[greglepore]

If you've got a hernia, you had a weak area there for a long time, probably since birth, and it ruptured. Not much can be done to prevent it.

W/ a good surgeon who does a lot of hernias (this is the key) its not a big deal, barring complications. I'm totally med-phobic, but was fine w/ mine; you'll not want to do much the first 24 hrs after, but the second day is much better, and you'll feel pretty much back to normal in a couple of days.

I had mine done on a Friday am, in the same hospital where my mom was seriously ill w/ end stage lyphoma, was on my back Friday and on my way to see her on Sunday morning when I got "the call", and managed to deal w/ a long day/night with her and then all the attendant stress and arrangements without giving the hernia procedure much of a second thought.