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Thread: I guess I’m old enough for surgery?

  1. #1
    Senior Member G'day Mate's Avatar
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    I guess I’m old enough for surgery?

    My family has a long tradition of inguinal hernias for males. My dad had one, his dad had one, and now I’ve had one too. One day perhaps my boys will have them as well … I’d better let them know when they’re old enough to understand. Anyway, here’s how it played out …

    For about six months I’ve been training for an escalating series of runs. One of them was only four days away when I was playing with my son and nephew, who sat on my feet while I lifted them up pretended they were the worst, heaviest, least comfortable shoes ever. The next morning (Thursday) I looked in the mirror and a little lump near my groin (which I’d told myself I’d get checked after the race) had turned into a big bulge. I got a bit worried and booked an appointment with my doctor for the next Tuesday (his earliest available).

    Friday I was picking my son up from school cause it was the last day of term and the finish early. One of the mums there also does big silly runs so I talked to her about what times we were hoping for on Sunday. Get home after that, think about just how dumb it would be to run with what I assume is a hernia so start trying to find an appointment with a doctor then and there. Eventually got one at a walk-in clinic that’s nearby and he basically says yeah, no running, and don’t even ride your bike home up the hill until we get this sorted. We book an ultrasound for the Monday, ten days later.

    No race for me. I managed to get a spot volunteering though, which was good. Felt involved, and helping people with crossing the road for a few hours was way better than sitting around feeling sorry for myself.

    So now I’m getting around taking things easy because I’m afraid I’ll strangulate the thing. I see my doctor on the Tuesday anyway and he’s like “uh, yeah that’s a hernia, go see this specialist”. Call the specialist … I can see him Thursday week. Well that’s good, my ultrasound will be done by then, but I ask if they have anything earlier and as it turns out they have one the next day.

    Wednesday now, one week after playing with the kids, and I’m in the specialist’s office coughing with my pants down. “That’s gotta get fixed,” he says, “what are you doing 6am Monday?”. I cancel the ultrasound.

    I go to hospital on the Monday, go to sleep, and wake up with all my bits back in their proper locations. Lots of pain, but they give me some opioids to get by. Tuesday is discharge day but I have to wait and see the specialist first. He comes along and tells me that everything went well, although there was a weird lump he found that needs checking out. We have a follow up in two weeks anyway so he’ll find stuff out and tell me about it then.

    That was last week, and I spent the rest of it recovering. By yesterday (Monday) I’m getting by with just one or two doses of Panadol per day. I get a call from the specialist’s office though … he wants to see me the next day, which is now.

    Well, I’ve seen him and it turns out the lump is a weird growth that is secreting mucus into my abdomen. Dunno what caused it but now I need a CT scan and someone’s going to stick a camera up my bum before another trip back to the specialist next Tuesday. I’ll probably need an appendectomy at least to fix it, and they may even need to remove part of my bowel and stomach lining or … something like that. He’s very surprised that I’m not in tremendous pain! The thing is some rare condition with a name that’s four big words long that I had no hope of remembering.

    If I hadn’t had the hernia the lump thing would have gone undiscovered and one day I would have been in pretty serious trouble. Yay hernia?

    Still, I’m only 41 and the thought of needing surgery for anything just wasn’t on my radar. I feel old.
    Last edited by G'day Mate; May 2nd, 2023 at 03:44 AM.

  2. #2
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    "Only 41 and too young for surgery" lol man

  3. #3
    Senior Member G'day Mate's Avatar
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    I know right? It’s still been a shock to my system.

  4. #4
    Ask me about my bottom br FaultyMario's Avatar
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    Ouch, Billy Idol!

    Sounds like "yay hernia!" indeed.
    acket.

  5. #5
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    Yay hernia!
    I've had two repaired already, I'm only 44.
    Worst one of the two was the umbilical, don't recommend!
    Good thing you got it pretty quickly and hopefully things go well with the tests.

  6. #6
    Jedi Cam's Avatar
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    Oof.

  7. #7
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    41 is young mate! Hope they get to the bottom of it…

  8. #8
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    Good luck!

    As healthy as you must be, I bet you'll be fully recovered before you know it.

  9. #9
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    I had to be operated of inguinal hernia when I was not even 3 year old, I was suffocating and they did emergency surgery on me, I still carry a big pirate-like scar on my groin.
    Yet in your case that was helpful to find something else and to fix it in time!
    Big hugs, it will be ok!

  10. #10
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    Dude.

    Even "small" surgeries like Hernias fucking suck.

    Find out what the name of the condition is and let me know.

    Also, take LOTS of laxatives and stool softener s when you take ANY opioids.

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