Fat Tire

50 is more a state of mind, than an actual age. As John Scalzi said in Old Man's War Old age is not one damn thing after another, it's EVERYTHING, ALL AT ONCE.

I'm just trying to hang on until I reach 60.

Beware of doctors trying to improve you, your health, your lifestyle.

overthehillmedi

just remember that when you're sitting in the sun enjoying a brew to limit yourself to one otherwise it'll be the same as sitting in front of the boob tube.

Wogster

The last time I had beer, which I assume you mean by a brew was 1993, never was big on beer, strange for a guy with a German background I know, never really liked the taste or the smell. Funny thing is my father could get nearly a year out of a two-four and that was with friends over.

Wogster

Got an update on this today, they will do the surgery on Thursday, 4 weeks off bike means the first week in May, the riding in April is usually hit and miss, more miss then hit, which usually sorts itself out by early May, so the season is saved. Last week we heard at work that they are over staffed and looking for people to schedule extra time off, so this works out just about perfect.

I don't know about posting here after, my Blog will have the latest news posted on Thursday, after the fact. I may not be able to sit at the computer for a few days, so if I drop out of sight it doesn't mean that it was unsuccessful

maddmaxx 

The hernia isn't so bad.

50 is horrible though. (at 50 I was still working as a professional soccer ref.)

60 is far far over the hill.

64 could be interesting though. I think I get to have sex on my birthday.

Wogster

Well tomorrow is the big day, I will be away from here for a few days, until I can gimp to this end of the house and sit at the computer. Hopefully this will not be long, there will be a special posting on my blog tomorrow, after the surgery.

lhbernhardt

I had a hernia operation maybe 20 years ago, when I was around 40. Spent one night in the hospital room recovering, then was supposed to be off work for a week or more to recover. The first day at home I couldn't even walk. The second day I walked very slowly to the neighborhood convenience store. The third day I felt much better and could walk around comfortably. The next working day (there might have been a weekend in between, maybe not), I rode the bike to work and never looked back.

But please bear in mind that I was a very active bike racer in pretty good condition going into the operation. YMMV. Good luck!

L.

Wogster

Well the operation is done checked in at the hospital at 11:30AM, was home at 7:00PM THE SAME DAY!!!

Will be off work until June 1st, we need to be able to lift 70lbs, the surgeon says June 1st, the company's insurer may not like this, but they can't argue with the doc. Riding will depend on when I feel up to it, doc says 4 weeks, so probably at least that long.

Kuma

Hope your recovery continues to go well. I actually found out yesterday that I'm about to have the same experience, and I'm quite nervous about it. I know it's a very simple outpatient procedure that's done thousands of times per year, but hospitals, doctors, knives and needles really get to me - an irrational fear.

Have you felt up to moving around and/or exercising since the operation? I'm scheduled to do a big cycling tour in the mountains at the end of the summer, and I'm worried about losing too much conditioning as a result of the surgery. Please do let us know how things are going.

Wogster

Recovery is going fine, a little painful at times, but coming along nicely. The really good drugs have finished, and it's on to the more tame ones, and they are not nearly as good. Right now a week post op, I don't like moving much, but try to do a little more each day, it will be another 3 weeks before I can get back on the bike, and about 6 weeks before I can return to regular duties at work, at work we need to be able to lift 70lbs, and that is why it's a longer time period. There is still a fair bit of swelling, and that will slowly go away with time. It's similar to repairing a bicycle flat, they open you up, and apply a mesh patch, which is sewn into place, then close things up. The tissues over the recovery period grow through the mesh at the edges making the patch permanent. The stitches are absorbed by the body over time.

There are two types of operation, the open incision and the laprascopic, unfortunately mine was too large to do the laprascopic, so I had the open incision. If it's possible, you want the laprascopic, as the recovery on it, is much shorter. The surgeon should be familiar with the risks and recovery periods. You want a surgeon who does this surgery on a regular basis, and who has hundreds of happy patients. I think that modern life puts an extra strain on those muscles, and that is why it's such a common procedure. If you don't like doctors, knives and needles, then you should tell the doctor that, first off. They will inform the anaesthesiologist, who will change the order of things. It's hmmm, I smell cherr..... then your waking up in recovery.

I am always amazed in the 1960's such surgery was a huge deal and meant weeks in hospital, I arrived at the hospital at 11:30AM, I left at 7:30PM the same day, with my little bag of drugs. Nice thing is, the whole thing cost me less then $100, I am thankful for government health care insurance here in Canada, which paid for the surgery. The reason behind sending you home quickly is two fold:

1) You recover better in familiar surroundings.
2) The less time you spend at the hospital, the less likely you are to pick up infections and other pathogens.

I spent the first 2 days in bed watching TV, then used my wifes laptop for a couple more days, before getting back to the computer desk, I think on Tuesday. If you get one on one side, then it is more then likely that the other side will also pop. If the other side does go, then I will get it done right away, so they can do the laproscopic repair.