And it's even better when I tottered up the stairs to my attic to read all your good wishes - for which I am very, very grateful. It's an odd thing this internet friendship lark but it has been very cheering to hear from you all. Anyway, it all went very well and I am particularly grateful to the Polish surgeon who decided not to emulate what his ancestors in the Polish Lancers did to poor old The Honourable Frederick Cavendish Ponsonby at Waterloo! It was sufficient for him only to stick his knife into me once and as far as I can tell it was as neat a job as you could wish for.
So now it only remains for me to rest up and test the tea delivery service here in Chateau Duff! 'SoD', of course, is a sod but, dammit, he did rock up here first thing in the morning to help me and the 'Memsahib' get to and from the hospital, so a big 'thank you' to him. The one single thought that I cannot shake off is what in hell's name it must have been like to live (and probably die) in times before modern medical practices. A hernia is fairly common but hardly life threatening but I can tell you that it is exceedingly painful and if you were a working man the consequences for you would be enormous. So, message to self: do try to stop complaining all the time. Well, I'll try but it won't last!
Glad all is well with you. And good to have you back or should that be nice to see you have returned?
Posted by: Up2L8 | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 13:14
And a speedy recovery Duffers.
Posted by: Cuffleyburgers | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 13:17
David, it's good to see you are able to sit up and take nourishment! Now no lifting anything heavier than a tea cup...a full one.
Posted by: Whitewall | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 13:36
I had a double hernia fixed about 40 years ago. In the next bed to me was a young farmer. He had had his hernia fixed, but two weeks later tried to lift a straw bale. Which is why he was in the next bed!
Posted by: backofanenvelope | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 13:40
Good advice, Whiters, and I'll quote you to the 'Memsahib'!
BOE - a DOUBLE hernia!!! My God, what were you lifting? Don't tell me you had to load your own bombs into your aircraft! Anyway, I have absolutely no intention of lifting anything heavier than the morning paper!
Posted by: David Duff | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 13:59
Glad to hear it.
Posted by: Pat | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 15:15
Glad the NHS managed to put your stuffing back in place, David.
Posted by: Bob | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 15:51
For several years, at my annual medical, the Dr told me I would have to get fixed. Then one day, I was flying Cyprus-UK in a Vulcan and the Nav Plotter ruptured himself. He had been putting things off and then it went. He was wearing an immersion suit on top of two other flying suits, so all he could do was press things back into place. We had an ambulance waiting on the ground at Scampton, but he had two hours of agony. Within weeks I was in an RAF hospital getting sorted out.
Posted by: backofanenvelope | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 16:55
Welcome back, David. And for goodness sake, lift with your leg muscles, not with your groin. Er, you do know the difference, don't you?
Posted by: TheBigHenry | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 17:40
I am glad to hear that all is well again. Of course I have been offline for a few days, so I am just hearing about all the brouhaha.
It was kind of you to do this while I didn't know about it so that I was spared the worrying and wringing of hands.
Have a speedy recovery you dear old grump!
Posted by: missred | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 17:53
Excellent news. I hope you returned with lots of hospital jokes.
Posted by: Uncle Mort | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 19:19
Glad to see you're back. Do you remember the classified ads in the newspapers, such as the Manchester Guardian when it was still a real newspapers? They offered trusses and other weird and wonderful things for coping with a hernia. Complete with illustrations.
Posted by: Timbo | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 21:21
Good to have you back - just relax and don't ring the damned bell too much.
Posted by: Andra | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 21:46
Get well soon. From personal experience, recovery will take about two weeks (tell the tea lady three weeks though :-)).
Posted by: Frank | Thursday, 13 July 2017 at 22:28
Off topic, but ...
In 2002 the BBC conducted a nationwide poll to select the "100 Greatest Britons." Of course, Winston Churchill came in first. Princess Diana came in third(!), followed by Charles Darwin, William Shakespear, and Issac Newton.
But do/can you know/guess who came in second? No fair using Google.
Posted by: TheBigHenry | Friday, 14 July 2017 at 03:41
Yikes, left off trailing "e" on Big Bill the Bard's last name!
Posted by: TheBigHenry | Friday, 14 July 2017 at 03:43
TBH - I've a feeling it might have been Brunel?
Posted by: Cuffleyburgers | Friday, 14 July 2017 at 08:21
Right you are, Cuffles!
BBC Poll 100 Greatest Britons:
(1) Sir Winston Churchill
(2) Isambard Kingdom Brunel
(3) Diana, Princess of Wales
(4) Charles Darwin
(5) William Shakespeare
(6) Sir Isaac Newton
Posted by: TheBigHenry | Friday, 14 July 2017 at 17:15