Macneil Blog: Hernia operation

I first found out that I had an umbilical hernia in my pregnancy with Ayla. My belly button had popped out as usual, but around the 30 week check up the midwife had a look at my tummy and straight away asked if I knew I had a hernia. No I didn't know, but that would explain why my belly button hurt during the last stages of the pregnancy, in fact I probably had the hernia with Ciara too. I saw a vascular surgeon when Ayla was about 4 months, but he recommended I wait a while as I won't be able to pick up my baby once I had it done. Well my belly button has started to hurt again, so we decided that I should get it fixed now, and Michael would be able to take the 2 weeks off over Easter so he didn't actually have to take the full two weaks of leave as 4 of these days were bank holidays.

I arrived at the hospital at 6:30am, it was lovely to have my own room, and after answering all the medical questions and seeing the surgeon and anaesthetist I got to put on these cool compression socks for the surgery to minimize the chances of thrombosis. (I wonder if I could use these for running). After a wait until 9:30 and constant texting with Michael I was finally taken down to the theatre which felt really cold. I was hooked up to all the machines, and then came the anaesthetic, all I remember was the anaesthetist saying to me, I hope you enjoy champagne, and the next thing I knew I was being woken up in a different room saying that my surgery was finished(boy I love general anaesthetics, I know not many people do but it is too completely surreal for me, and I love that). I woke up asking the nurse if my teeth where alright, my biggest worry is that they would crack my teeth, which is a risk when you go under anaesthetic as they have to get the metal pipe down your throat for ventilation and sometimes if they struggle your teeth can get damaged. The nurse must've thought I was mad asking that question.
I was then wheeled back to my room and my lovely husband was already there, he had stayed with the children for breakfast and dressed them, and then he had come through to be with me for when I awoke. Of course I was drifting in and out of consciousness for a while, I remember the surgeon coming in to have a look, and Michael going off to get himself lunch, and then he went home back to the children. I spent the rest of the afternoon drifting in and out of sleep, and late afternoon I awoke and read my book and listened to music with the sun streaming in through the window, it was a lovely restful time and I didn't feel like I needed to be home, I felt like the best thing for me was to just rest without the worry of my little ones wanting to climb on my lap. The next day Michael arrived at about 10 and we went home.