Under the knife!

I’m currently off work, but not for reasons of leisure or indeed enjoyment. Instead, I’m recuperating at home, following surgery to repair a hernia in my groin area. Known as an “inguinal hernia,” the injury, which is quite common in men, occurred not through heavy lifting, but as the result of a prolonged bout of coughing, that lasted on and off for several days. This occurred around eight years ago, and whilst I didn’t notice the condition at first, the hernia manifested itself as a small lump, in the region of my right groin area.

Over the years, the “lump” gradually increased in size, but it was sometime before I finally decided to do something about it. This only really came about, after the injury started giving me grief. It wasn’t every day, and not even every week, but there were times when after rolling over in bed awkwardly, I’d be plagued with a sharp and quite intense pain in my groin, that wouldn’t go away until I got out up and of bed.

I investigated further and discovered that such problems don’t clear up on their own and that intervention is required. I still procrastinated over getting mine fixed, but then, just when I’d plucked up the courage and started exploring the options for corrective surgery, along came the pandemic, and this obviously put a hold on all but the most essential procedures.

I won’t bore you too much with the rest of the details, apart from saying my GP referred me to a consultant specialising in these types of injury, and on Monday afternoon at a hospital in Tunbridge Wells, I underwent open surgery, under general anaesthetic, to repair the hernia. I’d been advised that the procedure would be a relatively short one, and all being well I would be able to go home later that day, but in the end the operation was a little more complicated than at first thought. I was kept in overnight, not so much because of the surgery, but because I was unable to pass some urine.

The medical staff see this as evidence that the kidneys are working correctly, after a general anaesthetic. Not being able to pee after surgery is quite common, especially when it is conducted in that particular area of the body, and I do remember when Matthew required surgery, as a small boy, the hospital staff not discharging him, until he’d had a pee.

As far as I was concerned, Monday had been a baking hot day, and my water intake had been low anyway - as is normal procedure prior to general anaesthetic. I was therefore quite happy to wait until the following day, especially as I was able to enjoy a nice, cooked breakfast in my hospital room.

So, here I am back at home, slowly but surely getting myself back to some semblance of normality. The soreness and discomfort is gradually becoming less noticeable, and I am definitely becoming more mobile. Yesterday, before temperatures climbed too high, I went out for a short walk. It was only as far as the post box and back, and it felt like I’d achieved something, I took a lightly longer walk this morning, although it’s still hard to contemplate that just 12 days previously, I completed a nine-mile hike along the North Downs Way, but one step at a time, as they say!

One thing I ought to mention is that prior to the op, I’d been taking steps to avoid people, as much as possible. With cases of Covid rising again, the hospital had given me a Lateral-Flow Test Kit and instructed me to take a test on the morning of admission. Fortunately, I returned a negative result, otherwise the procedure would have been postponed for seven weeks. This would not have been the outcome I wanted after psyching myself up beforehand, ahead of the operation!

I shall also be quite careful where I go and who I mix with, once I am fit enough start going out again. At the moment, even the slightest cough, is quite painful in that particular area, so a disease such as Covid, which can cause persistent coughing, is the last thing I want! (Incidentally, when I phoned in, on Wednesday, to update work, I learned there are a half dozen members of staff currently off with the illness, so it hasn’t gone away!)

A recovery time of 2-4 weeks is advised, before resuming normal activities, although 6 weeks should elapse before any heavy lifting, pulling, or shoving is undertaken, but the main thing is being able to drive safely. Being able to perform an emergency stop is important here, and the recommendation is to practice this with the vehicle stationary and without the engine running. I will be aiming for that two-week time-frame, especially as I know the sooner one returns to some semblance of normality, the quicker one’s recovery to full health is likely to be.

To sum up, undergoing surgery to enhance one’s quality of life can, in the initial stages, involve taking several steps backwards, in order to fix a particular problem. But on the basis of no gain without some pain, it’s a worthwhile trade-off, as long as if things go to plan. These issues may seem unconnected to a blog that is supposed to focus on beer and travel, but to be able to enjoy these aspects of life, it helps if one is fully fit and healthy.

So, by allowing the recovery process to continue, and getting back to full fitness in a measured and orderly way, without rushing, my aim is to be back reporting on all things beer and pub-related, as soon as nature allows me, and to then be off walking that final section of the North Downs Way!