Day 3 – 72 Hour Post Op Robotic Surgery Report

72 hours after surgery.  Photo courtesy of my day nurse/awesome daughter.

It's been 72 hours since my blind date with Davinci at Grinnell Hospital on 8/08.  My pain meds are now cut in half and the last one will be swallowed tomorrow at 4:00 PM.  That means the fog in my brain from surgery will begin to lift four minutes shy of tomorrow's sunset at 8:12 PM once the last pill is fully absorbed.  I need coherency now more than ever.  I've had plenty of time to contemplate my pregnancy these last 72 hours.  For those of you new to this blog, welcome.  Yes, I did say I'm pregnant and yes, my pregnancy is somewhat odd given I'm a 56 year old heterosexual male.  The seed inside me is my third book scheduled for release on May 1, 2017.  I'll address the pregnancy in greater detail later.  Today's story is a progress report from my hernia surgery three days ago.  Here's the scoop:

• Mrs. Caveman and our daughter split the nursing duties into two shifts.  My day nurse is taking me out to the movies later today before shift change, my first time out since surgery. 
• The pain medicine makes me feel delirious and I'm sleeping through most of the days and nights.
• I'm having strange dreams.  They're similar to the ones I had when I was writing my first novel, "The Caveman in the Mirror."  I'm calling them "identifier dreams" because they're helping me identify the people in my life who can assist me with my pregnancy and the roles they will play.  
• Weight restriction is 10 pounds for 30 days.  Our son's Chihuahua weighs about seven pounds and that's about all the lifting I'm doing right now.

Useful tips for anyone considering hernia repair surgery:

• Bring cough drops to the hospital.  When the doctors remove that tube they place inside your throat to pump up your stomach it makes you feel like there's a frog stuck inside.  You will want cough drops.
• Surround yourself with loved ones.  You should not be alone, especially during the first 24 hours.
• Get a massage prior to surgery.  Amy stopped by to offer me one an hour before surgery and she helped me to relax.  It was the highlight of my day.
• Don't be a super hero.  You are human.  You need to rest and recover.  Slow down.  Sleep.
• Don't worry about what your bowel is doing or not doing.  It takes time for your intestines to reawaken after surgery.

I'm super pleased with the staff at Grinnell Hospital, including Dr. Kuiper, the surgeon who recommended I go on a blind date with Davinci.  It's only been 72 hours since my date and I'm feeling great.  The advantage to robot assisted surgery is decreased recovery time and reduced risk of infection since only three small incisions are needed for Davinci to make repairs.  If you have a hernia, don't put it off.  It won't heal by itself.  Treat yourself to a blind date with Davinci and don't forget to include a massage.  Have a great day.