My fifth hernia surgery

One trip to outpatient same day surgery and two trips to the emergency room in one week is never a very good plan.

I’m now a statistical anomaly with five inguinal hernia surgeries under my belt.

The arthroscopic procedure last week was supposed to fix a hernia recurrence, remove old mesh, scar tissue and swelling, and fix me up once and for all. The last thing I said in the operating room was to please make sure I didn’t need a sixth hernia operation.

The procedure took much longer than anticipated and was much more invasive than we had hoped. Pretty much everything from my ribs to my hips on my right side got moved around. And I’ve got black and blue skin from my bellybutton wrapping around to my right side to prove it.

It throws you for a loop when your focus for the day goes to only eating, going to the bathroom and managing your pain, and considering your day a complete success if you can do all three. I’m still experiencing challenges in these simple daily accomplishments.

Although my recovery is ongoing, I’m really, really hoping the surgeon’s work pays off. I see him for a follow-up visit on Thursday.

In the meantime, I’m doing what I can to read and stay entertained. But most of the time I’m in a state of half-consciousness in our family room recliner.

We’re fortunate to have good neighbors and members of our congregation who are so thoughtful and watching after us.

Vickey and Eliana left this morning for girls camp. They return on Friday. It was last year, the week before girls camp, that Vickey fell while standing on one of our dining room chairs to hang birthday decorations for Dominic and broke a rib, which prevented her from going to camp for all but one day last July.

This year we’ve switched spots. It’s apparently my turn in the recliner for a while.