Dealing with a Hernia

Dealing with a Hernia

A few years back I brought home a Kahili Ginger root from Hilo, Hawaii. Told it would never grow in the ‘burbs of San Fernando Valley, I thought what a great challenge. I’d give it my best shot. It was planted in a very large pot filled with soil similar to where they grow in Hawaii. The back porch proved ideal for lighting. My only concern was the humidity difference.

Backyard Kahili Blossom

Fast foreword five years and several incredible blossoms later, That very large pot began to split along one side. The ginger had reproduced, more shoots sprang up and it was now time to separate my original to make three different Kahili gingers. I’ve pulled countless plants from large pots for years. With gentle coaxing and a few expletives most transplanted experience’d very little shock and thrive in their new environments.

Having completed my newest gardening experiment, a dip in the pool seemed refreshing. That’s when I noticed what looked like a hard-boiled egg protruding from my lower right side. I didn’t feel any discomfort, didn’t even knew it happened yet there it was. WTF?

That was in late May. It never really hurt but was annoying as heck. It had to go. My doctors were great – answered all my questions and told me what to expect. Still, it took two and a half months for all the pre-op requirements to be fulfilled. It’s an outpatient procedure where for the next few days is much more uncomfortable and painful. I was warned this is what happens, and to be rather useless for four to six weeks, but having my hernia repaired is so worth it.

There was a problem though. Those first few post-op days. I don’t like having to sleep on my back throughout the night, having to hold my side every time I coughed or sneezed or laughed didn’t always happen fast enough, and I was really let down by the pain medication I was prescribed. I am not a fan of opiates as they can be addictive, so I found myself taking a glorified aspirin with codeine. My 60+ year old body detests codeine. Simply put, and please pardon my vernacular, but it plugs me for days. Like a miracle, my second prescription was stool softener pills. Of course! Prescribe an ineffective pain medication that plugs and a pill that unplugs. I couldn’t help but think it was some kind of a pharm-plot to sell more meds.

Medications can have side effects.

So I devised a Plan B.

(continued tomorrow)