Recovering from Surgery

Why do I have those pictures of body parts at the top of the page? Because I'm hoping they're all back in place after my surgery. Especially my stomach and intestines, not pictured above.

I'm able to work on blog posts in advance and schedule them to appear on an orderly schedule (usually every two weeks). As I write this post, I'm anticipating surgery. As you read it, hopefully I'm on my way to a full recovery. Let me explain.

In 2010, I had an emergency appendectomy. My appendix had ruptured, resulting in life threatening complications. When I awoke from the anesthetic, I learned that I'd had a heart attack during the procedure, my kidneys had stopped functioning, and I'd developed sepsis. I later heard that the surgeon had called my wife to tell her that I might not make it through that first night.

Fortunately, I recovered from that surgery, but my stomach was never the same. A hernia forced the small intestines outside the normal confines of the stomach muscles, and while I've never been a skinny guy, my abdomen has had a distinct basketball-shape for the last few years.

Since moving to Florida, I've tried to be more active, especially walking and enjoying the pool at my condo's community center. With the Disney parks nearby, I've enjoyed strolling through Epcot, but with this increase in activity has come the realization that my center of gravity has been thrown off due to the abdominal hernia, and I needed to correct that. Last November I consulted with a surgeon, and he assured me that it was "fixable."

But it would involve a team of doctors (including a plastic surgeon to remove excess skin at the conclusion of the procedure). They would use a combination of biological mesh and re-position my own abdominal muscles to make the repair. My surgeon made sure I understood that this would be a major operation lasting about four hours.

I was told to expect an initial hospitalization of up to two weeks, followed by three or four weeks of physical therapy in rehab. Once I return home I'm to act like a couch potato for several months (walking is permitted, just not lifting).

I'm an optimist. Time spent in hospital and rehab is bound to provide more fodder for a future mystery, and I'll make use of my "couch potato" time by finishing FINAL JUROR (the latest Brad Frame mystery). It's all good. And I will appreciate finally getting my abdomen back to its original size.

Do you have any tips to make my recovery time more enjoyable? I'm open to suggestions. Please join the conversation.