Re: JFH experience Re: inguinal hernia repair- 1 week later

I had an operation on 18 December 2007 for right inguinal hernia repair. It went well and the recovery is going well too.
I also had bruising on my penis, which was not there at first but appeared later. Also bruising appeared on my hand where they put the drip in. Arnica is very good at taking away bruising. I have arnica tablets which help, but when I visited my girlfriend she had some arnica cream which I rubbed onto my hand and within a few hours the bruise was half the size. I have not tried it down below yet, but I will do when I see her again on 1 Jan 2008.
I also had constipation at first, I think it is the painkillers that cause it. But I only took painkillers on the day of the operation and the day after. After that, I could move the bowels again and did not take any more painkillers.
Currently the wound is still swollen and a scab is forming over the wound. It is about 10 cm long.
The wound does feel a bit sore at times, especially when moving in certain ways, but when I am relaxed and seated there is little or no pain at all. It is now 12 days since the operation and although I am doing fine, it is not yet time to return to work. Other people have told me to wait until 3 weeks after the operation.
The surgeon used dissolveable stitches which are, I believe, just below the skin (or maybe they have dissolved by now). Also they put small strips of tape across the wound, but only one has come off so far. The others are now loosening and will come off shortly, I expect.
I have been taking various herbal supplements to assist in healing. These include: astragalus, burdock root, slippery elm bark, olive leaf extract, probiotic tablets, ginseng, vitamins, and aloe vera juice (taking 20 ml daily in water or fruit juice). Also I am eating healthy food (which I would normally eat anyway), avoiding junk food, and drinking herbal teas and fruit juice. Hawthorn tea is supposed to be really good, and I am drinking that.
The other facts that I attribute to helping me heal are my relationship with God and the help and care of friends and family. When I was recovering from the operation in the hospital after waking up, it was so great to see my girlfriend when she came in and held my hand. Then later my parents arrived (to drive me home). Since then I have not stayed away from people, but visited friends and they visited me. It has helped a lot. Also the nurses in the hospital were very helpful and did a great job.
Also, I did not stay still. Some well-meaning people say to me I should just stay in bed while recovering, but a friend who is a nurse said that it is best to move around to aid recovery, and go for walks. Of course, taking it easy and avoiding heavy lifting of any kind, but recovery is helped by not being lazy. The nurse friend said that sometimes a patient will do well at first in recovering but then the recovery takes a long time or there are complications because the patient then does nothing during the recovery and ends up getting worse.
I hope this helps anyone reading this forum. If you have a hernia and are soon having an operation, remember that help and support from friends and family is essential for a good recovery.