Before anybody panics, no, I did not herniate through my incisions (near as I can tell). I didn't tear anything or pull anything loose; I just did a little too much yesterday. Specifically, I went grocery shopping.
See, I shop at this place where the sackers are paranoiacally careful about how they bag up your food. I did *not* take my nice reusable bags with me, specifically to avoid the sort of weight that can be put in those bags. So I got umpteen bazillion bags of groceries, some with one package of rolls or one carton of eggs in them.
Also see, I do twenty-pound bicep curls on a fairly regular basis--sixty of 'em at a time. Plus, I lift more weight than I really want to talk about with my back and legs. I figured that I'd be golden for lifting umpteen bazillion very light bags of groceries. After all, I can straight-arm a 17-pound bag of dog food with no problem, right? Right.
Loading a dozen one- and two-pound bags of groceries into the car and then unloading them into the house undid me. I had actual pain for the first time since day two post-surgery: a feeling like I'd been repeatedly punched in the right side of my gut. I can still tell that it's there, though it's not actually hurting this morning.
I cannot freaking believe that *groceries* did me in. I mean, yeah, if I had been doing hot naked unassisted power ultimate yoga, or running miles at a time, or trying my usual lifting workout, I could see that there would be a problem. And I understand that the belly muscles are connected to the everything-else muscles. But, really: groceries? Rotisserie-seasoned, deli-thin-sliced chicken breast? Eggs? A carton of milk?
The deep frustrated grumbling you hear is me.
12 comments:
That'll learn yer . ;-)
Oh, girl! Be careful!
I know you only had those periscope holes, but still. I had Bubba via C-section and it drove me nuts not lifting, especially when you have a big baby.
I swear that abdominal incision hurt for a bloody year after, no matter what I did.
Agreeing with RehabRN. After 7 abdominal surgeries, i can attest that you are more fragile than you think. My aunt, when she had cancer, would crack vertebrae from picking up a Kleenex box from the floor. Stuff you would never believe could hurt you, can.
Slow, even when your mind is screaming to go faster, is the name of the game.
LOL!!! Typical nurse..
;-)
Bobbie: More like "typical weighlifter!"
And I KEEP TELLING YOU: It's going to be like this for a while. Like, months. Get used to it and stop pushing yourself so hard!!!!!!
(through gritted teeth) All. I. Did. Was. Go. Grocery. Shopping.
Max can't do it; he's been banned from Kroger for sampling the dolmas off the salad bar. The cats are totally useless; they don't have the attention span and would probably lose the grocery list.
You want I should starve?
any of the groceries near you do delivery? Then the nice driver can bring it inside for ya.
Plus, as we get old(er), it takes us longer. I was even taking involuntary NAPS 6 weeks after mine!
Hope healing goes well. :)
Margaret
In summary from above.
A.S.K. F.O.R. H.E.L.P. !!!!
Drs and nurses make the worst patients I have heard.
Years ago, I had a minor gynecologic procedure done by laparoscopy; and afterwards my torso looked like/felt like "The Hindenburg" (Zeppelin) from all the CO2, (haha)!! I remember that it took about *a month* before I----(much younger then, and with a more minor procedure than you had done, Jo)----was even A.B.L.E. T.O. L.O.O.K./F.E.E.L. *N.O.T.* P.R.E.G.N.A.N.T.!!
The CO2 volume must just STRETCH the absolute crap out of the muscles of your abdominal wall----(not to mention your specific, internal Ovo-Animal Excision Site *painfully* making it's presence known!!)----which then makes gettin' back into having NON-painful abdominal wall muscles ............ a real bi**h. It might be akin to doing a killer back and legs workout with weights, (i.e., without havin' worked up-to-it first, though). Any first *Little Dab O' Exercise* that would then----EVEN INDIRECTLY----affect your back and leg muscles would most-assuredly be ............ *exquisitely painful*, (like your good-faith excursion to pick up multiple little bags of groceries). With the muscles of your back and legs already being very strong from weightlifting, though, your CORE abdominal muscles are also probably pretty strong, which is FAR BETTER (recovery-wise) for you than having sissy, flaccid core abdominal muscles, you know!!
Maybe to "prime yourself" preoperatively, Jo, ya could've asked to be umbilically blown-up-with-CO2-and-deflated ............ (like a bicycle tire or an inner tube!!) ............ 2-3 times in the week prior to your Animal Eviction, just to "stretch and limber up" the muscles of your abdominal wall, (haha)!!
I had large tumor removal and hysterectomy/appy & omentectomy 03/24. I was cleared to lift whatever months ago. I work for a law firm so lift lots of bankers boxes of papers. Did it twice most of the day a couple of months ago no problem. Two weeks ago moved a few and ended up with a really sore spot in my belly for a week. Sore enough I thought I'd better take it easy on the lifting for a few days. It just takes a long time. And I'm STILL tired.
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