netabrookie 0 Report post Posted August 31, 2012 I hate to be asking such questions to people I have never met, but I am somewhat worried. I have done the pre-op thing at the hospital and had a stress test to see how my heart was so now all Im waiting on is the carving date. I am just wondering about how long I am going to be down and unable to go up a creek or anything else that may require a little effort. The hernia is the "lower" kind and I have put up with it for quite some time. Im not so much worried about the pain, just worried about not being able to do anything for a while. The doc said six weeks was an average, but that seems like an eternity. I broke my foot 3 years ago and still managed to get into my waders about 2 weeks later, but I think this is a little more serious. (my right foot kind of pops and cracks a little, so maybe I was a little too hasty) Any comments or advice would be very welcome. As before, Im sorry to be asking something like this but I dont know anyone else to ask. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peterjay 0 Report post Posted August 31, 2012 I would do exactly what the doctor says to do - six weeks might seem like an eternity, but if you screw yourself up by jumping the gun, you're gonna be looking at yet another recovery. When I was 16, I broke my casting wrist in an auto accident and was in a cast for five weeks. Of course, I just had to get out there with the fly rod, (and also play football) cast or no, and wound up breaking the cast and the wrist never did heal properly. I still don't have much of a backhand, thanks to that long-ago injury. Play it safe Bro, and stick with the program. There are a million ways you can hurt yourself by overdoing it before you have a chance to heal. This advice comes at no charge from the Dr. PJ's Backwoods School of Homespun Medicine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riffleriversteelheadslayer 0 Report post Posted September 1, 2012 trust me you wont feel like doing shit the first 3 weeks anyway and if the doctor says 6 weeks you better do it the other alternative is reherniation and another surgery Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
netabrookie 0 Report post Posted September 1, 2012 Well, I think I will listen to you both. The doc said it had got bad enough that he will almost certainly have to make two cuts. One is the typical cut and the other is above so he can reach in and pull everything back up into place. I think I will feel fairly rough after its all said and done. If you ever put an early 1940's pickup cab on an s-10 frame, dont pick the back of the frame and slide it around because your two floor jacks are already in use. Its just a thought....... Thank guys Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted September 1, 2012 I had two hernia surgeries back in my 20's. One was a double hernia, that was the worst of the two I had and I was in bed for about 3 days, then walking with a cane/walker for about a week, then by the 3rd week i was moving pretty good but couldn't lift anything heavy. You will not be doing any fishing/wading for at least a month that much is for sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EricF 0 Report post Posted September 1, 2012 I had a hernia surgery awhile back. It hurts - you won't want to get back on the river until it is healed and you won't want to do anything to make it happen again. Patience now means lots of fishing later. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tidewaterfly 0 Report post Posted September 1, 2012 I had two hernias repaired last year and was out for 6 weeks. Like the others have said, after about 3 weeks I felt pretty good, but would not do anything strenuous. IMO, I could have done some fishing but didn't. There are places I could have gone & drowned some bait while sitting in a chair, but if I needed to be on my feet, casting flies, I don't think it would have been a good idea. Â Listen to your doctor, don't do something that will put you back in there for emergency surgery. Be patient & let it heal properly. I do a lot of heavy lifting with my job, and after 6 weeks was fine. Â If you tie flies, your healing time would be a good time to stock up on some patterns. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
buggybob 0 Report post Posted September 12, 2012 I'm going in for fixing the hernia in about a month and a half. My tying room is up some pretty steep stairs. Anybody got an idea if that's going to be doable soon after the operation ? I wouldn't mind getting ahead on filling the boxes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted September 13, 2012 You won't be doing any stairs for at least 2-3 weeks so I would bring the vise and some materials downstairs ahead of time if I were you. Â Steve Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saltydancindave 0 Report post Posted September 14, 2012 Maybe you'll get the receptionist to offer you a kiss after she tells you what to expect & and it'll seem going bad to worse afterwards ! It's a Hersheys Kiss...... & they'll tell you not to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for 6 weeks. Walking is good, but no bike riding nor exercise machines unless you want to see the surgeon again. Fly casting might be too much twisting & rip stitches, but in a couple weeks the discomfort will ease up even if you can't....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
netabrookie 0 Report post Posted October 27, 2012 You were absolutely right about the hernia repair hurting. It feels like it was performed with a pick-ax, a jack hammer and a back hoe. I don't remember anything ever hurting this bad. Its all I can do to get out of bed and make it to my chair. My wife is sweet and trying to take care of me and if I can manage to get in my office chair, she is rolling me around and getting me where I need to go. The surgery took about two hours and the doctor said it turned out to be more complicated than he first thought. The next time I hurt myself Im not going to put it off and think that it will get better or just go away. If I would have done this over a year ago it would have been much easier on me and it wouldn't have been such a pain in the rear for the doctor either. Take Care.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riffleriversteelheadslayer 0 Report post Posted October 27, 2012 Still think you can go cast that flyrod? I got a creek we can hit that is chuck full of brookies over 15 inches we only have to hike 3 miles Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lykos33 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2012 You are E-V-I-L Paul! Hope you're up and at 'em soon netabrookie! Murray Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tidewaterfly 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2012 Hang in there, you're past the worse part hopefully. I'm sure they gave you some good pain medicine, so take it as recommended & take it easy for awhile. In a few weeks you'll feel good as new! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Piker20 0 Report post Posted October 28, 2012 All the best for your recovery. I had to smile at thought of your wife wheeling you around. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites