1 year later and 4 interviews turns into a surgery

[geminiviper]

Sounds severe Mike, at least you will be laying around with a big buzz dude. And what geminiviper described almost sounded like some of these pharmacuitical adds you see on TV today. I have a rather high tollerance for pain, but that is one I'd do without, that would have to be one hell of a job to go through that brother.

Heh...  Actually the first day was fine, I felt like I could run a mile and then lift the house!  By about 3 AM when the morphine from surgery wore off everything was different.  I have very little memory of that first week though.  I was so doped up!  Hahaha...  My wife said I pretty much slept all day on the couch.  The couch because lying flat on my back was a BIG NO GO!! 

TC-
Some tips for your recovery.

While it is an outpatient procedure you WILL NOT be able to drive home.
Ask for laxitives.  Or, have something really long you like to read in the bathroom.  After waiting about 1.5 weeks my first crap took 2.5 hours.
If you have to push a crap out, at all cost, DO NOT PUSH!!  Not even a little.
Don't lie on your back.
Lie on your side with your knees up toward your chest, like the fetal position.
Movies are awesome because they distract you from everything else and put you to sleep.
Don't watch comedies.
Don't let friend that make you laugh near you for at least 2 weeks.
Don't laugh.
Don't cough.
Don't sneeze.
Sorry, no alcohol.  The Vics don't mix well with that.
Make sure your family and friends know not to expect you to remember anything cause you won't.
Make sure your family knows you won't even remember when you ate last.  And the only way you'll know you should be taking more pain killers is because you will feel like a truck hit your junk.
Do not try to stand up straight for at least a week.  Won't happen buddy.
Do not lift anything heavier than your foot.
Avoid walking any sort of distance, I mean from room to room in your house.
God help you if you have stairs.
You can eat anything you can stomach.  I couldn't stomach a lot the first week.

If you don't have a wife or kids in your house stay with family who can care for you because you'll really need it.  I hope everything goes well and I'm sorry to hear you will likely go through what I went through.  Take care buddy.

[dodj]

I was out and about 2 weeks after my hernia operation. I went to the Shouldice Clinic i Ontario. Operation is done with you awake, and you get up and walk out of the operating room. #1 hernia clinic in the world. Had me bunny hopping 4 hours after operation.

[MOPAR FANATIC]

mike,home confuzors down.done with work in 20 mins.i PM'D you with my
phone no's.give me a call if you want to hook up when you get in town sunday.

later for now

Dave...........mopar fanatic

[geminiviper]

I was out and about 2 weeks after my hernia operation. I went to the Shouldice Clinic i Ontario. Operation is done with you awake, and you get up and walk out of the operating room. #1 hernia clinic in the world. Had me bunny hopping 4 hours after operation.

You must have had the lapriscopy...  That would have been nice.

[Topcat]

mike,home confuzors down.done with work in 20 mins.i PM'D you with my
phone no's.give me a call if you want to hook up when you get in town sunday.

later for now

Dave...........mopar fanatic

Wish I was going.

My supervisor called me up this afternoon and said HR will call me on Monday. He sounded like they won't let me have the job now. 

He said at the end of the conversation..."I'll keep you in mind." and that was all and said good bye.

[whitesatinmopar]

Heh...  Actually the first day was fine, I felt like I could run a mile and then lift the house!  By about 3 AM when the morphine from surgery wore off everything was different.  I have very little memory of that first week though.  I was so doped up!  Hahaha...  My wife said I pretty much slept all day on the couch.  The couch because lying flat on my back was a BIG NO GO!! 

TC-
Some tips for your recovery.

While it is an outpatient procedure you WILL NOT be able to drive home.
Ask for laxitives.  Or, have something really long you like to read in the bathroom.  After waiting about 1.5 weeks my first crap took 2.5 hours.
If you have to push a crap out, at all cost, DO NOT PUSH!!  Not even a little.
Don't lie on your back.
Lie on your side with your knees up toward your chest, like the fetal position.
Movies are awesome because they distract you from everything else and put you to sleep.
Don't watch comedies.
Don't let friend that make you laugh near you for at least 2 weeks.
Don't laugh.
Don't cough.
Don't sneeze.
Sorry, no alcohol.  The Vics don't mix well with that.
Make sure your family and friends know not to expect you to remember anything cause you won't.
Make sure your family knows you won't even remember when you ate last.  And the only way you'll know you should be taking more pain killers is because you will feel like a truck hit your junk.
Do not try to stand up straight for at least a week.  Won't happen buddy.
Do not lift anything heavier than your foot.
Avoid walking any sort of distance, I mean from room to room in your house.
God help you if you have stairs.
You can eat anything you can stomach.  I couldn't stomach a lot the first week.

If you don't have a wife or kids in your house stay with family who can care for you because you'll really need it.  I hope everything goes well and I'm sorry to hear you will likely go through what I went through.  Take care buddy.

Sorry to hear that kind of news/response Mike. And yep what he said sure does sound like a TV ad, those are the "mild" side effects.   

[Topcat]

Yesterday I went to the VA hospital and saw my Nurse Practioner. She diagnosed it as a hernia that wasn't obvious to see and understood how I never knew about it. I asked her can I get the Laproscopy surgery vs. a mesh that would get me healed fast so I can keep the job.

She said she couldn't tell me that until I go thru a surgeon diagnostic to tell me their recommendation. I'm at least 2-3 weeks out before talking surgery for it. So I called my supervisor at the new job. They can't wait any longer. The territory has been neglected to long without a manager. So I lost the job. 

Maybe it wasn't meant to be. But I am having a hard time swallowing that.

[RB2929]

"Maybe it wasn't meant to be. But I am having a hard time swallowing that. "
- Monica Lewinsky

Hell, been there, done that, still no promotion at work.

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Mike sorry to hear about the job, hope you heal up ok.

[dodj]

Sorry to hear about the job Mike. Hopefully another opportunity is around the corner.

If you have the option, I would try to steer clear of the mesh. When I had my hernia taken care of five years ago, the mesh had a high failure rate. Which meant either the hernia opened up further or the mesh tore loose. A friend of mine had his mesh redone twice before he had it stitched with stainless wire. It's not lapriscopy, I have a 6" long scar but they claim it is indestructible (stainless stitching).
Not sure if it is done everywhere or if it is only available at the Shouldice Clinic. 
http://www.shouldice.com/

[Topcat]

Just got the call from VA Palo Alto.

I go under the knife on Wednesday, 5/26, 6am   .
Leaving ASAP for pre OP today.

Gameplan sounds like they will insert a mesh. Recovery will take up to a week apparently. Released that same day.

[Challenger III]

Best of luck, Mike. Hope all goes well.    That's too bad about the job deal!

[geminiviper]

Hey good luck.  I hope you recover quicker than I did.  Seemed like it took forever for me.  Then again my doc told me everyone is different so you never really know.  Keep us posted!

[dutch]

good luck Mike.  Hope you have a speedy recovery 

[72hemi]

Hey Mike I just came across this update. Sorry to hear about the surgery and job loss. Take care of yourself and hope to see you in a couple weeks.