Follow up is done

Today was my post surgery follow up, and things are looking good. Now that I'm able to go with only ibuprofen for pain relief, and now that I have a pretty normal range of motion, I'm cleared to drive again! So that's a huge logistical improvement around here.

My surgery site is looking good- not a lot of swelling, no redness, no weird stuff going on. My surgeon explained in somewhat graphic detail the extent of the repairs that she did, and it was a tad gory. The craziest part was that she told me that my incision was very small because my skin is so loose (from being post-baby) that she just could move it all over my abdomen to reveal what she needed to repair. EEeeeeeeewwwwwww. But at least that will result in less scarring and a quicker recovery, she said.

My belly button is very well hidden and I have yet to see it. She sewed it onto a synthetic mesh patch that is now permanently embedded in my gut. I know, that's totally crazy. So if anyone ever tells you that a belly button can't fall off, you can now tell them that in fact it can rip off, in which case a surgeon can sew it back on using a patch. Truly.

The breakdown on my exercise and activity restrictions is fairly strict. Nothing but walking on relatively level ground for four weeks. Hiking OK from week 4 - 6. Biking and running only OK after 6 weeks. No backpacks heavier than 10 lbs for 6 weeks. Carrying Grant is OK, but try not to bend over with him in my arms, and don't carry him on one side or hip for more than a second or two. Carrying Cooper is totally out for 4 weeks, and cautiously OK for very brief periods from 4 - 6 weeks, but mostly to be avoided for the full 6 weeks.

Much of this activity restriction isn't from my hernia exactly, but instead from the repair that she had to do on my muscle structure to ensure that the hernia didn't reoccur. I have almost an eight inch span of muscle repairs, which does explain why whenever I run low on painkillers, my ribs hurt. It is because they sort of got sewn back together last week.