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Days before the surgery I watched YouTube videos on this exact surgery. There is no danger of dying on the table with this surgery. That was a relief to discover. I also learned that anything done laparscopic starts with them b__wing your abdomen up like a big balloon? So I had to ask what gas did they use. My surgen used CO2. The surgery went well, they put me out completely using my IV and an air mask. next thing I knew I was awake & felt like I couldn't breath. I kept trying to tell them that. The weird thing about it was that I didnt black out. Eventually I heard a lady notice my lips were moving and trying to say I couldn't breath. I heard a man explain that with the breathing tube you can get enough air but you dont feel like you are breathing. That was a relief to hear. Then the next thing I knew, I was awake, in recovery and couldn't focus on anything. I needed a hug. I must say that the staff at Banner Gateway hospital in Gilbert, AZ are wonderful. The odd lump was not only gone but 2-3 inches of my bell were gone as well. I was much thinner! Horray for that. The incisional hernia was larger than expected. The thinness was an unexpected bonus, who knew that all that overhang was gut and not fat. I now have strict instructions to not lift anything for 4-6 weeks or the hernia could re-occure. I have been given painkillers and some medicine incase I feel nausiated. Even with the pain killers I feel very sore when I need to move. Laughing is painful. But when your husband sitting next to you hits his own nuts while trying to swat a fly...you can't help your self. Next week I meet with my doctor for a followup visit. An hour after I got home I was able to sit on the couch with my 9 month old beside me and hug him. His happy grin is so good to see. I had forgotten to ask about what kind of mesh they used. I'll have to find out at the next doctor's visit.

Last night everything hurt. I could not find a pain free position that would allow sleep until I tried my Glider chair. I had to keep getting up to releive my self. I am so sore from constantly getting up and hurrying to the bathroom, I can nolonger bear laying down on my bed and struggle to get up one more time. Sleeping sitting up is not my first choice but it is better than nothing. I had to finally take 2 painkillers to get comfortable. They gave me only emough pain killers for 5 days. Will that be enough? The painkillers make you constapated so I wonder if my discomfot of last night was from that. I have had very little appet_te. And am still very thirsty. The 2 painkillers made me feel loopy but has not freed me completely of pain yet. I do feel itchy. So maybe I'm healing. What a pain this post surgery is.

As to my 9 month old, My bell is too sore to hold him yet so I have been using a b___stpump and letting him drink it from a sippy cup. I'm not ready to give up b___st feeding. My husband has taken all of our kids with him to have fun at their cousins so I can have a peaceful newyears recovering from surgery.

I've been taking 2 painpills now and the pain is now manageable. I should have been doing that all along. So I recomend not stretching out the pain pills at least until day 3 or 4 after surgery. I'm getting itchy around the laparascopic incisions so I must be healing. I have had no sore shoulders so I guess the gas they used to inflate me with was all taken out. Some times if you get a gas bubble inside you after surgery, your shoulders will ache until it is absorbed by the body. I have experienced this after my cesarians but thankfully not with the hernia repair. Untill I looked at the surgical video on you tube I hadn't realized that all laparacopic surgery involves b__wing you up like a balloon. There are some nice surgical videos on incisional hernia repair on you tube. Let family and friends know about them so they will see what you have gone through. They will have more empathy for what you have gone through.

Just as I was able to take a twinge free breath last night, I developed a quartersized blood clot just above my navel. It looked like a deep bruse but the skin over the area felt warm and softer than normal. A call to the Dr. office and my description confirmed it to be a blod clot. It was suggested that I keep a warm compress on it and I might feel some pain from it. I do feel more tender in that area. I've used up my pain killer percocet but the Ibprofin I tried replacing it with doesnt do too much to take off the pain. I'm facing a (ironic) fun night tonight.

It has be a week and a half since my surgery to repair the Incisional Hernia. I can now laugh gently with out it hurting much. I avoid belly laughs. My belly feels more sore than hurt. I have been blessed with family and friends who help with the house work and play with the children. Opening jars, vacc_ming and taking out the trash is still beyond me. When I walk I can stand a little more straight before I feel pulling.