That is some good news. Glad to hear you're on the mend. Taking out your negatives on the dirt is definitely a good proposition. I used to do that too. :Y:
Hernia's are no fun. Went through that with my old man a few years back. He had a 6cm tear in the upper groin area which I think came from helping to push a caravan a few feet. It's a fairly extensive operation too. My good friend has had two Hernia's fixed, both from benching insanely heavy weight while stupidly showing off to his mates in the gym in the early 90's. He seriously regrets it now that he's older and a little wiser.
Just reading over on the DIY thread (nicely done on the cutting and definition by the way!) that you also had back issues? I too had things go south badly with a lower back injury.
Really gotta look after the old body, particularly once you hit the thirties and things don't heal like they used to. I felt invincible in my teens and twenties (as I'm sure we all do), then I was shot down by the injury while mining (about 11 years ago at the age of 27). Ended up tearing all the lower interior muscles between my spin and right hip simply by pushing the rickshaw into the dirt to start shovelling -just doing the same motion I'd done countless times before. It felt like getting hit with an axe and I just dropped to the floor of the drive and couldn't get up. The crawl to the shaft to climb out and the forty minute ride home over the corrugated road was something I'll never forget. Took four days to be able to sit up, a few weeks to be able to even walk upright comfortably and several months to feel somewhat normal while mining. When it happened I honestly thought I would never stand again. Very scary.
Pretty much back to normal now, other than a bit of stiffness in the lower back some mornings. But, it's something I'm highly conscious of when lifting anything these days, both in the gym and in general. I feel for anyone that's had a serious injury take place. It's a bugger of a ride, particularly when your working future is uncertain.
Anyhow, enough of my thread hijacking. Bring on the opal!
Cheers and stay safe Scott!
Shauno.