give you that first. You won't remember anything after that! They gave me that in the surgical prep room prior to being taken into the OR last time. All I recall is that the doc came into the prep room and then I woke up a while later in the recovery room.

Even if they don't give you the Verced first, no worries, once they do start the knock out drugs, you won't have a worry in the world!!

It's really not what it used to be, they can control the exact minute that you wake up. Don't worry about that process at all. Just go in the and let it happen. Try to not worry about what is going on. The less stress you have going in, the better you will recover.

What you are having done is such a common surgery that the chances of a problem are almost nothing.

The recovery process is the worst part for you. The surgery itself is a piece of cake!!

Good luck!!
 

IndyMX

Crash Test Dummy
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Jul 18, 2006
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XRpredator said:
I've been under the knife in the last couple years. Nothing near as serious as our buddy Indo there, but it was documented right here on DRN. I didn't want to sneeze or cough or laugh either . . .
Click to expand...

Well, you know, if you're going to do something, do it right!
 

oldguy

Always Broken
Dec 26, 1999
9,411
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Dam I have had way to many surgerys in the past few years but my 2 most recent were abdominal- one for diverticulitus and the next for a hernia. Both were wide open but on opposite ends of the spectrum. The diver was similar to Indys in they removed 20 inches of large intestine. This involved a 10 day stay in the hospital but I was able to walk in about 3 days- just couldn't eat any solids for 7 days. I would not have wanted to be on a bike for at least 3 months after that one.
The hernia was a in at 8AM and out by 3PM. Could walk that same day (until other complications set in) and after about 1 month was back to just about pre surgery levels of activity.
My guess is you are going to be somewhere between these 2 and figuring you are about 1/3 my age your recovery should be quite a bit faster. I would suggest maybe doing a bit of an exercise regimen between now and then to minimize muscle strength loss but do not over do it.

It really isn't bad being put under. All I remember each time is getting the IV started and then waking up in recovery altho I do have to warn the nurses before going under to stay clear because when I come out of it I am swinging. I knocked one nurse off her feet after my first knee surgery when she didn't follow my warning and leaned in to make sure I was OK.
 
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justalonewolf007

Member
Apr 30, 2007
657
0
oldguy said:
...figuring you are about 1/3 my age your recovery should be quite a bit faster...
Click to expand...

Hey now! I'm not twelve! :nener: :)

I should have mine done laproscopically, which will leave only one minimal scar, provided they don't find anything worse and have to open me up a little further.

Thanks to all for the advice and well wishes! Helps me out quite a bit having a little idea of what I'm getting into!
 
F

fatcat216

"Don't Worry Sister"
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Dec 16, 2007
473
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I've had that same reaction (only more a verbal thing) with one surgery (broken elbow, 1978.). All the rest of the times I've been under were rather pleasant, actually. After some foot surgery I thought I had hallucinated a podiatrist girlfriend in the hall as I woke up. I was so embarassed that I didn't know if she was real or "memorex" that it took me several weeks to work up the courage to ask her if she was really there that day. (She wasn't my surgeon.)

You'll do fine justalonewolf. Fear not.
 

rickyd

Hot Sauce
Oct 28, 2001
3,447
0
I had an umbilical hernia about 2-1/2 years ago. WHen they cut me open, they also looked for other tears in the fascia as well, that way they could fix the holes all at once. I was sore for about 4 days. I begged the Dr to let me go back to work after 2 weeks (at the time I worked in a warehouse doing lots of lifting) I think I was off the bike for 4 weeks.A few weeks later I had a big crash and was off the bike for 6 weeks.
YOu'll be fine, listen to your body, it knws what is best for it.
 

squeaky

Roosta's Princess
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Mar 28, 2003
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Don't worry about the anestesia (sp?). I've been put under three different times - once for removal of 4 fully impacted wisdom teeth, once for a tonsillectomy, and once for a tonsillectomy gone bad. All three times I barely remember what happened before I went under and before you know it I was awake and in recovery. It's not a bad deal at all!
 
J

justalonewolf007

Member
Apr 30, 2007
657
0
I'll have to have my wisdom teeth done soon too - all four are impacted as well. That one I'm not exactly looking forward to either.

So far so good with the cold/flu/evilkillervirus as well. I was prescribed an antibiotic that should have everything cleared out by monday before the surgery.

They had threatened to push things back if I wasn't well enough. :bang:
 
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