Post Op

I don't normally re-post so soon, but I wanted to do a quick update on the surgery.

I went in to St Joe's late Monday morning to get my hernia issue resolved. This was the first time I've had something like this, so was a little nervous about the general anesthetic and how things would go. Also the area of the surgery - so close to 'the boys' meant I knew I'd be in for some pain on the other side.

Good news. Everything went smoothly. The surgery lasted about an hour. I don't remember falling asleep - no counting back from 10 to 1. One minute I was on the operating table getting myself comfortable, and the next I was in the recovery room coming round. It was only the existence of a 2 inch sealed cut in my abdomen that confirmed I'd actually had the procedure.

The nurses were wonderful - both before and after the operation. While I gripe about the insurance that I have, this was one time where I believe I got amazing service. I haven't received the bill yet (I'm pretty sure I owe $600 for the co-pay), so maybe that will temper things a little, but for now I'm very happy with everything.

A few hours later I was allowed to leave. To help with the pain they left an anesthetic drip attached to the surgery site, which would dispense pain killer constantly for 48 hours. They also gave me a hefty prescription of vicodin. I doubt I'll use it all, so maybe I can seek out Dr House and see if he'll give me a good price for the rest ? :) That first evening it wasn't too bad, but yesterday, despite the drugs, the pain was pretty intense. Today I take out the drip tube. According to my surgeon, this is likely to be the worst day and then things improve.

I'm planning on working from home for most of this week. Fortunately I have a job that allows me to be as productive from home as in the office. The doctor wants me to walk a little each day - which I am - but being able to avoid squeezing in and out of the car with a commute, and other work related movement, is definitely a blessing.

This weekend I'll go and support a number of my friends who are running the Colfax Full and Half Marathons - an event I'd planned on doing myself until I got the achilles tendonitis.

Hopefully this was the low point. With my hernia fixed and my AT on the mend - things should now be on an upward swing. It does make me realize that we shouldn't take things for granted. Through March I had run close to 800 miles, and was seriously thinking that 3,000+ for the year was realistic. Now it looks like I'll run less than 50 in April and May combined, with more than half of those being the Boston Marathon.

Clearly everything can change very quickly...