[Trombone-l] gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) recovery?

[John.McVey@frb.gov]

Hi Monique,

      I had gall bladder surgery many years ago and had the large abdominal
incision. I was in the Navy at the time and in the process of transferring
from Okinawa back to the states, so I had significant motivation to get up
and around quickly.  I spent one night in the hospital and then three days
or so doing exactly what the Dr recommended, which was bed rest. After
that, I was back in uniform, running around the base doing all my check out
stuff. Two weeks later, I was back in the states on leave, and actually
went out for a short jog with no pain or complications.

      So, I would recommend doing what the Dr. says, but when you feel like
it, and if the Dr. says OK, start with some buzzing and low volume long
tones. If it hurts, stop immediately. But if it doesn't, you should be able
to ease back into your maintenance routines fairly quickly.

Good luck, and enjoy the cocktail they give you before surgery. I don't
remember much, but I do remember that shot and feeling just wonderful. He
could have taken my leg off and I probably wouldn't have cared.

John



                                                                           
             Monique Buzzarté                                              
             <monique at buzzarte                                             
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                                       [Trombone-l] gallbladder surgery    
             12/10/2007 07:15          (cholecystectomy) recovery?         
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Has anyone on the list had their gallbladder removed?  What's the
recovery process like in terms of when professional playing is possible
again?

One surgeon I spoke with said that the recovery time before playing
would be 10-12 weeks (risk of hernias if playing before the muscles had
completely healed; in this scenario a laparoscopic procedure
is worse than a large abdominal incision since the intestine can
slip out with internal abdominal pressure but not back in as easily
through the smaller opening.  Another surgeon said that I could
play the next day "if I felt like it."   (Although that's if it was
laparoscopic of course - the open procedure is major abdominal
surgery with a 4-7 inch incision (it's not possible to know beforehand
which might be done.)

I've checked the archives, there aren't very many
references there to cholecystectomy or other
abdominal surgery in terms of what's realistic
for a trombonist to expect afterwards.

In my case, the docs aren't even sure it *is* the gallbladder that's
the culprit.  It could be an intermittent internal hernia (sometimes
there is a lump on my left side).  Or far less likely, some kind of
a periodic intussusception.   Or, possibly, a VERY atypical presentation
of gallbladder disease, cholecystitis/cholelithiasis.


Thanks,
Monique

--
***************************
Monique Buzzarté
monique at buzzarte.org
http://www.buzzarte.org
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