This is a post about my recent umbilical repair operation. It includes photos of my pasty white tummy and post-operation dressings that some might find disturbing.
Last week I had an operation to repair my umbilical hernia.
In simple terms, this means there was an opening behind my bellybutton that was letting part of my gut poke through, causing my bellybutton to bulge outwards, especially when exercising.
It's possibly what put me in hospital for a week last year with severe abdominal pain, as a loop of bowel may have got caught in the opening. That wasn't a fun week so it was definitely worth me getting it fixed - especially given the problems I had doing any kind of abdominally-demanding exercises.
Before the operation
I had a big bowl of porridge early in the morning to keep me going. After seven in the morning, I was only allowed to sip clear fluids. I just stuck to water as anything like apple juice would have just made me hungrier.
Because I wouldn't be able to drive myself home after the operation I had to ask a good friend to drive me to and from the hospital.
After a hernia repair, I wouldn't be able to drive anyway and won't be able to for about two weeks after the operation.
By the time we got to the hospital at 12:30pm, I was pretty hungry. It could have been worse though - it used to be you couldn't eat after midnight the day before an operation. I was second on the list so it wasn't as if I'd have long to wait. I went into surgery just after two in the afternoon after lots of questions about pins, loose-teeth, and allergies.
The surgeon drew a big arrow on my shaved tummy, just in case there was any confusion about which belly button they were fixing.
Once I was in the operating theatre, the table seemed very narrow - so narrow that they had to attach bars to keep my arms from flopping over each side. After inserting a cannula in my left hand and talking me through the procedure, they injected the sedative into the cannula port and I woke up sometime later. I was too groggy to notice what the time was at that point. I did notice that my lip felt numb and tingly as if I'd bumped it on something. I'm guessing that's from when they removed the breathing tube they'd intubated me with.
I was offered a sandwich which I remember being quite enthusiastic about. I think it was cheese but I'm not really sure - it's a really vague memory. I guess that's why I was advised not to sign any legal documents. I do remember having three biscuits with a coffee a little bit later. One was a bourbon, the other a custard cream, and the third was a digestive. It's weird I can remember them clearly but not the sandwich. I also remember feeling like I'd had a really good night's sleep.
Some time later, after they'd confirmed I'd been able to urinate, I was free to leave for the two and half hour journey home.I don't remember much of that either, other than that my tummy started to really hurt about half-way home. By the time I got in the door I was more than happy to go to bed.
The two days after that were a vague haze of sleeping a lot. I wasn't drugged up at all - I was just constantly tired and slept way more than usual.
My abdomen looked like a swollen beach ball with a big rectangular dressing over the wound, making me look like a pasty Tellytubby.
The hospital didn't provide any medicines to bring home so I've been relying on a cocktail of co-codamol (paracetamol/codeine) and ibuprofen. As long as I haven't moved too far or too quickly the discomfort hasn't been too bad. When it has become a bit much, it's usually coincided with a need to sleep so that's exactly what I've done.
In the days since then the swelling has subsided and I now look less spherical but apparently it can take six months for it to go down completely. The dressing has also been removed, which was a bit of a relief. The pain has been replaced with an insane itching and burning. I want to scratch it so much!
I'm looking forward to being able to exercise again
I've worked really hard in recent months to get exercising and I'd got into a pretty good daily routine but that's had to be shelved. I can't life weights for about six weeks, or do anything strenuous for at least a couple of weeks. Right now, I can't even walk up the stairs at anything faster than a slow walk.
I'm really looking forward to being able to exercise again because I don't want to lose my momentum or progress.
Although I can exercise, I'm trying to keep myself mentally in the zone by planning what activities I'm going to do to speed up my recovery. I'm going to push myself to adopt a regular pilates or yoga routine as healing permits, in addition to weights & resistance bands. I've always wanted to do Yoga but all of the "beginner" routines seem to assume that you're already flexible enough to place your palms on the floor.
Right now, I've found I can do some basic exercises like single-leg raises without aggravating my wound but I'm limited to that and walking very slowly at the moment. Baby-steps, I guess.
Hopefully, I'll be able to start working again this week.