Re: Post Op recovery /

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/11/2002 6:22:37 PM US Eastern Standard Time,

karenw@... writes:

> >>>I had surgery on Monday and just got home this afternoon. The surgery

> went well, but I ended up having two hernias instead of just one. One was

> a large incisional hernia. That was the one that was bulging out. The

> other was an inguinal hernia. The surgeon found no adhesions around the

> bile duct or pancreas. However, he believes that the incisional hernia

> could have been causing many of my problems <<<<

,

I am so glad to hear that you had an uneventful (meaning no complications)

surgery and hospitalization. I know you are glad to be back home. I may

have missed this along the way, but how did you know you had the hernias? Was

it obvious in that they kept pooching (sp?) out?

I am glad that you took the initiative to have them fixed. So many hernias

do not give patients much grief and they postpone them until they eventually

do get stuck and become problematic. Non of us need one more problem to add

to our already lengthy list.

Remember to consider taking extra vitamin supplementation to facilitate wound

healing. Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, are particularly helpful for

postoperative recovery. You may want to avoid gas producing foods. Although

broccoli is one of the most powerful antioxidant foods available, broccoli is

particularly highly distressful with gas production. Dr, Weil suggests

effervescent vitamin C powder in divided doses throughout the day.

I would be interested in hearing what the hospital gave you in discharge

plans, particularly re: diet.

I know I speak for all of us at the PAI in wishing you a speedy recovery.

Don't worry about deleting the messages you returned to when you came home.

All you can do is get back on where you are when you return. The old messages

just need to go with the other steps at the top of the escalator.

Take care and pamper yourself,

Karyn

Karyn E. , RN

Founder / Executive Director

Pancreatitis Association International

Corp. Office: Indps, IN, USA 1-